Some challenges to the notion that local = best. Not sure they all resonate with me, but it's certainly food for thought.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/216034
Locavores -- it's complicated
-
John Leary
- Hardcore Co-op Volunteer
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:32 pm
- Location: Metuchen
- Contact:
-
Danielle Geist
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:38 pm
- Location: Brooklyn
how timely! I just went to a talk tonight for NY Climate week where they talked about how eating organic and local does little as compared to eating a vegan diet.
"The authors suggest that eating less red meat and/or dairy products may be a more effective way for concerned citizens to lower their food-related climate impacts. They estimate that shifting to an entirely local diet would reduce the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions as driving 1,000 miles, while changing only one day per week's meat and dairy-based calories to chicken, fish, or vegetables would have about the same impact. Shifting entirely from an average American diet to a vegetable-based one would reduce the same emissions as 8,000 miles driven per year."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 161338.htm
and here is another article with a similar message:
http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0602-ucsc ... miles.html
This link allows you to check your carbon foodprint
http://www.foodcarbon.co.uk/calculator.html
but remember, carbon is just a small part of greenhouse gases you need to be aware of. Methane and Nitrus oxide (which come from farm animal burps, farts, and manure, regardless if they are free range or factory farmed) are much much worse than carbon, so reducing animal foods if the best for the environment.
"The authors suggest that eating less red meat and/or dairy products may be a more effective way for concerned citizens to lower their food-related climate impacts. They estimate that shifting to an entirely local diet would reduce the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions as driving 1,000 miles, while changing only one day per week's meat and dairy-based calories to chicken, fish, or vegetables would have about the same impact. Shifting entirely from an average American diet to a vegetable-based one would reduce the same emissions as 8,000 miles driven per year."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 161338.htm
and here is another article with a similar message:
http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0602-ucsc ... miles.html
This link allows you to check your carbon foodprint
http://www.foodcarbon.co.uk/calculator.html
but remember, carbon is just a small part of greenhouse gases you need to be aware of. Methane and Nitrus oxide (which come from farm animal burps, farts, and manure, regardless if they are free range or factory farmed) are much much worse than carbon, so reducing animal foods if the best for the environment.