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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

Local food 'greener than organic'

Organic apples, BBC

Food should come from within your area, the report says

Local food is usually more "green" than organic food, according to a report 
published in the journal Food Policy.

The authors say organic farming is also valuable, but people can help the 
environment even more by buying food from within a 20km (12-mile) radius.

The team calculated a shopping basket's hidden costs, which mount up as 
produce is transported over big distances. The study found "road miles" 
account for proportionately more environmental damage than "air miles".

Therefore, the researchers' message to consumers is this: it is not good 
enough to buy food from within the UK - it is better if it comes from 
within your area, too.

A big city like London could be provided with a lot more seasonal 
vegetables from local farms
Co-author Professor Tim Lang
However, they admit that consumers are prevented from "doing the right 
thing" because of inadequate labelling.

"The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat, as our actions 
affect farms, landscapes and food businesses," said co-author Professor 
Jules Pretty, from the University of Essex, UK.

"Food miles are more significant than we previously thought, and much now 
needs to be done to encourage local production and consumption of food."

Clean-up costs

Professor Pretty and his colleague Tim Lang, from City University, UK, 
painstakingly estimated the environmental price tag on each stage of the 
food production process.

That price might reflect, for example, the clean-up costs following 
pollution, or the loss of profits caused by erosion damage.

British eggs, PA
The price of food is disguising externalised costs
"The price of food is disguising externalised costs - damage to the 
environment, damage to climate, damage to infrastructure and the cost of 
transporting food on roads," Professor Lang told the BBC News website.

The authors calculated that if all foods were sourced from within 20km of 
where they were consumed, environmental and congestion costs would fall 
from more than £2.3bn to under £230m - an "environmental saving" of £2.1bn 
annually.

They pointed out that organic methods can also make an important 
contribution. If all farms in the UK were to turn organic, then the country 
would save £1.1bn of environmental costs each year.

Consumers can save a further £100m in environmental costs, the authors 
claim, if they cycle, walk or catch the bus to the shops rather than drive.

Each week, the average person clocks up 93p worth of environmental costs, 
the report concludes.

These costs should be addressed by the government, companies and consumers, 
the authors believe.

Sophisticated policy

"It is going to need some sophisticated policy solutions," Professor Pretty 
said. "You could say we should internalise those costs in prices, so that 
it affects people's behaviour. That might be economically efficient but it 
lacks on the social justice side because it will affect rich people much less."

Instead, the authors are advocating a softer approach. Consumers should 
make ethical choices about the food that they buy, and supermarkets should 
be open with customers about where their food is coming from.

At the moment, as every UK consumer will know, it is impossible to tell 
whether your carrot has come from Devon or Scotland.

Vegetables, BBC
At the moment it is impossible to tell whether your carrot has come from 
Devon or Scotland
"In the short term, our paper adds to consumer frustration," Professor Lang 
concedes. "The problem is we don't get the information. Food labels don't 
tell you the sort of information you really need to know if you want to do 
the right thing by the environment."

Since supermarkets do know exactly where their food is coming from, 
Professor Lang believes they have a duty to inform their customers.

Eventually, the authors hope, the food production infrastructure within 
Britain will be transformed.

"We think farming methods will change - farming will undergo a re-birth, if 
you like," said Professor Lang.

"A big city like London could be provided with a lot more seasonal 
vegetables from local farms - because at the moment, the shape of the 
supply chain is all wrong from the point of view of food, environment and 
public health."

Your comments

My Welsh/Canadian grandfather grew most of our food and it tasted 
wonderful. Store-bought food lacks the flavours of fresh. One day I watched 
asparagus being harvested about 20 miles from my home. The cut spears lay 
on a tarp, under the hot sun for almost an hour before being placed on a 
truck and hauled off to market. Even locally grown food may be poorly 
handled. So like my grandfather, I try to grow as much at home that I can. 
I agree with the gentleman from San Diego. Americans have much to relearn 
about food.
A Davis, Anaheim USA

The article states: "At the moment, as every UK consumer will know, it is 
impossible to tell whether your carrot has come from Devon or Scotland." 
but even if we did know, this isn't the whole story. Food is moved from 
British suppliers to centralised supermarket depots, then back to the 
branches, so even if something appears to be local, then it may in fact 
have travelled up and down the country to reach you. There's a whole 
section on this in Felicity Lawrence's excellent book "Not on the label". 
The only real way to ensure you're eating local food is use farmers' 
markets and local shops, or grow it yourself! I think we should be lobbying 
the supermarkets hard on this issue.
Margot Maynard, London, UK

I know of just two "farmer's markets" available in Riverside - one only 
part of the year; even those have produce from further away than 12 miles. 
I usually shop at a supermarket where the majority of the fresh food is 
grown in Southern CA [at least]. I know of no way to ensure that the foods 
I eat are grown within 12 miles of my home - short of raising some veggies 
myself. I would like to, however it is not possible as it would be too time 
consuming.
J P, Riverside, CA USA

        
Apart from the road miles, food grown locally is most suitable for the 
people living in that climate
Meena Appnender, Hyderabad, India
I agree. Apart from the road miles, food grown locally is most suitable for 
the people living in that climate. It is likely that all the nutrients are 
likely to be found in various forms in the locally grown produce.
Meena Appnender, Hyderabad, India

"The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat". I couldn't agree 
more. The country I live in may be democratic, but above all, it is 
capitalist. The only real power we have these days is the power of the 
penny... each cent spent is a clear vote to change or maintain the status 
quo. The only way to change our markets is to support those products that 
attempt to be environmentally sound and humane to animals. Thanks for 
running this piece, I only wish the media in my country would follow suit.
Owen, San Diego, USA

I have always thought that the definition of organic should include food 
miles. There is not a lot of point in eating good food if there is a 
greater impact on the planet by getting it on your plate. How we suffer 
from narrow definitions. We need a more holistic view of all the issues in 
food quality and production/transport. Keep up the good work.
Maurice Hopper, Exeter

        
We need to re-educate ourselves to eat seasonally, and to encourage local 
producers
Caroline Deamer, Lincoln, UK
I agree wholeheartedly, and it's heartening to have this 'instinct' 
confirmed through scientific analysis. We need to re-educate ourselves to 
eat seasonally, and to encourage local producers. However, there are 
seemingly some disincentives for doing this, in the economic model 
currently adopted, with supermarkets dominating the food supply chain. 
Hopefully (although this is a somewhat vain hope) consumers and the 
government might actually take notice now that there is a financial 
perspective on this...but I doubt it
Caroline Deamer, Lincoln, UK

This idea seems a little ridiculous, what if there are no farms within 12 
miles of your house, and am I supposed to live on Rhubarb as this is the 
main thing grown locally to me!
Paul Hartshorne, Leeds

Yes, I agree very much. Progress has taken us away from some very good 
"habits", how does "progress" take us back? Thanks for the article.
Cyd Hanns, Barrow, Alaska

I would love to see a follow up article about how existing homes could be 
retrofitted with a relatively low cost solarium/greenhouse that could help 
to passively solar heat the home while producing vegetables, herbs etc year 
round. This could be used by people who were already planning to renovate 
their home. Of course it would be much easier to accomplish this in new 
construction of homes and even large buildings with flats. Homeowners, like 
farmers, should be given the economic incentive/reward for making their 
homes more environmentally friendly! The trend to working at home should 
also be rewarded as it cuts down on traffic on the road, reduces pollution, 
and has other positive benefits. I think your scheme in the UK to reward 
farmers for making their lands more wildlife friendly is "brilliant" as you 
might say!
Tom Lang, Lions Bay, Canada

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4312591.stm