WhadayaKnow? Why is it important to buy local food?
By Jenny Kalish and Carolyn Sundquist
Every Monday Great Lakes Echo runs video clips of random people answering questions that experts believe environmentally literate citizens should understand. In the last clip an expert explains the correct answers.
This week’s question: “Why is it important to buy local food?”
This week’s expert is Laurie Thorp, director of the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.
RISE provides students interested in environmental studies a chance to work on community projects that promote sustainability.
Although there may be some merit to the argument that efficient travel means that “food miles” have less importance, I’ve never seen any convincing, not-suspect studies on the subject. However, talking about the environmental costs of long-distance travel shouldn’t stop with the carbon footprint associated with gas to get it all those distances. It also means fewer chemicals used as preservatives in processed foods; more biodiversity since there would no longer be an incentive to narrow the varieties down to those that travel well; less packaging waste; and less food waste. In addition, there’s the whole thread of argument — and it’s admittedly debatable — that says that the more you know the people who produce your food, the more you’ll have some say over the practices used, such as growing organically, which not only eliminates dangerous chemicals, but also builds up soil, an oft-neglected element that’s vital to our survival; non-use of genetically engineered seed, which I believe should absolutely be an environmental concern; humane treatment of animals, yet another area for environmental concern; and smaller-scale farms, which means reduced use of machinery and the ability to innovate in energy sources.
Moreover, because food is so important, it can be the undergirding for an entire local, closed-loop economic model, which would save “the planet” in so many ways.
There are lots of other less substantive reasons as well, but I’ll stop here.
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Great point Cynthia! Thanks for your comment!
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Too many studies and experts that discourage local production fail to adequately compare cross-border wages, water or energy costs, environmental progections, subsidies, government subsidies and more.
http://stjudetuna.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/suspicious-motives/
For certain products and industries, particularly food production, communities simply should not lose their self-reliance.
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