The Local Food Scam

Damn science! It keeps ruining the 'eat local' food argument.

"Weber and colleague Scott Matthews, also of Carnegie Mellon, conducted a life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gases emitted during all stages of growing and transporting food consumed in the U.S. They found that transportation creates only 11% of the 8.1 metric tons (t) of greenhouse gases (in CO₂ equivalents) that an average U.S. household generates annually as a result of food consumption. The agricultural and industrial practices that go into growing and harvesting food are responsible for most (83%) of its greenhouse gas emissions."

And:

"On the issue of carbon emissions, Maxwell contends, citing research by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, that half the total environmental impact of food transport is caused by individual consumer shopping trips – in fact, Maxwell says, more than the impact of transporting it from overseas. And there is the issue of jobs in developing countries. In Kenya alone, more than 1m jobs depend on exporting fresh produce to the UK."


The solution is clear: stay at home and grow Twinkies in your own Twinkie garden. Think of the landfill space that will be saved without all those plastic wrappers crowding it up.