Environmental Impacts of the Locavore Movement

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A Look at the Environmental Impacts of the Locavore Movement” By Cheryl Gregory

description

A brief presentation on the Locavore Movement, what it is, and its impact on the environment. May 2010

Transcript of Environmental Impacts of the Locavore Movement

Page 1: Environmental Impacts of the Locavore Movement

A Look at the Environmental Impacts of the “Locavore Movement”

By Cheryl Gregory

Page 2: Environmental Impacts of the Locavore Movement

Outline:

1. What is the LocavoreMovement?

2. Some of the Misconceptions

A. Transportation

B. Food Distribution Organization

C. Growth / Production Methods

D. Food Types

E. Globalization of Food Systems

F. Proposed Local Benefits

3. Conclusion

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What is a “Locavore”?

Term first coined by Jessica Prentice of San Francisco on the World Environmental Day in 2005

Describes a person who consumes only food grown or produced locally

Usually food is produced less than 100 miles away

Locavore Movement: “A collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies-one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular place” Gail Feenstra UC Davis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqlW-pBX-yw&feature=related

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“Food Miles”

“Food Miles” is the distance a food product travels from the source of production to the plate of the consumer

Originally the local food movement used the concept of food miles to determine the sustainability of food

Food Miles oversimplify the complex environmental impacts of a food system

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Distribution

What is a

Food System?

Production

Processing

Distribution

Storage

Use

Waste

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Transportation

Variables

Coordination of Transport

Overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

Reduces Gridlock

Mode of Transport

Airplane vs. Cargo-ship vs. Truck vs. Train

Technology Advances

Diesel-Hybrid Engine

Fuel Types

“Just over a ton of goods moved six miles as part of a 22 ton lorry load generates about 14 oz of CO2; moved in 50 cars, each carrying 40 lbs, it generates about 22 oz of CO2” (Woods et al)

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Distribution

Theoretical Local System

More Direct

Smaller Warehouses

Less Storage Time

Less Refrigeration

However, decreasing the size of the operation but increasing the number of operations may not actually decrease environmental impact.

Current Distribution Systems

Collaborative Distribution System

Coordination/Sharing of warehouse and transportation systems

Reduces gridlock

Ability to maximize efficiency

Competitive Distribution System

Companies act competitively which may not be in the best interest of the environment

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Growth/Production

Theoretical Local System

Reality of Buying Local

Organic vs Inorganic

Overlooks Climate Differences

New Zealand vs United Kingdom

Does not Consider Fertilizer, Pesticide or Herbicide Use

Promote Sustainable Care of the Land

Decrease Mono-cropping

No Barren Fields during Winter Months

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Food Type

Key Flaw of the Locavore Movement

The Environmental Impact varies drastically from food type to food type.

Example: Beef has a much higher negative impact than vegetables

Locavores Believe that Local Consumption will cause people to naturally decrease their intake of environmentally damaging foods

Lacks support from research

Haiti is an example of a country which consumed locally produced rice, despite environmental effects, until the land became desert

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Globalization

The Locavores ViewReality

Food Miles have increased significantly but:

“Globalization of the food market has only increased greenhouse gas emission by 5%” (Liaw)

Regional Specialization

Crops grown where produced most efficiently

Could Mean Less Pesticide/Herbicide/Fertilizer Use

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Proposed Local Benefits

Preservation of Local Food Heritage

Preservation of Local Culture

Economic Freedom from global market fluctuations

“A community which depends upon its human neighbors, neighboring lands, and native species to supply the majority of its needs must ensure

that the social and natural resources it utilizes to fulfill those needs remain healthy.” Kloppenburg

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Obstacles in Achieving Proposed Local Benefits

1. Recognition of an Unhealthy Resource

2. Recognition of the Cause of the Unhealthy/Damaged Resource

3. Creating Action or Behavior Change to

A. Prevent Further Damage to Resources

B. Reverse Current Damage to Resources

C. Restore/Improve Resources

Essentially, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING is also necessary in order to realize the benefits of consuming locally!!!

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Conclusion1. Overlooks Differences in

Transportation

2. Distribution is over-simplified

3. Lack of emphasis on Growth/Production Methods

4. Ignores Differences in Food Type

5. Does not address the obstacles of achieving the proposed local benefits

The Locavore Movement overlooks some key factors of

the food system with huge environmental impacts.

However, with more research and some adjustments to the

Local Food campaigns, particularly environmental

education, a local food economy has the potential to

reduce negative environmental impacts of current food

systems.

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Suggestions

Suggested Reading: Michael Pollan´s The Omnivores Dilemma

Try to cut back on animal products, especially beef

Try to buy food that has been produced sustainably, and yes, one of the best ways to be sure is by buying from the person who actually did the producing

Buy Food Seasonally

MICHAEL POLLAN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFNzabpQ2X0&feature=related