Another Food Scandal | 28 comments (28 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

We demolished the "food mile" concept 5 months ago here. I think all you have to do is google:

If you go to google Defra and "food mile" you'll find a recent report showing that "food miles" are an inadequate indicator.

At least it worked for me back then.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Dec 18th, 2006 at 06:06:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Food Miles (4.00 / 2)

First link on google is now the economist article... It's always better to put the link than rely on google :).

It's obvious that food miles is not the right unit since you need to take transporation mode and production inputs into account.

NZ study of the topic (PDF), seems to conclude that for some products it's vastly more energy-efficient to ship them to UK from NZ than to produce them in the UK.

by Laurent GUERBY on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 03:56:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

You mean... (4.00 / 2)

There still is hope to eat NZ kiwis in Europe???

Bliss!!

Now, I like this report, but would there be any interest here to do an audit of these findings? Are there elements missing, can we extend the given framework for other products?

by Nomad on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 04:47:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You mean... (none / 1)

You can always eat NZ kiwis in Europe. The question is, at what price.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 05:21:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

You know (none / 1)

Ever since the kiwi issue got flagged at the start of this year, I now feel guilty when I pick up a kiwi, being uncertain whether it's produced sustainably.

Conscious man, conscious!

by Nomad on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 06:15:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You know (none / 1)

What does sustainably mean? Sensu strictu, any use of fossil fuels is not sustainable, but using no fossil fuels is an absurd requirement.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 06:25:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Good question (none / 1)

In that definition, only a speck of total production is produced sustainably nowadays...

In the kiwi-case, I was thinking of an alternative kiwi produced somewhere closer to the Netherlands than NZ (which is probably Everywhere Else). That would make the description perhaps: less un-sustainable.

by Nomad on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 06:34:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good question (none / 1)

More sustainable, less unsustainable, more acidic, less basic, more europhilic, less eurosceptic...

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 06:36:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Perhaps (4.00 / 2)

But less un-sustainable does not equate to more sustainable!

by Nomad on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 07:28:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You know what sustainably means... (none / 1)

saving fossil oil products for rarer uses, like lubrication, and using more renewables for transport, heating etc.

it's about having a sense of proportion, isn't it?

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 07:35:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You mean... (4.00 / 3)

I didn't read in details the 117 pages PDF but it looks like that it's mainly use of fertilizer and industrial diary food (forage and cereals) that causes UK production to be more "inefficient" carbon wise (see table page 61).

by Laurent GUERBY on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 05:21:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Mmm (none / 1)

So what happens if we take those out of the equation? I need to copy the spreadsheet when at home...

Too bad that they didn't take kiwis as example...

But I like the set-up, very bookkeepish. It looks superior to considering just foodmiles as metric.

by Nomad on Tue Dec 19th, 2006 at 06:27:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Another Food Scandal | 28 comments (28 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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