Comments on: Do food miles matter? http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:08:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marc http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-61222 Marc Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:51:34 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-61222 This is a great point, Colin. Eating products--even peanut butter-- derived from peanuts, corn and soy grown on farms that use lots of fertilizer, water and energy isn't advisable, as you not. But, as always, these things are complicated. What if your "local" farmers delivers his vegetables door to door, as our CSA does? What if McDonald's is working hard to promote more sustainable agriculture, as I believe they are? As for the question of who funds this science, I'll check it out when I get some time. And I will look forward to your book--which I assume will help us all lower our impact! This is a great point, Colin. Eating products–even peanut butter– derived from peanuts, corn and soy grown on farms that use lots of fertilizer, water and energy isn’t advisable, as you not. But, as always, these things are complicated. What if your “local” farmers delivers his vegetables door to door, as our CSA does? What if McDonald’s is working hard to promote more sustainable agriculture, as I believe they are? As for the question of who funds this science, I’ll check it out when I get some time. And I will look forward to your book–which I assume will help us all lower our impact!

]]> By: Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-61215 Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:43:00 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-61215 But Marc, you've skipped over the wider points. Petroleum use is only one of the environmental impacts of farming. As just one example, as I'm sure you know, there is a 7,000 square mile dead patch in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the fertilizer carried from the midwest farms. So the question really is, who do you trust to be the custodians of agricultural environmental and social stewardship? Local farmers who work to bring good fresh food into neighborhoods where the agri-giants are sending only McDonalds and KFC, or do you trust the food corporations. And as for food miles, please check who is funding the studies. The most recent one deriding local food was published in the journal of the American Chemical Society. Is there a chance that they might have an interest in muddying the water? Is there a chance that they want the public to complacently stick with the factory farms who use Chemical Society members' fertilizers and pesticides? All the best, Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man But Marc, you’ve skipped over the wider points. Petroleum use is only one of the environmental impacts of farming. As just one example, as I’m sure you know, there is a 7,000 square mile dead patch in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the fertilizer carried from the midwest farms.

So the question really is, who do you trust to be the custodians of agricultural environmental and social stewardship? Local farmers who work to bring good fresh food into neighborhoods where the agri-giants are sending only McDonalds and KFC, or do you trust the food corporations.

And as for food miles, please check who is funding the studies. The most recent one deriding local food was published in the journal of the American Chemical Society. Is there a chance that they might have an interest in muddying the water? Is there a chance that they want the public to complacently stick with the factory farms who use Chemical Society members’ fertilizers and pesticides?

All the best,
Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man

]]> By: Linda http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-61013 Linda Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:19:39 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-61013 Marc, we are planning a membership meeting next week about how to "green" our corporate volunteer programs. I'll add this info as a great suggestion - meals for events etc could easily be nonmeat, or if that's too radical for a company, at least, as you increase the nonmeat choices you reduce the carbon footprint. Any other suggestions specific to greening a volunteer program very welcome. Marc, we are planning a membership meeting next week about how to “green” our corporate volunteer programs. I’ll add this info as a great suggestion – meals for events etc could easily be nonmeat, or if that’s too radical for a company, at least, as you increase the nonmeat choices you reduce the carbon footprint.

Any other suggestions specific to greening a volunteer program very welcome.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-60952 Shirley Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:45:29 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-60952 Marc, I found your article very didactic, with hard facts. If it wasn't enough that read meat is conducive to heart and weight problems, the impact that produces on the environment take it to another level, from the individual to the collective level. Cheers, enjoy Alaska! Marc, I found your article very didactic, with hard facts. If it wasn’t enough that read meat is conducive to heart and weight problems, the impact that produces on the environment take it to another level, from the individual to the collective level. Cheers, enjoy Alaska!

]]> By: BPT - MoneyChangesThings http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-60941 BPT - MoneyChangesThings Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:29:44 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-60941 My half share in a CSA yielded week after week of Japanese turnips. Never ate one before, never plan to eat one again. Now I shop at a local farmers market and my food coop! Another good strategy for Americans is to eat less, altogether, and drink tap water or drinks like home-brewed ice tea which are essentially tap water. Less manufacture, transport, refrigeration and disposing of big, heavy bottles. My half share in a CSA yielded week after week of Japanese turnips. Never ate one before, never plan to eat one again. Now I shop at a local farmers market and my food coop!
Another good strategy for Americans is to eat less, altogether, and drink tap water or drinks like home-brewed ice tea which are essentially tap water. Less manufacture, transport, refrigeration and disposing of big, heavy bottles.

]]> By: Alex http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-60922 Alex Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:21:21 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-60922 This is sooo true! Food miles don't necessarily weigh into the carbon equation as much as other things like grain-feeding animals to fatten them for slaughter. There's another site that assesses the carbon footprint of individual foods, and they have a good database going. <a href="http://foodprint.awardspace.com" rel="nofollow">FoodPrint</a> This is sooo true! Food miles don’t necessarily weigh into the carbon equation as much as other things like grain-feeding animals to fatten them for slaughter. There’s another site that assesses the carbon footprint of individual foods, and they have a good database going. FoodPrint

]]> By: Andrew http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/07/14/do-food-miles-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-60791 Andrew Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:23:49 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=385#comment-60791 Good Info! Good Info!

]]>