Silly Little Country

More on Locavores

Marginal Revolution are terse on the subject, citing Ezra Klein, while Stephen Dubner waxes on a bit, but the point is the same:

We find that although food is transported long distances in general (1640 km delivery and 6760 km life-cycle supply chain on average) the GHG emissions associated with food are dominated by the production phase, contributing 83% of the average U.S. household’s 8.1 t CO2e/yr footprint for food consumption. Transportation as a whole represents only 11% of life-cycle GHG emissions, and final delivery from producer to retail contributes only 4%. Different food groups exhibit a large range in GHG-intensity; on average, red meat is around 150% more GHG-intensive than chicken or fish. Thus, we suggest that dietary shift can be a more effective means of lowering an average household’s food-related climate footprint than “buying local.” Shifting less than one day per week’s worth of calories from red meat and dairy products to chicken, fish, eggs, or a vegetable-based diet achieves more GHG reduction than buying all locally sourced food.

I continue to lean to the notion that even the 4% is overblown. And I doubt it is worse than the cost of the transportation and other GHG costs of those farmers/providers who have joined in our local market.

I am hoping to come to love our local market, but not because I think buying locally has any virtue compared to patronizing the local grocery stores. It seemed it might just be a bit more fun.

Most of what I have seen in arguments about "locavorism" have seemed to be poorly argued (if at all) emotional guilt expiation for the wealthy. I do not believe at the moment for a second that there is any environmental or social advantage (other than the fun!) of the devotion to local markets. But hey, the fun is enough for me for now.

BTW - if you go back to the quotation above - I did buy one whacking piece of red meat (have yet to eat it, as I am still consuming vegetables, fish, and chicken from my local retail grocery stores).

Labels: eat local

posted by Alan Adamson @ 6:24 PM