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05 May 09

Food Politics » Food miles: do they matter?

before jumping to interpret this paper as an argument against the value of local food, Jackson suggests that we think about the other, perhaps less tangible, benefits of local food production. He is a transportation expert so he particularly emphasizes reductions in air pollution, noise, congestion, paving, heat, and the removal of trees. On the personal side, the benefits include more physical activity, “social capital” (the conversations and other transactions between consumers and farmers), income that stays in the community, and - not least - food that is fresher and tastes better.

I’ve always thought that the real benefits of local food production were in building and preserving communities. I like having farms within easy access of where I live and I like knowing the people who produce my food. If local food doesn’t make climate change worse and maybe even helps a bit, that’s just icing on the cake. Or am I missing something here?

www.foodpolitics.com/...food-miles-do-they-matter - Preview