Here is an interesting read:
Some Benefits and Drawbacks of Local Food Systems by Jules Perry
He's English, and this article is mainly referencing British evidence and policy, but some themes hold true around the world. I know most of us are busy people and sometimes we're put off pages and pages of black and white text without pretty photos. Ok, maybe that's just me. Well I took one for the team and summed up some of the better points below:
- First off, our food system is flawed. Too many people are hungry and too many people are obese at the same time
- Farmers aren't making the money they should be, because there are so many middle men adding value to the raw food (so many processed foods)
- The farmers almost have no choice but to keep cranking out their GM corn and cash crops, because that's what the key players in the food industry are buying. Result: the land gets absolutely wrecked from monocrops and over use and synthetic fertilizers and the like
- A lot pollution comes with growing and transporting food, if we grow in smaller scale and ship to a closer location, this pollution would be reduced (and it production costs would be lessened)
- Some questions remain: how can more people (consumers and produces alike) be convinced that professional development in the way of environmental sustainability is such a great idea when so far, this goal does not link up with increasing profit? Things are tough enough these days as it is!
- $$$!
No comments:
Post a Comment