food miles and carbon footprint

• food miles is the distance food travels from where its produced to the consumers
• some food is transported a long way to be sold
• transporting food is bad for the environment - planes, ships and trucks all burn scarce fossil fuels and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming
• consumers now expect food to be available all year round, not just when its in season in england
• shops and manufacturers buy food from abroad when its out of season, and also some foods cannot be grown in england such as bananas
• manufacturing costs are different in other countries, so imported food can sometimes be cheap
• local food is better for the environment and it has fewer food miles
• local food is often fresher and tastier because it reaches you soon after it is harvested
• buying from farmers markets and independent greengrocers supports local businesses and their produce can be cheap
• you should check food labels on foods from supermarkets as food producers often make a big deal of it on their packaging if they use ingredients from the UK
• buying local has downsides such as:

  • seasonal food is not available all year round, so you have a smaller selection of products
  • unpackaged or unpreserved foods spoil faster - you have to use them quickly
• when planning your meals, look to source local, seasonal ingredients that are in season and havent been shipped from around the world
• your carbon footprint measures the impact your lifestyle has on the environment
• carbon footprint is given as the amount of greenhouse gases you directly and indirectly produce from burning fossil fuels for heat, electricity and transport
• carbon footprint is usually given as tonnes of carbon dioxide per year
• foods have a carbon footprint too - greenhouse gases are produced when growing, processing, packaging and transporting them
• you can reduce your carbon footprint by:

  • buying food that is in season, with lower food miles and less packaging
  • using public transport, walking or biking
  • wasting less energy in the home - turning appliances off when not in use