Comments on: The Economist on food politics http://www.tradediversion.net/archives/2006/12/the-economist-on-food-politics.html Commentary on development, globalization, and trade by Jonathan Dingel Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:16:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Jonathan Dingel http://www.tradediversion.net/archives/2006/12/the-economist-on-food-politics.html/comment-page-1#comment-129 Jonathan Dingel Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:38:02 +0000 http://www.tradediversion.net/?p=338#comment-129 R. Cowan, If you find local food to be convenient, healthy, and fiscally sound, then there's no reason to quit. But if you're concerned about the global climate or the energy costs of your consumption, then it's possible that insisting on local production will result in inefficiencies with environmental impacts. See <a href="http://prairiewrangler.blogspot.com/2006/12/busting-myth-busting-organically-grown_17.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> for more excerpts from the Economist, including <blockquote>Research carried out at Lincoln University in New Zealand found that producing dairy products, lamb, apples and onions in that country and shipping them to Britain used less energy overall than producing them in Britain. (Farming and processing in New Zealand is much less energy intensive.) And even if flying food in from the developing world produces more emissions, that needs to be weighed against the boost to trade and development.</blockquote> R. Cowan,
If you find local food to be convenient, healthy, and fiscally sound, then there’s no reason to quit. But if you’re concerned about the global climate or the energy costs of your consumption, then it’s possible that insisting on local production will result in inefficiencies with environmental impacts.

See here for more excerpts from the Economist, including

Research carried out at Lincoln University in New Zealand found that producing dairy products, lamb, apples and onions in that country and shipping them to Britain used less energy overall than producing them in Britain. (Farming and processing in New Zealand is much less energy intensive.) And even if flying food in from the developing world produces more emissions, that needs to be weighed against the boost to trade and development.

]]> By: Enrique Avogadro http://www.tradediversion.net/archives/2006/12/the-economist-on-food-politics.html/comment-page-1#comment-128 Enrique Avogadro Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:58:24 +0000 http://www.tradediversion.net/?p=338#comment-128 Fair trade will not save the world, that´s for sure. However, is great to have an increasingly sofisticated offer of goods at your table. Besides, packaged with fair trade comes information about developing countries, their realities, etc. Some consumers might even be tempted to think about world affairs while they are eating! Fair trade will not save the world, that´s for sure. However, is great to have an increasingly sofisticated offer of goods at your table. Besides, packaged with fair trade comes information about developing countries, their realities, etc. Some consumers might even be tempted to think about world affairs while they are eating!

]]> By: R. Cowan http://www.tradediversion.net/archives/2006/12/the-economist-on-food-politics.html/comment-page-1#comment-127 R. Cowan Sun, 10 Dec 2006 04:30:38 +0000 http://www.tradediversion.net/?p=338#comment-127 I usually don't comment here because the vast majority of material is over my head, but I've got some experience here... In Spokane, a service called Fresh Abundance (http://www.freshabundance.com/) offers weekly delivered locally grown organic produce. I subscribe because it is exceedingly easy, healthy, and keeps me roughly on a budget when it comes to produce (my primary staple as a vegetarian). Other people who do it, like Uma S. or Brian E., do it in order to save the world, and this is indeed Fresh Abundance's primary goal. I agree that simply shopping local will probably not effect economies on a large scale. Still, what is your judgement on the local foods movement, and, grand-scale ideas of saving the world aside, is it a rational choice? I usually don’t comment here because the vast majority of material is over my head, but I’ve got some experience here…

In Spokane, a service called Fresh Abundance (http://www.freshabundance.com/) offers weekly delivered locally grown organic produce. I subscribe because it is exceedingly easy, healthy, and keeps me roughly on a budget when it comes to produce (my primary staple as a vegetarian). Other people who do it, like Uma S. or Brian E., do it in order to save the world, and this is indeed Fresh Abundance’s primary goal.

I agree that simply shopping local will probably not effect economies on a large scale. Still, what is your judgement on the local foods movement, and, grand-scale ideas of saving the world aside, is it a rational choice?

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