As the population continues to grow, so does the demand for food. In the US alone, food consumption is projected to increase by as much as 20% by the year 2020. So the big question now is where do we get all of this food to feed the masses?
Buying Food Products Abroad
The US government, through its free trade policies with countries like India and China, has agreed to import agricultural and seafood products. The Congressional Research Service report of July 2007 stated that the volume of food, agriculture, and seafood products imported by the United States from China considerably increased by as much as 346%. While some policy makers have said that importing from China and India can help answer the growing consumption requirement, the manner by which food is being transported is not doing the environment any favors.
Food Transportation and the Environment
Food transportation has a significant environmental impact because of its propensity to increase the volume of greenhouse gas emissions. Once fuel is burned through the combustion process of an engine, it emits certain gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane into the air. These gases are among the major contributors to the greenhouse effect. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere thereby increasing the earth’s temperature. Some of these gases like methane and nitrous oxide stay in the atmosphere for years, which is also harmful to humans.
When it comes to food imports, air transports burn an excessive amount of fuel. A single loaded 747 airplane can burn thousands of pounds of fuel during takeoff alone. You can just imagine the amount of pollution that it will be generate by the end of the flight.
Huge sea vessels and airplanes that are used to transport imported food use fossil fuels and produce more emissions than any other mode of transportation. Naturally, these ships and planes carrying imported goods, upon docking or landing at its destined port, will also need large trucks for the products to be delivered to its final destination. Obviously, if the food source is located a great distance away from its destination, the fossil fuel consumption of the transporting vessel will also be great.
Sourcing Food Locally
While some studies suggest that food transportation only accounts for around 10% of the carbon emissions, the rate of imported products continue to grow as our dependency on foreign products keeps increasing. While importing products abroad may bolster economic relationships, the environmental impact of such practice is just too great to ignore.
Knowing where your food comes from can lead you to making choices that will promote your local economy, reduce transportation and benefit the environment. Buying local produce not only supports your local farmers, but also provides your family with the freshest and most nutrient-packed options.
