Contrary to popular belief, the concept of food miles is not exactly a new one. In fact, Steel (2020) explains that the globalisation of the food chain started in ancient times, when less perishable types of food were shipped from one place to another via sea routes.
First coined by Dr Tim Lang, the concept of food miles refers to the distance food travels from its production source to the consumers (Rayner, 2007). It is regarded as an important factor which affects the size of our individual carbon footprints.
One could perhaps argue that the problem of food miles has been exacerbated by the invention and innovation of transport, which enabled the rapid transportation of large quantities of food over long distances. Cargo planes are an example of such forms of transport, and are often used to transport premium food products from one country to another. The London Development Agency (2006, p. 44) notes that the city’s total food miles have increased by 50 percent between 1978 and 1999, and has continued to grow over the years, although most of these food imports are from other parts of the European Union.
Unfortunately, the transportation of food over long distances also translates into large quantities of fuel consumption, as well as higher levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The London Development Agency (2006, p. 45) suggests that shipping is more environmentally-friendly as compared to road transport and air freight, which generate six times and fifty times more carbon dioxide respectively. However, as the transportation of food by land and air become more common, we cannot help but worry about the overall increase in GHG emissions, which further threatens to accelerate climate change.
At the same time, there are also concerns pertaining to the PM10 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from road freight. The combination of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight generates ozone, a primary GHG. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (1995) also observes that ozone is linked to the incidence and severity of asthma, which spells danger for those with chronic respiratory issues.
As much as we know that land and air transport are cost- and time-efficient for food shipping, they fall short when it comes to energy efficiency (London Development Agency, 2006, p. 46). And remember – the crux of environmental pollution is that there is an inefficient allocation of resources which has resulted in the consumption and/or emission of more than what we require.
This brings us back to one of the main purposes of food miles – they serve as an indicator of our ecological footprint, and encourages more mindful consumption as we consciously associate our food with the environmental externalities it generates.
Meanwhile, please look forward to an interesting debate on a similar issue in my next post!
See you (very) soon,
Jialing
Reference List
Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (1995) Asthma and outdoor air pollution. London: Department of Health.
London Development Agency (2006) Healthy and Sustainable Food for London – The Mayor’s Food Strategy. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/the_mayors_food_strategy_2006.pdf (Accessed: 25 October 2020).
Rayner, J. (2007) ‘The man who invented food miles’, The Guardian, 25 March. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/mar/25/foodanddrink.features5 (Accessed: 24 October 2020).
Steel, C. (2020) Sitopia. London: Chatto & Windus.