rach 1 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 This is a very interesting read about how far the food we eat travels to get to us. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8126-2085674,00.html They did a comparison of a "high food miles" weekend and a "low food miles" weekend. The results were pretty incredible. High Food Miles: TOTAL FOOD MILES: 153,290 TOTAL COST: £63.18 Low Food Miles: TOTAL FOOD MILES: 899 TOTAL COST: £30.55 ----------------- SATURDAY Breakfast: 30,782 food miles Cost: £7.33 Greek yoghurt (1,487 miles), blackberries (Mexico 5,557 miles), blueberries (Chile 7,262 miles), orange juice (Caribbean, South America, Africa 16,476 miles) Lunch: 26,233 miles Cost: £9.53 Parma ham (667 miles), cucumber (Spain 1,019 miles), avocado (Israel 2,211 miles), cherry tomatoes (Israel 2,211 miles) on rye bread (Germany 400 miles), Fiji water (10,139 miles). Afternoon snack: Anzac biscuits (Australia 9586 miles) Dinner: 32,826 miles Cost: £16.25 Olives (Spain 1,019 miles), tiger prawns (Sumatra 7,283 miles), cod (Iceland 1,175 miles), baby corn (South Africa 6,015 miles), mange tout (Thailand 5,928 miles), sauvignon blanc (New Zealand 11,406 miles) SUNDAY Breakfast: 10,494 miles Cost: £10.24 Bagel (Brick Lane, 2 miles), Alaskan smoked salmon (4,477 miles), grapes (South Africa 6,015 miles) Lunch: 9,412 miles Cost: £3.91 Emmental sandwich (Switzerland 465 miles), mixed salad (UK 50 miles, Kenya 4,241 miles, Portugal 987 miles, USA 3,669 miles) Dinner: 17,911 miles Cost: £5.97 Lamb chops (New Zealand 11,406 miles), broccoli (Jordan 2,264 miles), green beans (Kenya 4,241 miles) Weekend snacks: 25,632 miles Cost: £9.95 Nectarines (Chile 7,262 miles), pears (Argentina 6,926 miles), satsumas (South Africa 6,015 miles), bananas (Costa Rica 5,429 miles) TOTAL FOOD MILES: 153,290 TOTAL COST: £63.18 SHOPPING TIME: 90 minutes Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 > The debate is settled by a voice screaming: “Blueblueries! Blueblueries! Ah! Ah AHHHHH! Blueblueries! DADDY!” And, like the coward that I am, I will hand the ruinously expensive berries to my son who will consume them there and then, sitting in the trolley, leaving me with the tiny, empty, barcoded punnet to hand over at the till. Some people need a good smacked bottom I think. Including all those people who can't be bothered to cook local and seasonal food. The day my child imagines that he can consume something in a supermarket before it's even paid for is the day that I skin him alive. Link to post Share on other sites
kkk 7 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Very interesting article, thanks for posting it. I will try to be more careful from now on. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Japan seems to be heading in the right direction here, at least as far as supermarkets go (not sure about the farming that supports it though). Most supermarkets around here have recently started local produce corners, where the produce happens to be the freshest and cheapest. But no avocadoes. Yet. Link to post Share on other sites
HighlyTrainedNovaTeacher 2 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Yes our local place has an increasingly large section of local produce too. Seems to be priced well as well. You into avocadoes mate? Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Well into avocados, yes. They're supposed to be very good for you (not that I really care about that bit), and they make salads wonderful. My missus makes a very good chirashizushi with avocado and smoked salmon. But avocados generally come from Mexico which is a bit far for my concerns (and the place in Wakayama that slow told us about is plum out of them). And the avocado seeds from the imported ones seem to have undergone some sort of Monsanto sorcery that causes them not to grow. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 That is a sobering read. Lots of the stuff I have is local - and lots is given to me actually from neighbours and farmer friends. Lets local. Link to post Share on other sites
viv&kev 0 Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 Very interesting and hard to believe that lots of the stuff we eat has to travel so far. I am certainly going to be more careful about what I buy. Link to post Share on other sites
Curt 1 Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 Just been surfing around and reading lots of stuff and came across this article which is along the same lines The real cost of a bag of salad: You pay 99p. Africa pays 50 litres of fresh water http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article360836.ece Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts