Food Matters Campaign

Food processors rely on the petrol based delivery of fresh or refrigerated food. They use emulsifiers, preservatives, colouring agents and other additives many of which rely on oil-based energy sources. Energy is needed to run the machinery that prepares, cleans, and cooks food at this stage. Huge amounts of water are also used to clean and process food products.

Foods, once grown, picked and packaged are then flown all around the world. Different methods of transport vary greatly in their use of energy and subsequently the amounts of CO2 emitted. Air-freight, train and cargo ship are the most common ways to transport foods. Planes emit more greenhouse gases per mile than any other mode of transport. It is has been estimated that transport by plane generates 177 times more greenhouse gases than shipping does.[1 The distance travelled by food from the farm to your plate is called Food Miles. The term 'food miles' was coined in the 1990s by Dr Tim Lang, professor of food policy at London's City University. The food in the average family basket has travelled at least 2,000 miles (and some estimations are as high as 9,000 miles, depending on what you buy).

Green beans imported from Kenya travel 4,900 food miles, apples from the US clock up roughly 3,700 food miles, and beef from Argentina typically travels 6,900 food miles.[2] Once these foods have reached Ireland, they then have to be distributed by train, car and truck. it has been estimated that food transport is responsible for 25 percent of the miles clocked up on our congested roads and the sheer amount of food transported on our roads has doubled since the 1970s.

It seems as though eating local and Irish produce would be the solution. But unfortunately, it is not that simple.  Kenyan green beans flown to our plates can be over 20 times more greenhouse gas intensive than their UK seasonal counterparts– this is obvious. However, when we consider the methods used to grow and process certain foods, the miles they travel to reach Ireland may not actually be that bad. Ironically, the foods flown to Ireland from warmer climates are grown under natural sunlight and so do not use the heavier energy intensive methods needed to grow produce in colder climates such as heated greenhouses. For example, due to the large amounts of energy needed to heat greenhouses, roses imported to the UK in winter from Holland generated six times more greenhouse gases than roses imported from Kenya, even though those from Kenya were air-freighted.

Also, there are important social issues to consider. If we were to avoid all foods flown from afar we would cause considerable damage to the trade income on which so many developing countries depend.

So what can we do? VOICE has a number of tips and solutions for how you can become more of a green and ethical consumer in the ‘Food Matters:what can I do’ article found here.

[1] ‘Food Miles’, BBC bloom website,www.bbc.co.uk/bloom/actions/localseasonalfood.shtml
[2] ‘Food miles: The true cost of putting imported food on your plate’ Joanna Blythman, 31 May 2007 Independent.co.uk

Every year uneaten food ends up in landfill, which costs us money, and costs in terms of bigger landfill sites. It is estimated that in Britain alone,  £420 per household is wasted on food waste which has huge environmental implications.[1] As the wasted food rots, it generates methane gas, which is a potent greenhouse gas, adding to your carbon footprint and contributing to global warming. There is also the energy that went into producing and transporting food that is wasted. Food packaging also creates problems, as much of it is plastic, and not all can be recycled.

There is a vast inequality in global food distribution. While the majority of the world overeats, 1 billion people starve. We need to be more conscious of how much waste we are generating. Food waste, the biodegradable matter can be disposed of in much more clever manner than simply throwing it in the bin. Food packing waste can be avoided, firstly and secondly it can be recycled and reused. See ‘Food Matters: What can I do?’ article here for tips.

[1] http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/about_food_waste