Topic > Food miles and their environmental impact

IndexContextIntroductionRoad transport factorManufacturing footprint factorMethodologyFood miles in perspectiveContextFood miles are miles along which a food product is transported during its journey from producer to consumer, as a unit of measure for fuel used to transport it. The concept of food miles, which originated in the UK and has gained much traction in the media, has been used to imply that importing food from distant countries is inherently more wasteful than growing and consuming local produce. What impact does this potential non-tariff barrier have on consumer purchasing behavior in UK supermarkets? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Preference surveys revealed in four supermarkets show that only 10% of 300 consumers cited country of origin as one of the reasons for choosing a fresh food item they had just purchased. Furthermore, only 5.4% said they consciously chose British products because such products were “less harmful to the environment”. In contrast, street-level stated preference surveys found that 18.5% indicated that “food miles” or “long distance travelled” would prevent them from purchasing New Zealand products. What people say can differ substantially from what they actually do regarding “food miles.” Introduction According to a 2007 Mintel survey, 40% of adults would like to know more about how far food travels, and 19% say they don't. use country of origin labeling to make purchasing decisions. Most Britons don't care where the fruit and vegetables they buy come from, are not motivated to buy British produce and don't consider "food miles" in their purchases, according to a new survey. In the survey of 997 people, 61% do not care which country the product comes from, only 9% describe themselves as "very concerned" and 30% as "somewhat concerned" about the issue. While 54% of over-50s say they regularly or always buy products grown in this country, only 32% of 25-34 year olds do so. Similarly, only 36% of shoppers know what 'food miles' are - the distance goods have traveled to reach British shops, which is a big problem for environmental campaigners. Just over half of those surveyed, 52%, believe the UK should import less food in order to limit environmental damage, even if as a result there is less variety in shops and food costs more as a result. But 23% believe that the country should maintain – or even increase – food imports, in order to preserve variety and keep costs low. The conventional argument put forward by environmental advocates is that the greater the distance of transportation, i.e. miles of food, the more energy consumed leading to the burning of more fossil fuels and consequently the emission of more greenhouse gases into the air, which causes global warming. The Obvious Logic The solution provided by these environmental activists is to source food from a nearby location so that the distance traveled from the point of origin to the point of consumption can be minimized. Sourcing locally produced food would obviously reduce transportation distance and therefore the amount of fuel burned, but this really means that growing food locally would reduce the planet's overall carbon footprint. Road transport factor The above analysis is furtherreinforced by the fact that food transported by road produces more carbon emissions than any other form of food transport. In an overall scenario, road transport produces 60% of the carbon footprint of food transport globally. Air transport produces the highest carbon footprint per unit, but considering the relatively smaller volume this only accounts for 20% of global carbon emissions related to food transport. Other modes, such as rail and maritime transport, each produce 10% of the carbon emissions of global food transport. Footprint Factor To put an end to this ongoing debate on food miles, the “life cycle” analysis of food products found that food transportation is responsible for only 11% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to an average citizen's food supply. family. In contrast, actual food production generates 83% of total emissions, while wholesale and retail sales account for about 5%. The results of life cycle assessments of different products vary, of course, depending on a number of factors, including the environment in which the food is grown, the agricultural practices used to grow it, and the degree of processing to which it is subjected . The data cited in the life cycle analysis clearly establishes that it is more environmentally sustainable to import food products from places where they can be produced naturally rather than trying to grow them locally with the aim of reducing transportation distances. Food miles can be reduced by implementing more sustainable farming methods and smart supply chain methods as opposed to the literal meaning of the term itself, which is a misnomer. According to the people of India: "A cup of yogurt travels 2,000 km before reaching a customer. Such food kilometers are unnecessary," said Vanaja Ramprasad, an organic farmer and biodiversity expert, based in Bangalore. “Moving food and flowers across the pediment only increases the carbon footprint and when global warming is a serious concern affecting governments, global imports of perishable products are an issue that needs more research and analysis series,” he added. Methodology I conducted a survey where I interviewed people through a questionnaire to know their favorite choice of vegetables in supermarkets. I visited two malls - Inorbit Mall and Infinity 2 Mall, both in Malad, Mumbai. My main purpose in visiting these malls is the presence of giant hypermarkets like Big Bazaar and Star Bazaar. Through secondary research, I collected and analyzed past data regarding consumer tastes and preferences for vegetables and other food products, in Mumbai. Hypothesis: Through this research I can state with certainty that carbon emissions have increased dramatically in recent decades due to food transportation. These carbon emissions lead to global warming which can be harmful to the environment. Having an ecocentric mindset could therefore allow us to drastically reduce or gradually stop consuming food products from outside the country of origin because this can help reduce global warming to a large extent. Variable Identification: In this assessment the independent variable is temperature and environment while the dependent variable is transportation facilities and engines that emit harmful greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide.Independent variable: TemperatureDependent variable: Transportation facilities and enginesAdvantages and disadvantages.