stop counting calories, start counting food miles? betsy gates energy law presentation april 28,...

Stop Counting Calories,Stop Counting Calories,Start Counting Food Start Counting Food

Miles?Miles?Betsy GatesBetsy Gates

Energy Law PresentationEnergy Law Presentation

April 28, 2008April 28, 2008

OverviewOverview

What are “food miles” and how do they What are “food miles” and how do they relate to energy conservation?relate to energy conservation?

Increasing globalization of the food Increasing globalization of the food sectorsector

Problems with using food miles to assess Problems with using food miles to assess environmental impactenvironmental impact

What can a conscientious consumer do? What can a conscientious consumer do?

What’s a food mile?What’s a food mile?

The term “food miles” was coined in the 1990s by Dr. Tim The term “food miles” was coined in the 1990s by Dr. Tim Lang, a professor at London’s City University.Lang, a professor at London’s City University.

The term is used refer to the distance foods travel before The term is used refer to the distance foods travel before reaching your plate. reaching your plate.

Food Miles and Energy Food Miles and Energy ConservationConservation

In the U.S., food travels an average of 1,300 to In the U.S., food travels an average of 1,300 to 2,000 miles between the farm and a consumer.2,000 miles between the farm and a consumer.


About 80% of the energy used in the U.S. food About 80% of the energy used in the U.S. food system goes toward processing, packaging, system goes toward processing, packaging, transporting, storing and preparing foodtransporting, storing and preparing food


Distance traveled is not the only indicator Distance traveled is not the only indicator of the energy intensity of food—of the energy intensity of food— Transportation modeTransportation mode Storage requirementsStorage requirements Growing conditions and varied agricultural Growing conditions and varied agricultural

productivity in different regionsproductivity in different regions Energy requirements for growing or Energy requirements for growing or

producing different types of foodproducing different types of food

Food Shipments in the Food Shipments in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom

According to a study conducted for the According to a study conducted for the United Kingdom’s environmental agency United Kingdom’s environmental agency (DEFRA), food accounts for 29% of (DEFRA), food accounts for 29% of goods transported in the UK, by weight.goods transported in the UK, by weight.

Food shipments also account for 25% of Food shipments also account for 25% of the kilometers traveled by loaded trucks the kilometers traveled by loaded trucks in the UK.in the UK.

Food Shipments in the United Kingdom Food Shipments in the United Kingdom by Kilometers Traveledby Kilometers Traveled

2%2%8%

1%2%

6%

13%

4%

39%

21%

1%

Cereals

Potatoes

Fresh fruit & vegetables

Sugar beet

Live animals

Animal fodder, foodstuff, andw asteBeverages (exc. tea, coffee)

Stimulants & spices

Perishable foodstuffs

Other non perishable foodstuffs

Oils, seeds & oleaginous fruit & fat

Increasing Globalization Increasing Globalization of the Food Sectorof the Food Sector

“ “Food has moved around the world since Food has moved around the world since Europeans brought tea from China, but never Europeans brought tea from China, but never at the speed or in the amounts it has over the at the speed or in the amounts it has over the last few years. Consumers in not only the last few years. Consumers in not only the richest nations but, increasingly, the richest nations but, increasingly, the developing world expect food whenever they developing world expect food whenever they crave it, with no concession to season or crave it, with no concession to season or geography.”geography.”

--The New York Times, “Environmental Costs --The New York Times, “Environmental Costs of of Shipping Groceries Around the World,” April 26, 2008 Shipping Groceries Around the World,” April 26, 2008


The European Union and the U.S. are The European Union and the U.S. are the world’s two largest food importers.the world’s two largest food importers.

EU food imports rose 20% in the last five EU food imports rose 20% in the last five years.years.

American food imports almost doubled American food imports almost doubled from 2000 to 2006.from 2000 to 2006.


From 2000-2005, imports accounted for From 2000-2005, imports accounted for more than 30% of fruits and nuts, 13% of more than 30% of fruits and nuts, 13% of vegetables, nearly 80% of seafood, and vegetables, nearly 80% of seafood, and 10% of red meat consumed in the U.S. 10% of red meat consumed in the U.S.

There has been a general upward trend There has been a general upward trend in imports of both crops and animal in imports of both crops and animal products since 1980.products since 1980.

Why Ship Food Around Why Ship Food Around the World?the World?

Supply consumers with a wide variety of Supply consumers with a wide variety of produce and other fresh foods year-produce and other fresh foods year-round.round.

Save money on production costsSave money on production costs

Global Shipping is Global Shipping is Getting Easier and Getting Easier and

CheaperCheaper Increasingly efficient global transport networks Increasingly efficient global transport networks

allow transportation of perishable foods around allow transportation of perishable foods around the worldthe world

Mega-companies like Wal-Mart, Carrefour, and Mega-companies like Wal-Mart, Carrefour, and Tesco are establishing supply and distribution Tesco are establishing supply and distribution chains in major developing countries like China chains in major developing countries like China and Mexicoand Mexico

Lower labor and production costs in developing Lower labor and production costs in developing countries are used to keep costs low for first-countries are used to keep costs low for first-world corporationsworld corporations

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

According to a recent New According to a recent New York Times article, York Times article, Norwegian cod cost Norwegian cod cost $1.36/pound$1.36/pound to process in to process in Europe, but only Europe, but only 23 23 cents/poundcents/pound to process in to process in Asia.Asia.

As a result, cod is caught in As a result, cod is caught in Norway, shipped to China Norway, shipped to China for processing, and then for processing, and then shipped back to Norway for shipped back to Norway for sale to European sale to European consumers.consumers.

The Chicago Convention The Chicago Convention on International Civil on International Civil

Aviation (1944)Aviation (1944) Fuel for international air travel and goods Fuel for international air travel and goods

transportation is not taxed under this transportation is not taxed under this agreement. agreement.

Because fuel for trucks and domestic Because fuel for trucks and domestic transport is taxed, shipping food transport is taxed, shipping food internationally may be cheaper than internationally may be cheaper than driving it cross-country.driving it cross-country.

Raising Consumer Raising Consumer AwarenessAwareness

British grocery and retail chain Tesco has British grocery and retail chain Tesco has generated press lately for its plans to generated press lately for its plans to create labels that indicate how far foods create labels that indicate how far foods have traveledhave traveled

Environmentalists suggest that food Environmentalists suggest that food labels display food miles information, like labels display food miles information, like they show calorie and nutrition contentthey show calorie and nutrition content

A New Buzz WordA New Buzz Word

““Food miles” has become a hot-topic Food miles” has become a hot-topic buzz word in the green movement, buzz word in the green movement, recently generating several news stories recently generating several news stories from major outlets like the New York from major outlets like the New York Times, the BBC, and the New Yorker.Times, the BBC, and the New Yorker.

But is counting food miles actually a good But is counting food miles actually a good way to reduce your environmental way to reduce your environmental impact?impact?

Problems with using Food Miles Problems with using Food Miles to Assess Environmental to Assess Environmental

ImpactImpact Fails to account for the mode of Fails to account for the mode of

transportation used, or transport transportation used, or transport efficiencyefficiency

Does not include other production costs Does not include other production costs and energy needed for storage and energy needed for storage (especially refrigeration in the off-(especially refrigeration in the off-season), which can be significantseason), which can be significant

Transportation Mode and Transportation Mode and EfficiencyEfficiency

Trucks are also more energy intensive Trucks are also more energy intensive than shipping by seathan shipping by sea

For example, if you buy a bottle of wine For example, if you buy a bottle of wine anywhere east of Columbus, Ohio it is anywhere east of Columbus, Ohio it is more energy efficient to buy French wine, more energy efficient to buy French wine, shipped by sea, than Californian wine, shipped by sea, than Californian wine, shipped by truck.shipped by truck.


Carbon Footprint of a Bottle of Wine Sold in NYC

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Loire Valley California

Gra

ms

of

Car

bo

n

A bottle of wine produced in France’s Loire Valley and sold A bottle of wine produced in France’s Loire Valley and sold in New York City has a lower carbon footprint (1,371g of in New York City has a lower carbon footprint (1,371g of carbon) than a bottle produced in California and sold in New carbon) than a bottle produced in California and sold in New York (2,514g). The difference is primarily attributed to York (2,514g). The difference is primarily attributed to transportation costs.transportation costs.


Overall efficiency is also Overall efficiency is also influenced by the interplay influenced by the interplay between distance traveled between distance traveled and vehicle sizeand vehicle size

Buying food from smaller, Buying food from smaller, local farms reduces the local farms reduces the distance traveled by food. distance traveled by food. However, that is somewhat However, that is somewhat counteracted by the use of counteracted by the use of smaller trucks, which are less smaller trucks, which are less efficient for packing and efficient for packing and transporting food than large transporting food than large semi trucks.semi trucks.

Lincoln University StudyLincoln University Study

A frequently cited study from Lincoln A frequently cited study from Lincoln University in New Zealand attempted to University in New Zealand attempted to

assess the total energy demands of food assess the total energy demands of food production in New Zealand and the production in New Zealand and the

European UnionEuropean Union

Lincoln University Study:Lincoln University Study:Some Key FindingsSome Key Findings

Dairy Products:Dairy Products:

Because of a more intensive production system, United Because of a more intensive production system, United Kingdom dairies use twice as much energy per ton of Kingdom dairies use twice as much energy per ton of

milk solids produced, compared to New Zealand dairies milk solids produced, compared to New Zealand dairies

Lincoln University Study:Lincoln University Study:Some Key FindingsSome Key Findings

LambLamb

Producing lamb in the UK requires four times more Producing lamb in the UK requires four times more energy than it does in New Zealand, including energy than it does in New Zealand, including

transportation costs.transportation costs.

A European ExampleA European Example

A study produced by A study produced by economist Paul Watkiss economist Paul Watkiss for the United Kingdom’s for the United Kingdom’s

environmental agency environmental agency (DEFRA) determined (DEFRA) determined that it is more energy that it is more energy

efficient to import efficient to import tomatoes from Spain tomatoes from Spain

than to grow them in UK than to grow them in UK greenhouses during the greenhouses during the

cooler months.cooler months.

What can a conscientious What can a conscientious consumer do?consumer do?

Paul Watkiss study determined that a single Paul Watkiss study determined that a single indicator based on food miles is inadequate as indicator based on food miles is inadequate as a way to assess the environmental impact of a way to assess the environmental impact of foods.foods.

Life cycle energy assessments indicate that Life cycle energy assessments indicate that multiple factors interplay when comparing the multiple factors interplay when comparing the energy efficiency of food productsenergy efficiency of food products

As we have seen, local is not always betterAs we have seen, local is not always better


Eat locally grown foods when they are in Eat locally grown foods when they are in seasonseason

Much of the extra energy associated with Much of the extra energy associated with certain local foods is attributable to certain local foods is attributable to greenhouse production systems, or greenhouse production systems, or

energy-intensive off-season storage like energy-intensive off-season storage like refrigeration.refrigeration.


Don’t drive to the storeDon’t drive to the store

Americans are making longer and more Americans are making longer and more frequent trips to the supermarket, and frequent trips to the supermarket, and

this cumulative impact adds to the energy this cumulative impact adds to the energy costs of bringing food home. Walking, costs of bringing food home. Walking,

biking, or at least using local stores and biking, or at least using local stores and markets can make a big impact.markets can make a big impact.


Know what you eat… If you canKnow what you eat… If you can

Life cycle assessments are the only Life cycle assessments are the only reliable way to accurately determine the reliable way to accurately determine the comparative energy footprint of different comparative energy footprint of different foods. Doing a little research on your foods. Doing a little research on your favorite foods can help, but life cycle favorite foods can help, but life cycle

assessments are complex and not readily assessments are complex and not readily available for most foods.available for most foods.

Policy SuggestionsPolicy Suggestions

““Wouldn’t it make more sense to stop Wouldn’t it make more sense to stop obsessing over food miles and work to obsessing over food miles and work to strengthen comparative geographical strengthen comparative geographical advantages? And what if we did this advantages? And what if we did this

while streamlining transportation services while streamlining transportation services according to fuel-efficient standards?”according to fuel-efficient standards?”

--New York Times, “Food that --New York Times, “Food that Travels Well,” Aug. 6, 2007Travels Well,” Aug. 6, 2007

stop counting calories, start counting food miles? betsy gates energy law presentation april 28,...

Documents

food sector food

food shipments

food accounts

food system

ship food

term food miles

food sector problems

eu food imports