Concept of food miles questioned

The notion that 'food miles' can give an accurate assessment of the environmental impact of food production and transportation is further discussed, and criticised, in this week's Observer:

'The idea that "only local is good" has come under attack. For a start, food grown in areas where there is high use of fertilisers and tractors is likely to be anything but carbon-friendly, it is pointed out. At the same time the argument against food miles - which show how far a product has been shipped and therefore how much carbon has been emitted in its transport - has been savaged by experts. "The concept of food miles is unhelpful and stupid. It doesn't inform about anything except the distance travelled", Dr Adrian Williams, of the National Resources Management Centre at Cranfield University, told The Observer last week.

The problem is not how we measure environmental impact - it's the fact that we're obsessing on environmental impact in the first place.

Observer