Food miles

Food miles refer to the distance that food travels from the place of its production until it reaches the consumer. It is a measure of the carbon footprint of food and is used to highlight the environmental impact of the global food industry.

Definition

The term 'food miles' was coined in the early 1990s by Professor Tim Lang at the Sustainable Agriculture Food and Environment (SAFE) Alliance and refers to the distance food is transported from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer. Food miles are one factor used when assessing the environmental impact of food, including the effect on global warming.

Calculation

The calculation of food miles is not straightforward, as it involves multiple factors. These include the mode of transport (air, sea, road, rail), the distance traveled, and the type of food. For example, transporting food by air generates 50 times more carbon dioxide than transporting it by sea.

Criticism

Critics of the food miles concept argue that it is an oversimplification of the issues involved in sustainable agriculture. They point out that the distance food travels is just one factor in its overall environmental impact, which also includes how the food is grown, how it is stored and packaged, and how it is cooked.

See also

• Carbon footprint
• Sustainable agriculture
• Global warming
• Food industry