Out Of Our Own Backyards – Rethinking The Future Of Food

Buying local these days can be difficult, as most of the food in supermarkets travels thousands of miles. An example of the lunacy of the current food system is highlighted by a 2007 study conducted by Melbourne’s Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies, or CERES. The study found that the average Australian basket of food has travelled over 70,000 kilometres from producer to consumer. The study analyzed 29 different food items purchased at a typical supermarket. These items included fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, and non-core food items such as chocolate. Typical across the globalized food system, the food in the basket of goods had been transported by road within Australia and by ship from other countries. Apart from the high transport miles, the energy which goes into the production of the products can also be far more significant in terms of global carbon emissions.