Sam Richards of the Food Ethics Council explains their vision for a more sustainable future for food and farming. Radical changes need to be made to our food system that will make it more sustainable in the future. Weâ??re living in a society that demands and relies on year-round supply of globally produced food. Supermarket shelves are heaving with produce from Africa, South America and Asia, giving a huge range of choice to the consumer. The result of this choice is a massive carbon footprint; with food transport alone responsible for 2.5-3.5% of UK Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This raises serious questions about how we consume â?? questions that are barely addressed by the government or industry initiatives on food distribution. The dietary habits of Western culture are a major factor in the environmental crisis that our food systems create. One change that can be made is to simply eat less meat and dairy. In the UK, on average we consume 218 grams of meat per day, rising to 342 g/d in the US; compared to the 36 g/d eaten in Sub-Saharan Africa. Meat and dairy consumption amounts to 8% of the GHG emissions in the UK alone, and it is arrogant and unacceptable to inflict such unnecessary environmental damage on the rest of the world. Eating less but better quality meat is one definite answer. The introduction of schemes in London such as Boris Johnsonâ??s Capital Growth initiative that motivates the public to grow their own vegetables should be encouraged by central and local government, through its transport and planning policies. Everyone as consumers should do their bit to reduce their global impact, but it shouldnâ??t just be up to us. Supermarkets must have a hand leading changes in consumption by thinking about the amount â?? and the quality â?? of the meat they sell. A decrease in demand for meat and dairy would reduce production and the carbon output attached to it. Meat consumption is not the only component of our carbon footprint. The current practice of year-round supply of air-freighted food should be replaced by an emphasis on seasonal produce and a diverse diet that changes as different food becomes available at different times of the year. Conservative figures indicate that we import 1% of all food via aviation - thatâ??s responsible for a massive 11% of food transport GHG emissions, including driving to and from supermarkets. This is set to rise over the next 20 years, contradicting climate change advice and policies. Is having access to freshly flown in tomatoes in the winter really worth the environmental consequences? But abandoning trade with third-world producers is not the solution. Instead, we should be striving to support small scale producers of low carbon impact products with â??added valueâ??; such as sun-dried foods and fair-trade chocolate. This would allow the development of international communities, improving social justice, skills and knowledge and access to markets. This support for third world producers should run alongside the promotion of local retailers and producers. Communities across the UK are dominated by chain stores and supermarkets that are devoid of individuality or character, leaving small independent shops cut out of the market. Efficient food distribution hubs and town planning policies should be set up to incorporate local produce into thriving high streets. In the UK we drive 12 million miles every year to shop at supermarkets, which is the equivalent to driving to the sun and back 65 times! We should be reconnecting with local food, finding out where it comes from through social interaction and trust relationships with shopkeepers rather than depending on vague and hard-to-digest food labelling. It should not just be the consumerâ??s responsibility to change the food system. The government must rethink its approach to planning, trade and economic policy; conforming to their proposed 80% cut of all greenhouse emissions by 2050 â?? not making it harder to achieve. This should be balanced with improved business measures to localise distribution hubs and allow the collaboration between large and small businesses, such as the sharing of delivery resources which would allow a cheap and efficient way for local producers to get their food into nearby towns and cities. By leading the field with these policies, the government has the power to create a â??Foodie nationâ?? comprising of people who are more alert to the climate change, animal welfare, health and labour rights implications of what they eat. Policy makers should prove that they are not carbon hypocrites, tackling the important environmental problems instead of the easiest and supporting global fair trading practices.

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