Food miles

Food miles (pronunciation: /fuːd maɪlz/) is a term used to refer to the distance food is transported from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer. It is one dimension of the overall environmental impact of food, alongside other factors such as the type of transportation and the nature of the production.

Etymology

The term "food miles" has been used since the early 1990s and is believed to have been first used in the report "The Food Miles Report: The dangers of long-distance food transport", researched and written by Professor Tim Lang at the Sustainable Agriculture Food and Environment (SAFE) Alliance and Angela Paxton.

Concept

Food miles are one factor used when assessing the environmental impact of food, including the effect on global warming. The concept of food miles is part of the broader issue of sustainability which also includes the energy consumed in food production, the efficiency of food production and the impact of food production on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Criticism

Critics of the food miles concept argue that it is an inadequate indicator of the true environmental impact. They argue that the focus on transport distances ignores other factors such as agricultural practices, production methods, and the energy used in these processes.

Related terms

• Carbon footprint
• Sustainability
• Local food
• Slow Food
• Organic farming

See also

• Environmental impact of agriculture
• Sustainable agriculture
• Locavore

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Food miles
• Wikipedia's article - Food miles

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