Food Insecurity
Food security (or
insecurity), is far from a new phenomenon. No period in human
history has met the standards of the 1996 FAO food security definition “when all
people, at all times, have physical, social and nutritious food to meet their
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” Though history does not show it, the FAO definition is not as idealistic as it may seem. In fact, based upon global food production statistics
there is enough food to supply each of
the earth's 7 billion patrons to the critical FAO standard 1. The previously unaccomplished ideal is technically attainable.
When this data is presented in conjunction with global, or even US maps of food
insecurity it is difficult to believe this conclusion. Economic and social injustice are critical
contributors to the issue of food security, as food products tend to accumulate
into wasted surplus in some regions while others starve. This hurdle to food security is one of the most
serious and yet easily traceable problems in sustainability today.
So where is the extra food?
Statistics show that 20-50%
of food products we purchase end up in the trash. The chart below breaks down some
of the harsh realities of food waste in the US, including that as a country
more than 34 million tons of food waste are generated each year, about 650 lbs/person.
The issues of food waste and food insecurity are
inextricably linked and will likely continue to have a heavy influence on each
other. As communities move toward optimizing
food security through self-sufficiency and sovereignty through an emphasis on
locally grow or self-grown produce, food waste will likely decrease. As individuals
put sweat, blood, and tears into growing their own food or watching it grow in
a community space, the 20-25% of
groceries thrown out would likely decrease.When I started gardening I developed
a huge appreciation for fresh produce and all of the effort that it takes both
the earth and myself to grow.
The 100- Mile Diet. Is it feasible?
Studies published in Food Miles 2008, determined that most fresh produce in the US usually travels 1,500 miles from where it was grown to where it will be consumed. For many of the other products we are reliant on, the distances are even further. During my last visit to Kroger, I paid attention to where my purchases were coming from and the result was shocking. The grapes I purchase are from Chile, avocados from Mexico, nectarines from California, coffee from Colombia, and chocolate made from coco beans harvested from tropical areas far from Indiana. And that was only a minor shopping trip since I grow most of my own produce.
Studies published in Food Miles 2008, determined that most fresh produce in the US usually travels 1,500 miles from where it was grown to where it will be consumed. For many of the other products we are reliant on, the distances are even further. During my last visit to Kroger, I paid attention to where my purchases were coming from and the result was shocking. The grapes I purchase are from Chile, avocados from Mexico, nectarines from California, coffee from Colombia, and chocolate made from coco beans harvested from tropical areas far from Indiana. And that was only a minor shopping trip since I grow most of my own produce.
Consuming only food products
that are produced from locally grown (or raised) ingredients is apparently extremely
limiting. Strengthening food systems is not just about starting more local
gardens and switching to buying local produce like tomatoes, beans, corn, and
peppers, but changing diets in a significant way.
The
following data is an excerpt from a large scale study called “Food, Fuel, and
Freeways,” which recorded average distances
from farms to grocery stores and local farmers markets in Chicago.
Terminal
Market vs. Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Apples:
1,555 miles vs. 105 miles
Tomatoes:
1,369 miles vs. 117 miles
Grapes:
2,143 miles vs. 151 miles
Beans:
766 miles vs. 101 miles
Peaches:
1,674 miles vs. 184 miles
Winter
Squash: 781 miles vs. 98 miles
Greens:
889 miles vs. 99 miles
Lettuce:
2,055 miles vs. 102 miles
The
most bizarre part is that I buy my grapes from Chile, yet I work at a local
vineyard. Granted, I work with wine grapes rather than table grapes, but the
idea that my produce has to travel over 2,000 miles when the vineyard is only
15 miles away is absurd and speaks vastly about the importance of established
habits.
Food for thought
1. World Food Programme. http://www.wfp.org/hunger/faqs
You bring up lots of interesting ideas in your post! I love the idea of communities producing the food they consume locally, through community gardens, personal gardens, etc. However, this is very hard to do!! Bill McKibben has a chapter in his book Deep Economy (http://www.billmckibben.com/deep-economy.html) about how he ate locally for one year. He had to do a lot of canning and preserving and even still he ate winter squash constantly. I love the idea of eating locally, but is it feasible in the winter months?
ReplyDeleteAlso, here is a video of a campaign done in France where they tried to get consumers to buy 'ugly fruit' or produce that is usually thrown away because it is considered too ugly to eat, which seems like a totally absurd idea to me. All grocery stores should partake in this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2nSECWq_PE
Laura, excellent find! I have a friend from Kentucky who collected weird veggies-I was surprised to find she could get discounts at the store for them. HOW CAN WE DO THIS HERE? Maybe we can tie this in with the whole STAR Community project...
DeleteI agree, eating locally in the winter seems pretty intimidating--one reason why I'm focusing on food preservation as my personal project! I got a winter CSA this winter, and the majority of the produce was root vegetables (it gets pretty hard to eat turnips for the 4th week in a row...) but also some greens that can grow in greenhouses or in colder weather.
DeleteI wonder why the distance the food travels is not more of a selling point in venues where it can be advertised. It's often implied at farmer's markets that the food you are buying there is at least somewhat local, but I bet chain (or local) grocery stores could benefit from the advertisement of how local the food they are selling is. Of course there's the organic section of the grocery store, but maybe there could be an additional certification where part of the criteria is how far the food has traveled -- is there an established "Sustainability Certification" out there for food? Organic does not always mean sustainable.
ReplyDeleteI was in Kroger the other day and saw that they were advertising local produce! I was excited that the kale I was already probably going to purchase was from a local farm. I know Whole Foods puts a huge emphasis on where their produce comes from, and I think more grocery stores are incorporating this into their model, since it seems to be working for them!
DeleteNice! The food insecurities has me thinking about my waste--for my personal project, I am minimizing waste. This will mean no more leaving crumbs and sauces on my plate. I'm really working hard to finish everything I get. It's going to be awful when I drop my sandwich on the ground...
ReplyDeleteThe colorful maps were a good indicator to where we stand as a country vs. other countries on Earth. Will it take the diminishing or extinction of this favored treat to make change: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/08/15/212330603/incredibly-shrinking-avocados-why-this-years-fruit-are-so-tiny Or will we simply adjust to life without guacamole?
Lovely post! Your first paragraph really grabbed my attention. I was most interested in the "food security (or insecurity)" blurb. I also appreciated how you recognized that your food was coming from countries other than the United States. The blog post reminded me of the work of Colonel Mark Mykleby and Captain Porter. In their work, A National Strategic Narrative, they point out that living sustainably is living securely. They mention how our soil is being degraded. We may literally be fighting for food one day since we're so reliant on it from other countries. They say, "we failed to recognize that dominance, like fossil fuel, is not a sustainable form of energy.” Conclusively, I think that spinning food security as a national security issue is a good way to persuade a more conservative crowd.
ReplyDeleteI think this article summarizes what I'm trying to point out best: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/nyregion/a-strategy-for-national-security-focused-on-sustainability.html?_r=0
That's a really interesting perspective! I'm constantly trying to convince people how important soil degradation is as an environmental issue, but maybe framing it from a "security" perspective will hit home with more people?
DeleteReally great & thought provoking post! I especially like that blurb comparing miles travelled - that really drives home the point. I'm super into the whole local food movement, and definitely agree with everyone's comments here.
ReplyDeleteBut, I'm a bit skeptical about whether eating everything 100% local all the time is really possible or something that we want to try to do. Basically I'm thinking of the all the wonderful things, like cacao, coffee, quinoa, but also fruits and veggies, that just plain won't grow at places or times. Greenhouses are an amazing solution, but not an answer to all the woes. There are a lot of interdependencies in place for food imports & exports too, and I don't think that's a bad thing if it's done right. I think it's super important to eat local and seasonal, but there is a limit. From a pragmatic POV, we should combine this with improving the global food systems, advocating for small farmers around the world, reducing overall miles travelled, mandating things like fair trade and organics, etc.