The TH/Slate Green Challenge, Week Three
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 05. 1.07
It takes energy to make energy, and food is no exception. In order to get to the table, our veggies, grains, and meats typically travel about 1,500 miles. Fossil fuel–intensive fertilizers add to the carbon footprint of our meals, too. The result? An average of three-quarters of a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per person just to feed ourselves. Even carbon-friendly organic food has to be processed, packaged, and transported, all of which create emissions. If this news (coupled with recent human and pet food scares) has you wondering if you should introduce yourself to your local farmer, you’re off to a great start where it comes to reducing your food-related CO2 factor. To learn more about your diet and CO2 emissions, click through to this week's installment of the Slate/TreeHugger Green Challenge. ::Slate Green Challenge Food
What's the Green Challenge? Click ::Slate Green Challenge Introduction to find out, and see the week 3 page about Food here.
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I liked that they included red meat as something to pledge not to eat in the future, but it would have been better to include dairy, poultry products, and even seafood too - all produce more GHG emissions than most non-animal alternatives.
Bernard Brown