[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Downsides of Long-distance Food Transport



Good point, Fred!  Tricia

--------------- Forwarded Message ---------------

From: "Frederick R. Magdoff", INTERNET:fmagdoff@moose.uvm.edu
To: Patricia Dines, 73652,1202
Date: Tue, Oct 22, 1996, 4:22 AM
Subject: Re: Downsides of Long-distance Food Transport

Patricia,
        You forwarded a message on the downside of food transport over 
long distances. One important aspect omitted from the discussion is that 
it becomes more and more difficult to have true cycling of nutrients. 
This means that there is an overabundance of nutrients in parts of the 
country (world) and depletion in others. The nutrient depleting farms 
need to import commercial fertilizers (concentrated nutrients) and this 
results in a host of problems as well (energy use to manufacture and 
transport the fertilizers, environmental damage at phosphate mines, etc.).
On the other hand, the nutrient accumulating animal farms (factories) 
and cities suffer from an overabundance of nutrients and this results 
in water pollution. If food was consumed near where produced - by both 
animals and humans - this issue could be dealt remedied easily.
        Please feel free to forward this if you wish.

FRED
******************************************************************************* 
                                Fred Magdoff 
                        Northeast Region SARE Program
                                Hills Building
                            University of Vermont
                            Burlington, VT 05405
                               tel:802-656-0472
                               fax:802-656-4656
******************************************************************************







Follow-Ups: