Food/Environment

How far does your food travel to get to your plate? What happens in the process? Watch this video to find out ! And to learn why it is SO important to eat locally

Fossil Fuels & Our Food System:
In the past 30 years there has been a significant global increase in fossil fuel use. One reason for the rise in US fossil fuel use is the increased use of trucks to transport goods. in 1965, there were 787,000 combination trucks registered in the United States, and thesis vehicles consumed 6.658 billion gallons of fuel. In 1997, there were 1.7 million combination trucks that used 20.3 billion gallons of fuel. Many of these trucks transport food throughout the country. A study conducted by the Center for agricultural Business indicated that in California alone more than 485,000 truckloads of fresh fruit and vegetables leave the state every year and travel from 100 to 2,100 miles to reach their destinations. 

So...you may be super proud when you goto Whole Foods and buy that "organic" pepper...from Mexico! How far did that pepper have to travel to get to you? What gases besides from CO2 (Carbon dioxide) are released in the process? These gases absorb heat and contribute to global warming.

Supervalue: Whats the real cost of our Earth?
Do you know how much energy it takes to prepare your dinner? You may think eating fish fingers is as easy as popping them under the grill, but just how much energy was involved in their manufacture? 'Supervalue' begins with ocean fishing and follows the process through transport, manufacturing, assembly, refrigeration, transport, storage in supermarket, purchase, refrigeration, cooking and then finally to its decomposition.
Watch this short clip that chronicles the journey of fish fingers: 

Waste: Industrial farms consolidate organic waste in large quantities, making it a liability and health hazard, rather than vital nutrients to be cycled back into the system. For example, in 1995 an eight acre cesspool in North Carolina burst, sending 25 million gallons of hog excrement into the New River, killing an estimated 10-14 million fish immediately. A local farm can more easily turn smaller quantities of organic matter into amendments to help build soil fertility.