we do have a better press corps (Michael Spector edition)

If you haven't read it already, Michael Spector's article on the carbon footprint in the New Yorker is excellent. It details what we've learned since people have started attempting to measure exactly how much carbon is associated with each product.

I really hope that carbon labelling catches on. Though article makes clear its obstacles, labelling could really help us to understand what is and what isn't a major source of carbon emissions. Trying to do so without effective and clear measurement could be counter-productive.

The other thing that that I like about this article is it's sceptical take on the "Eat Local" movement. I've always thought there were two bad reasons and one good reason to eat local.

1. Local food has less "food miles" on it.
2. Eating local helps the money stay in our economy.
3. Local food is fresher, and has been bred for taste rather than durability of transportation.

I don't think food miles are a good way to measure carbon emissions, for the reasons Spector describes. "Our Economy" ought to include our whole country, at the very least. Foreigners and people from Missouri need and deserve our dollars as much as anybody else.

#3 is hard to dispute, as anyone who has experience the difference between farmer's market heirloom tomatoes and the indestructibly bland grocery store variety can attest. However it does pt us foodies into a bit of corner. It could well be that it's more carbon friendly to only eat mass-produced mass-shipped food. Then what would be do? Choose between my planet and my dinner? Makes me want to cry.