1. CAN THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE
EMISSION AFFECTING THE ECOSYSTEM
FROM FOOD PRODUCTION SITE TO
CONSUMER TABLE BE EFFECTIVELY
CALCULATE?? “CARBON FOOD MILES” AN
OVERVIEW.
br. José F. Pereira, OSGC
Professor: Zohir Chowdhury, Ph.D
School of Health and Human Services – MPH
National University – San Diego, CA, 92123

2. THE
BEGINNIN
G

3. http://www.nextnature.net/2008/09/joi
n-the-neolithic-revolution/

4. PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
 Around 12,000BC humans have change from hunting and
gathering to agriculture and settlement (Gupta, 2004), and
with this action started effecting the local environment.
 Originally food was produce to serve local demand.
 With an estimated world population of 6,881,981,864 on
November 16, 2010 (US Census Bureau), local production is
not able to supply the demand and food has to be produce in
distant location to supply many markets.
 With an expected world population of 9,309,051,539 (NPG,
n.d.) by 2050, this demand will be much higher.
 Food has become significantly responsible for the growth of
carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere with an increase of
50 percent between 1850 and 1990 (USDA)
 much as 31 percent of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions
come from the food chain.

5. TRANSPORTATION AND
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

6. GLOBAL FOOD
TRANSPORTATION
 Burns a lot of fossil fuel and contributes to global
warming.
 shipping industry globally annually emits 1.2 billion tons of
carbon dioxide (CNN World)
 aviation industries which emits between 600 and 650 million
tons.(CNN World)
 The rise transport has led to increases in the
environmental, social and economic burdens associated
with carbon dioxide emissions, air pollution,
congestion, accidents and noise.

7. TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS FOR 14% OF
ENERGY USE WITHIN THE FOOD SYSTEM
IN THE US
Source: Heller and Keoleian. Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System. 2000
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/foodmiles.html

8. ENERGY USE AND EMISSIONS FOR
DIFFERENT MODES OF FREIGHT
TRANSPORT IN THE US
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/foodmiles.html

9. “CARBON FOOD MILES”
 Concept started on 1994 with
the publication of “The Food
Mile Report” by British
researcher, Andrea Paxton.
 Demonstrated that food travels
between 1,500 to 2,500 miles
(1990) from the farm to the
kitchen and by 2007 was
traveling 25% father
(Wikipedia).
 Refer to the distance which food
travels from its source farm to
the place where we buy it.
 not taking in consideration
distance between where we buy
to table
 One measure of the amount of
energy used to transport food
and the consequent pollutants
released by that transport.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_miles

10. “CARBON FOOD MILES”
CONTINUATION
 Transport may account for 10-20% of the total
energy use.
 Foods with a high store capability (e.g.: grains)
has a much higher total energy input and have a
lower proportional transport cost (~ 10%)
 foods with a lower store capability (e.g.,: fresh
apples) has a relatively low inputs and no
preparation and have a higher proportional
transport cost (~50%).

11. DECREASING
“CARBON FOOD MILES”
Pros
 reduce (CO2) emissions of food’s freight
 Protects ecological management:
 encouraging biodiversity which:
 decreased and or removal of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides
 of the land and water
 strengthens local economies by:
 protecting and encouraging creation of small
local farms
 creating local jobs and local shops
 increasing local food security
 Offer fresher Crops
http://www.bath.ac.uk/carpp/lowcarbon/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/climate-change-and-the-food-industry.pdf

12. DECREASING
“CARBON FOOD MILES”
Cons
 measuring (CO2) emissions of food’s
freights ignores the total impact of food
production and consumption
 local food often is more costly
 ignores benefits of free trade
 restrict food’s choice to seasonal crops
 damage on third world economies which
rely on food exports
 ruse to justify protectionism
http://www.bath.ac.uk/carpp/lowcarbon/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/climate-change-and-the-food-industry.pdf

14. BEFORE “CARBON FOOD MILES” IS
USE IN FOOD LABELS
CONCLUSSION
 needs to be calculate
effectively by having the point
of origin
 needs to be able to introduce to
the equation many different
means of transportations used.
 able to integrate in the
calculation (CO2) emission
from estimated food
production:
 crops decay
 farms machinery
 Packing
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/do
-food-miles-carry-us-farther-sustainability  etc…

15. FOOD MILES TOOLS
 Life Cycles Food Calculator
The Life Cycles food calculator determines the distance and amount of greenhouse
gases saved if a certain food product is bought locally as opposed to imported.
www.gworks.ca/lcsite/food_directory/?q=foodmiles/inventory/add
 Food Carbon Footprint Calculator
A tool for residents within the UK to calculate their food carbon footprint to better
understand the extent to which food decisions impact global warming.
www.foodcarbon.co.uk
 LCA Food Database
A tool for acquiring an aggregated description of emissions, waste and the
resource use from soil to kitchen per unit of different food items.
www.lcafood.dk
 Iowa Produce Market Potential Calculator
This calculator was designed to help users determine expanding markets in Iowa
if consumers ate more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables rather than
produce from conventional sources outside the state.
www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/calculator/home.htm

16. http://www.eatlocal.net/challenge.html

18. QUESTIONS?

19.  References:
 All About: food and the environment (2007, November 21). Retrieved on November 01, 2010 from CNN website:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/11/21/eco.food/index.htm
 Climate Change, Carbon, and Forestry in Northwestern North America: Proceedings of a Workshop November 14
- 15, 2001 Orcas Island, Washington, Retrieved on November 14, 2010 from United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) website: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr614.pdf
 CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE FOOD INDUSTRY | CLIMATE LABELING FOR FOOD PRODUCTS:
POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS (2008, March). Retrieved from University of Bath (UB), UK, website:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/carpp/lowcarbon/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/climate-change-and-the-food-industry.pdf
 Food Miles (2010, November 14). retrieved on November 15, 2010 from Wikipedia.Org website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_miles
 Gupta, A (2010) Origin of agriculture and domestication of plants and animals linked to early Holocene climate
amelioration", Current Science, Vol. 87, No. 1, 19 October 2010. Retrieved on November 01, 2010 from India
Academy of Sciences website: http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul102004/54.pdf
 Oliver, R. (2008, January 20). Carbon Dioxide Shipping’s impact on the air. November 14, 2010, from CNN World
News website: http://articles.cnn.com/2008-01-20/world/eco.about.ships_1_greenhouse-gases-independent-tanker-
owners-emissions?_s=PM:WORLD
 Reducing Food Miles (2010, June 16). Retrieved on 11/14/10 from The National Sustainable Agriculture
Information Service (ATTRA) website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/farm_energy/food_miles.html
 Total Midyear World Population1950-2050, Facts & Figures (n.d).Retrieved on November 01, 2010, from Negative
Population.org (NPG) website: http://www.npg.org/facts/world_pop_year.htm
 U.S. & World Population Clocks (22:50 UTC (EST+5) Nov 16, 2010). Retrieved on 11, 16,2010 from US Census
Bureau website: http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

20.  References: Picture slides:
 Slide 3 –Retrieved from website: http://www.nextnature.net/2008/09/join-the-neolithic-revolution on 11/14/10
 Slide 7 – Retrieved from website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/foodmiles.html on 11/14/10
 Slide 8 – Retrieved from website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/foodmiles.html on 11/14/10
 Slide 9 – Retrieved from website: http://www.cartoonstock.comon 11/14/10
 Slide 13 – Retrieved from website: http://www.catoonstock.com on 11/14/10
 Slide 14 – Retrieved from website: http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/do-food-miles-carry-us-farther-
sustainability on 11/14/10
 Slide 15 - Retrieved from website: http://www.eatlocal.net/challenge.html on 11/14/10
 Slide 16 – Retrieved from website: http://www.cariecartoons.com on 11/14/10