Buying locally grown foods can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says environmental
studies masters student Sunny Lam.
As a part of his study, Lam is studying how food travels to our tables, and the subsequent effect on
the environment. “Right now we have all imports— what happens if we decide to take in more food from local and real farmers?” Lam said.
“We could probably prevent or reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20,000 tonnes, and that’s the
equivalent of taking 6,700 cars off the road per year,” Lam said.
Lam’s findings measure the total numbers of food miles that any given food travels: the distance from
the point of production to the point of consumption.
Lam modeled his study after the study conducted to assess the Waterloo Region’s food system as part of the Regional Growth Management Study commissioned by Region of Waterloo Public Health in 2005.
Strategies to strengthen the local food system and make purchasing food more convenient for consumers have the potential to reduce the environmental impact of food miles in Kingston, he said.
In his research, Lam looked specifically at 58 different foods. “Food items were selected on the basis of whether they could be grown or raised locally,” the report states. According to Lam’s findings, beef
s for nearly 30 per cent of food miles, meaning simply by consuming locally grown beef, the equivalent of 1,948 cars would be taken off the road for a year. Lam said the reason beef s
for more pollution is because there is a lot more involved in raising livestock. “Beef, we grow it here, then we send it across the United States to process and then it comes back to be sold here,” Lam said.
Lettuce came in second as the equivalent of 625 cars and fresh pears came in third as the equivalent of 618 cars in a year.
Lam also found that food actually has to travel farther to Kingston compared to the similar study conducted in Waterloo, because of a greater distance from main shipping routes.
Lam hopes that his report will influence the way people think about the food they eat. Lam also encourages local purchases for economic reasons as well.
“Direct is better, from the farmers, they’re not getting enough money,” he said.
Lam believes that students can do their part as well. “Students should come up to the market, talk to local farmers, buy local, encourage stores to stock more local stuff, even the chain ones.”
Lam’s study of food travel is one part of his larger research project on urban agriculture and how to grow food in an urban environment. He expects to publish his final report by the end of this year.
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