Local, Organic, Fair Trade...

Here's an informative article from worldchanging.org

Eat Organic! Eat Local! Eat...What?

Erica Barnett
November 23, 2007 12:59 PM


First, we were all told to "buy organic" food because it's better for our health, and for the earth. Then we were told that buying organic wasn't enough, because organic standards vary from country to country (and even within countries), making it difficult to know what you're really getting. And then there are the greenhouse gasses emitted by shipping all that organic produce thousands of miles -- from China, say, to the United States. Those lengthy "food miles" obliterate much of the environmental benefit of buying organic in the first place.

So next we were told to buy locally produced foods (and organic, if possible), in order to eliminate those global warming concerns. Plus, purchasing food grown locally benefits small farmers and local economies, is better for air quality and pollution, and supports responsible land development. And it gives people weaned on supermarket food -- i.e., most of us -- a chance to taste food that's both seasonal and impeccably fresh. So "buy local" has become the refrain, and not just among hardcore sustainability advocates: "locvaore" was the New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year for 2007.

But it turns out eating local can have unintended consequences as well. Recently proponents of strengthening fair trade markets in emerging economies have pointed out that the trend toward "eating local" may hurt farmers who depend heavily on overseas markets to make a living. As Walter Moseley, a geography professor who does research in Africa, wrote recently,

If the local food movements in Europe and North America reduce their demand for organic and fair trade products from afar, the most likely consequence is that African farmers who have entered these niche markets will return to producing their export crops in the conventional, pesticide-intensive manner. While local food markets can provide some income for these farmers, they still are reliant on export opportunities for the bulk of their cash income.

Food miles, then, are not the single most important measure of responsible food consumption; how our food choices shape local economies (including those thousands of miles away) may be just as important.

In the long run, solutions need to merge economic, social and environmental concerns -- for instance, international bodies need to make and enforce rules governing working conditions on farms worldwide, and promote organic farming practices through subsidies and other assistance (which have typically been offered to conventional agriculture through international aid and development schemes). But until those changes come, writes Walter Mosley, "it is a cruel joke to condemn developing world farmers to commodity crop production and then remove the only hope they have for higher returns -- organic and fair trade crops and products."

The United Kingdom Soil Association has attempted to address the inconsistency between promoting local consumption and supporting fair trade by requiring all organic food imported by air to meet fair trade standards, something we’ve covered in the past. However, this hardly addresses all fairly traded produce, because it still applies only to products that are certified organic. Traditional farmers in poor African nations use virtually no pesticides on edible produce; their crops are organic in all but name. But that name, when it comes to satisfying export regulations, is sometimes all that matters.

The solution, then, is to push for stronger regulations on working conditions and better assistance for farmers in developing economies. In the meantime, we would do well to eschew zealotry -- organic, locavorean, or fair-trade -- in exchange for a mix of all three. Throwing up our hands and buying out-of-season, conventionally grown and paid-for produce is far worse than choosing fair trade over local, or vice versa.

"The Green Guide"

Check out this site that offers good tips for saving money while reducing your emissions.

The Green Guide

Leave your feedback, and suggestions for other ways to save money while reducing your emissions.

December Meeting Minutes

ISI – 2nd meeting
December 5, 2007
Focus: Wind Power and Food

Recapping the first meeting, Amanda Ravenhill spoke of defining “sustainability” through the work of many groups working in the town. The Sustainability Initiative is a forum to complement and bring ideas together, to work on solutions to voiced concerns.

Dan Lief mentioned that the Island Institute and the town are finishing the needed paperwork to confirm Amanda as an Island Institute fellow for the next 8 months.

Jeff Cramer discussed his research into wind power for island communities. It can be both environmentally and economically advantageous.

DISCUSSION on Wind Power led by Jeff Cramer:
1. Begin with a small test project. This would look at a ≈10KW turbine to provide a year’s measurement with the goal of paying for the electrical needs of the town, municipal buildings including the school(s) and street lamps.
2. A host of grant money is available. A goal is to fund 2/3 of a $50 to $60.000.00 project from grants plus 1/3 from the town. The town Bangor Hydro bill is now approximately $3000 per year.
3. Skip Stevens asked about an environmental impact study. All agreed with Jeff
that a holistic approach would be taken to examine environmental and efficiency
issues. The group also noted that the esthetics of the project must be considered.
4. Jeff outlined an example of a turbine, the Bergey XL10. The company, in business for 30 years has products with an extremely low maintenance to output ratio. This turbine would be connected directly into the grid.
5. In response to a question about noise pollution, David Thomas spoke about the size of nearby islands considering wind power and that bothersome noise comes from multiples of turbines.
6. Wanda Porter raised the issue of periods of low or no wind. Jeff explained the concept of “drawing from a savings account” and building credits in windy periods.
7. The next steps include approval by the town and applying for grants given to non-profits. [2008 town meeting warrant.] Grant givers will look favorably upon groups with community support and matching funds.
8. Courtney Chaplin stated that if we are looking at the cost of a feasibility study, we do save about 1/3 of the cost doing it as a town. The savings from the town BH bill could be put into a fund for other projects, aiding those who may be monetary help with projects.
9. All the work done by the Sustainability Initiative would be incorporated into the school curriculum.
10. Jeff mentioned that this and other possible Island wind projects will all fit into an possible official island commitment to local renewable clean energy.

DISCUSSION on Food led by Lindsay Eysnogle:
1. We should look at what we can do now to decrease our impact.
2. Contact Soos to join the group buying from Associated Buyers, grain, meat, flour, etc. from Maine.
3. Look to local farms, including Smith Family Farm in Bar Harbor, which is selling dairy products year round – some now available at Pine Tree.
4. Increase the number and productivity of gardens on the island.
 Small farms are important to saving biodiversity
 Meat produced on large corporate farms is often unhealthy, both for the animals and the consumers.
 Pesticides and petroleum based fertilizers produce problems.
 Island gardeners should read books, articles by Elliot Coleman from Brookville, Maine, who advocates and teaches year-round gardening in Maine.

THIS MEETING’S COMMITMENTS:
1. Courtney and the Chaplin family: made numerous calls to remove their household from catalogue mailing lists.
2. Ravenhill clan: signed the house and Islesford Boatworks up for Green Energy.
3. Anna Fernald: using a clothesline instead of a dryer.
4. Unnamed others…

October Meeting Minutes

Hello and Welcome to the Forum! A BIG thanks to Richard Hill for his help, and expediency!

Here are the minutes from the first meeting for the Islesford Sustainability Initiative.
The meeting was primarily a brainstorm of what the Islesford community can do to become more sustainable.

I encourage anyone who didn't make the meeting to share their ideas here on this forum. What does sustainability mean to you? What are ways that we can make ourselves more sustainable, as individuals, households and as a community?

Please share your ideas and come back often to see what others have written.

ISLESFORD SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 1st Meeting

MAKE A COMMITMENT – Do As Hugh!
Make a personal pledge of something that you can do, like walking more, picking up trash, or changing your energy provider. Share your commitment with others and post it on this forum! Congratulate friends on their pledges!

IDEAS: large and small, for individuals and the community
* Switch to new compact florescent light bulbs
* Pick up trash - don't wait for island-wide clean up
* Expand the recycling center
* Buy in bulk – share [Associated buyers, Curtis Farms Meats]
* Eliminate plastic which is not recyclable
* Use cloth bags – not plastic – when bringing groceries to the island
* Ask markets to rewrap meat and poultry in paper eliminating Styrofoam
* Use public transportation
¸ Island Explorer
¸ Ferry Service instead of private boats
* Improve community communication to share ideas
¸ Message board near town office
¸ Page on Islesford.com
¸ Postings on ferries to inform visitors
* Sign up for 'green power' with Bangor Hydro (Dan Lief will post details on how this is done)
* When buying a new washing machine, make it a front loader
* Use a clothes line (drying rack in winter)
* Fix engines on island cars to reduce pollution
* Find someone who can do energy audits on island homes
* Forest management
* Use of 'blow downs'
¸ Burn
¸ Chip
¸ Compost
¸ Mill

THOUGHTS ON SUSTAINABILITY

* We need to change our way of thinking ('sustainable psychology').
* There is value in looking to and learning from the past.
* Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present generation without sacrificing future generations.

RESOURCES
* COA
* Prince Edward Island
* Lindsay's father – home windmills
* Common Ground Fair
* 'Tree Growth' – Maine state program

More to come soon...