Revised Locavore Essay

AP English Language

27 October 2014

Locavore Essay

The locavore movement is becoming a widespread movement everywhere, with people absolutely falling in love with the concept; and maybe even the execution. However, there are a few parts to it, that people don't necessarily realize or think about; as to if and why becoming a locavore could be entirely beneficial. One can give many reasons as to how and why eating locally grown food is, oh, so much greater, than the food you buy in the supermarket; that had traveled thousands of miles. On the other hand, there are those who believe that the nutrition difference is not as great as it initially seems, there are other methods used for food production that use a lot of energy and continue to leave a large carbon footprint, and lastly, that not everyone lives within a local farm or an area with good soil for farming, as the entire Earth isn't made of rich soil.

“There will be nutritional differences, but they'll be marginal.” (Source B) A large part of the reason that people would choose to be a locavore, is based on the thought that they don't get a good supply from the foods that we eat compared to the nutritional values of the locally grown foods that we could be eating. According to Marion Nestle, a dietitian, there might be nutritional differences , usually only if your “local” soil is really great, they wouldn't be that distant. Conforming to her, “We're just not nutrient-deprived.” Another big idea of the locavore movement is the thought of leaving a significantly smaller carbon footprint by eating the food less traveled. Yet, there are other “energy-hogging” factors in the production of food. (Source C) “But New Zealand lamb is raised on pastures with a small carbon footprint, whereas most English lamb is produced under intensive factory-like conditions with a big carbon footprint.” With this, it is seen that the pastures that are local to you, aren't really the best the best place for you to get food from in terms of the wasted energy. There is also an issue regarding “food miles”. With certain growers being able to supply more people, further away, and with a higher supply of food; compared to another grower with the less amount of produce and miles traveled. “The critical measure here is not food miles but apples per gallon.” Following those thoughts of locavore consumers, they don't necessarily know about actually growing food in regard to processing practices, water availability, packaging waste and fertilizer application.

The largest problem found with the locavore food industry has to do with our current societies. “In the United States, 80 percent of us live in large, densely-populated urban areas, usually on the coast, and typically hundreds of miles, from the major centers of food production.” (Source F) How is it that the world can become relying on just what's near you to get the food you need to survive, if you don't live near a place of food production?