Publishers Weekly recommends The Locavore’s Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000 Mile Diet, co-authored by former PERC fellows Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu, as a book to watch for in 2012.
Check out Shimizu’s piece in PERC Reports where she outlines three myths about eating local.
- Myth 1: Eating locally produced food reduces our environmental impact.
- Myth 2: Local food is inherently safer.
- Myth 3: Local food promotes economic growth and social justice.
“In short, the best way to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural production is to produce food where it can be done most efficiently and to engage in international trade. Selecting food based on its affordability, availability, and quality is a better way to help the planet than focusing on food miles.”