Nef

Jacob Nef

Mrs. Scharf

AP Lang

26 January 2019

Locavore Synthesis Essay

A new movement has been on the rise for the last decade in history. People have been

eating food ​exclusively​ in a 100-mile radius, or any food made in their state.1 Those participating

in eating locally are known as the locavores. Locavores believe that by consuming only foods

produced nearby they will get more nutrition and prevent greenhouse gas emissions. While

eating locally to stay healthy and protect the environment sounds ideal, ​there are complications

with this system of eating​ that make it ​obsolete​ in today’s society.2

To begin, eating only locally grown and produced food is still unhealthy for the

environment. Generally, food is made or grown, then packaged and shipped.3 It then travels

across the globe via airplane, boat or some other means of transportation to a grocery store.

Locavores are “focusing on transportation, [and] they overlook other energy-hogging factors in

food production,”(Source C). The transportation of food does take some energy, however it is

not a large ​factor​ in the food consumption process.4 Locavores eat locally to cut down the gas

emissions from food travel in an effort to save the environment, but ​the problem is​ that not much

pollution is actually produced because of the food transportation.5 In fact, transporting packaged

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food is only ​responsible​ for a ​mere fraction​ of the food consumption process. A study done by

the Society for Conservation Biology shows that the production of food is a much larger source

of greenhouse gas emissions than transportation for most foods(Source D). The locavore

movement is trying to protect the environment from an almost​ insignificant​ amount of gas

emissions by eating local.

Another​ issue with the locavore’s ideals​ is that in this age finding efficient ways to get

locally grown food can be difficult. The plan to eat fresh produce straight from your community

seems perfect, but it is actually ​brimming ​with ​inconsistencies and problems​. For example,

“some areas might find it fairly easy to eat locally… [however] people in other parts of… the

world have to look further afield,” (Source F) which puts certain locavores in a situation. The

movement is simple and easy for some, but most certainly not for all. Part of ​the issue with

eating locally​ is that some do not live near any farms or ​readily available​ produce. The reason for

this is generally because farms and “decentralized food systems… [are] a poor fit in modern

urbanized societies,” (Source F). The United States has come a long way from when it was first

founded and supplied by ​agricultural​ landscapes. Now supermarkets and grocery stores are the

outlets for food, and they function properly with our ​urbanized​ cities.6 The locavore’s ideals of

eating locally simply ​do not work well​ in today’s society.

The locavore movement gains popularity with its lofty ideals. People are ​flocking​ to the

plan, trying to eat nearby to help out the Earth and live a better lifestyle.7 In theory, Locavorism

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seems like a perfect system, however the actual ​application​ is riddled with ​complications,

making​ it ​unrealistic​, if not impossible, for many to ​practice​ in a modern society.8

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