Another small example of our insane food distribution system

[Canuckistanian]

My In-laws recently returned from a Hawai'i vacation and brought some gifts back for my wife's upcoming birthday.

One of the gifts was a box of Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters. Looking closely at the box later, we noticed that the label on the box said "Made in Canada". My wife got to thinking that it was probably the local Hershey plant that made the chocolate.

I got to thinking later and realized that the Macadamia nuts were grown in Hawai'i, then shipped to Canada for production then shipped back to Hawai'i for sale.

That makes a round trip of nearly 9,630 miles.

Ironically, the chocolate ended up only 15 miles from where it was made, adding another 4900 miles to it's journey.

You can't help but shake your head.

[elehhhhna]

1. Canda, unlike the US, seems to still have a diverse manufacturing base...

at least judging from watching "How it's made" on cable.

Eh?

[Canuckistanian]

4. It's rapidly shrinking, just like yours is

Our local Hershey plant is shutting down just like the US plants in favor of the shiny, new Mexican factories, who can produce chocolate at 1/3 the price.

Of course, along with that goes the quality of our local BGH-free milk (used in Milk Chocolate) and our low sugar prices (we don't have a sugar lobby here). Although I guess Mexico can use corn sugar (imported from the U.S) to FURTHER reduce that price while simultaneously putting Mexican corn farmers out of work.

'Scuse me, I'm just PISSED about this whole situation.

[liberal N proud]

2. lol

:rofl:

[squawk7700]

3. Here's a different but just as fucked-up example: Keebler's packaging of FOUR

chocolate chip cookies in a plastic container. I forget the name, something like 'carry away'...or equal stupid shit.
The packaging weighs more, costs more and clearly pollutes far more than the tiny amount of product inside.
:grr: :mad: :puke: :grr:

edit: I just saw a commercial for this a few minutes ago, that's why it was on my mind.

[Patriot Abroad]

5. At least the Macademia's might not have been air freight

Although they probably had to be refrigerated the whole time . . .

In Dublin the fruit/veg is flown in from pretty much everywhere - rare enough to see an Irish spud or strawberry. Bought some strawberries two days ago (height of the season here) and discovered they were from California . . . ?

[Canuckistanian]

6. And we give it no thought

We regularly see "product of..." (insert US or Bolivia or Thailand or Spain) on the signs in the shops, yet we buy it anyways.

We've recently decided NOT to buy food products that are imported from faraway countries on the basis that we can live without off-season food merely because it is THERE.

Exotic foods like pineapple are one thing, but buying strawberries in February is WRONG.

[tama]

7. Local food

Preferably grown by an autonomous (self-sufficient and enviromentally sustainable) community based on sharing, not taking. I wonder what real freedom would taste lake? Future generations will know, we can start planting the seed (e.g. in the form of ecovillages).

[Canuckistanian]

8. We're going to take advantage of that idea

We live in the country, surrounded by farms.

We have several local proponents of the idea of '100-mile food' and they regularly have dinners and presentations about how to change "fast food" into "slow food" i.e. how to bring back cooking skills to take advantage of low-cost, low carbon-footprint foods.

[tama]

9. Thats a good beginning

The big - and no doubt difficult - change that is absolutely needed is shift from industrial farming to permaculture. Good thing about permaculture is that if you have a backyard, you can start your own permaculture/ish garden. Most importantly, this a learning process, not ready made utopia, so enjoy the ride. :)