Has The Sustainable Food Movement Reached The Mainstream?

Only 1-2% of America's food is locally grown today. The average American dinner is trucked 1,500 miles.

1 minute read

August 2, 2005, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"A personal connection between a restaurant chef and the people who grow his beef or broccoli rabe might not sound radical, but it's a major element of a burgeoning movement. It's called "sustainable food"—a chain of supply and demand that theoretically could continue in perpetuity. A shorter food chain cuts down on oil consumption, puts money in the pockets of disappearing farmers, is more humane, helps protect soil and water and, best of all, usually delivers food that tastes better. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley is credited with starting the movement in the U.S. Now, from the ivy-covered dorms at Yale to the public schools at Berkeley to the grocery stores, white-tablecloth restaurants and fast-food joints of Portland, a grass-roots movement is sprouting that emphasizes food with a local pedigree.

...Some consumers are rebelling against the global marketplace and seeking out food whose history is known and friendly. While there are alternatives to mainstream food—organic, biodynamic, fair trade and others—the idea of a sustainable food system is generating the most interest."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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