About that Lexus Ad…
OCTOBER 19, 2007 - Some of you will have noticed a print advertisement for a Lexus hybrid vehicle; it was brought to our attention a few days ago. The ad lists 101 things you can do to “make a difference,” and Number 21 is “Try the 100-mile diet” (just ahead of “Get involved” and just behind “Wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot”). We’re happy to see the 100-mile diet going bigtime mainstream, but we do want to make clear that: (a) We don’t endorse Lexus; (b) Lexus doesn’t sponsor us in any way; and (c) We might reconsider a and b if they come up with a free hybrid Lexus for us to drive on our various tours - but only if its fuel efficiency is actually better than our subcompact ‘91 Dodge Colt hatchback. Looking at the specs for the basic hybrid Lexus sedan, the Colt gets better mileage (the sedan doesn’t even classify for Canada’s fuel efficiency incentive rebate program) and still passes its emissions test with flying colours every year.
So, one way you can make a difference: buy a genuinely fuel-efficient vehicle, or better still, go with our own addition, Number 102 (drive less and support measures at every level, from the local to the international, to discourage car culture).
The Lexus ad does give us a chance to talk about driving and the 100-mile diet. Many people seem to think that eating locally involves a lot of driving. Well, we eat locally and only keep our car insured for six months of every year, so obviously driving and local eating don’t need to go hand in hand. We do almost all - probably 99 percent - of our in-city trips by bike, bus, or on foot. (Usually we get around on bikes, because our transit system is just as crappy and overpriced as most transit systems in North America.)
In some cases, though, especially in areas with no farmers’ market, local eaters do have to drive out to farms to access local food. At this point in history, local food systems, which were left to languish for decades, are far from efficient. That needs to change, but it won’t unless enough local eaters show there’s enough demand to improve the system - it’s already happening in the UK, for example, where large grocery chains are beginning to make in-season local food as accessible as global products.
Meanwhile, there are things we can do to reduce the impact of getting out there and supporting local farms:
• Plan to visit a number of farms in the area you are driving to.
• Combine farm visits with other out-of-town errands or trips.
• Buy farmgate products in bulk and preserve some for later eating (you’ll save money, too).
• Bring friends or arrange to pick up food for friends, and ask that they do the same for you.
• Inquire about (or organize) group farm tours that permit you to buy from the farms you visit.
• Ask at the farms you visit about box delivery programs such as Community Supported Agriculture.
• Start a local farmers’ market!
-JBM
