A little fodder for your brain

Locavores, take heed: You might be doing more harm than good.

At least, that's one expert is arguing.

According to James E. McWilliams, author of  Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly, the real focus needs to be on the overall picture of your food's life cycle, not just how many miles it travels.

In my view, that's a bit of a redundant truth. Yes, how food is processed and farmed is crucial in reducing a carbon footprint. But I think that's a fundamental element to anyone who actually practices locavore habits. And if not, then I'm at least all for supporting local farmers, who preserve green space and keep my neighbors employed. There are many reasons to eat locally, and only some of them are environmental.

McWilliams makes other points, including arguing for genetically modified food and the dangers that low-yield organic food could produce in the face of a food shortage.

Whether or not you buy into what he's saying is up to you, but it certainly is good food for thought.