Food is something that affects us all. We all have to eat. But very few people know the extent to which oil underpins our food system, how much carbon is used in the production of food, how much water is used, and the impact the food system therefore has on climate change.
The current all-time highs in oil prices – $117 a barrel in April 2008 – is sending convulsive shudders down the food chain because every part of the system requires fossil fuel. Food prices have rocketed all over the world as oil prices have risen. Fertiliser, pumping water, ploughing, transportation, refrigeration – it all uses oil. And that’s being compounded by the current mad dash for biofuels, most of which require more fossil fuel to create than the energy derived from them, and which are taking up land that would otherwise be used for crops.
Camden Council purchases a lot of food directly (canteens, meals on wheels etc) or indirectly (schools, care homes) each year. We therefore have a huge potential for influencing supply chains. Considerable effort has already gone into improving the sustainability criteria associated with food contracts, and the all-party Camden Sustainability Task Force has had some input into this. According to one survey Camden was in the top five public authorities in Europe for sustainable purchasing. But we would like to go a step further.
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