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Concepts like food miles and carbon footprints are designed to make people think about what they eat and where it comes from. Becoming more connected with a local food system strengthens a community. It keeps money in a local economy and connects local food producers and consumers.

Douglas Gayeton

“I was at a dinner party with food policy and Capitol Hill people. Somebody was talking about food miles and they said, ‘You know, it’s a real drag how far I drive to get my food. It’s a lot of food miles.’ And I thought to myself, am I the only person at this table that realizes that food miles are the other way around? It’s actually about the tremendous effort it takes to bring food to your door. And I realized that we’re in a lot of trouble if people don’t understand the meanings and implications of the most basic terms that define sustainability.”

Credit: Information artwork by Douglas Gayeton. From the Lexicon of Sustainability project.