What do “food miles” specifically measure?

“Food miles” specifically measure the distance food travels from production to consumption. This concept is important in discussions about sustainability and environmental impact because the longer food travels, the more energy is consumed in transportation, which typically results in higher carbon emissions. This distance can be seen as a metric for understanding the environmental footprint associated with food choices.

By focusing on the distance, the term highlights the potential trade-offs between local versus imported food sources, showing how buying locally produced food can reduce overall food miles and, consequently, environmental impact. In contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the specific meaning of food miles. The environmental impact of food production encompasses a wider array of factors, including agricultural methods and inputs, while the time food takes to spoil pertains to freshness rather than distance traveled. The cost of transporting food products, though relevant to economic discussions, is separate from the mere measurement of the distance involved in getting food from where it is grown to where it is consumed.