Swedish - air/road freight food miles

[thekumquat]

The sentences below are from a widely-cited article (http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/matens-langa-resa-till-bordet_371696.svd) showing that contrary to expectations, foodstuffs shipped from a long way away can be greener than ones trucked

Comments

[gaymuraki]

A rough translation would be:
According to the British Department for Environment (?), the most harmful type of transportation to the environment, airfreight, has increased the most, followed by truck freight. An equivalent of such statistics in Sweden are not available, yet experts believe that the airfreight has increased here as well.

In the UK the government has taken interest in the issue. The British Department for Environment has calculated that the food-miles have increased 15% during the 90s and that every fourth truck that drives around the country is filled with food. The rise in traffic has also led to an increase in air pollution and accidents.

Hope that helped :)

[thekumquat]

That's very helpful, thank you - it tells me no stats I didnt already know so saves me needing to get the rest translated!

(the British Department for the Environment - currently the Dept for environment, food and rural affairs, called Defra, but previous has been part of other departments)

[gaymuraki]

Glad I could help. Yup, nothing new in that article..