Locavores - the Localized People with a Global Perspective

A family in Fife has shown the way to the world how to think globally by encouraging local food. They have been avoiding the air-freighted food and have been following a diet that is largely made of home grown stuff. And what's the use of all this? Well, that is the question of the future.

With the Kyoto protocol calling for carbon emission cuts, it is not only the role of the governments but also of the individual. It is a global issue, requiring participation of each and every individual of the society - be it the developed, developing, or under-developed world.

How can the individual participate in the endeavor?
How can someone leading a simple life ever contribute to global warming?
He/she doesn't even own a smoke-emitting industry, or something that causes pollution.

Wait. Almost all our activities give out carbon. Take for example burning a light bulb. It emits carbon. OK. What if I switch off all the lights and other appliances and sit idle? Still you are breathing and you give out carbon dioxide. Nobody asks you to live without breathing. What we want you to do is to help reduce the carbon emissions as much as possible through reasonable methods.

And what are the 'reasonable' methods? Think about this: The green beans you had for breakfast today came somewhere from Kenya or literally 'the other side of the world'. Think about how much of fuel is used in carrying the stuff all the way from the other side of the world to your backyard - The trailer from the fields; the trailer to the docks; the airplane that carries it to your country; the local truck that carries the beans from airport to the local market .... - so much of fuel is being used.
But I do pay!
So what? There will be a huge price to pay. Does it sound rather Malthusian? Pardon me. Small drops maketh an ocean. These small contributions of carbon leads to a carbon catastrophe. Why should one go for such imported stuff (I'm in no way against eating imported green beans though!) when you can get the same or similar alternative in your own backyard? Let the local market flourish. Let the global danger reduce.