3.9 - Localism, Transition Towns, Fair Trade And Recycling Flashcards
(12 cards)
What does sustainability mean
meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of the future
What is local sourcing
- TNCs have been able to develop widespread global production networks due to cheap transport, labour and material costs
- Whilst this has led to huge profits, it also produces a huge carbon footprint
- Ethical consumption is becoming increasingly popular with people buying locally sourced food and commodities and avoiding supermarkets with high food miles
Benefits and drawbacks of local sourcing
Benefits of local sourcing
- Many small farms in the UK grown organic produce, using fewer pesticides, which could have health benefits
- UK farmers earn more by manufacturing goods such as jams, fruit juices and wine
- Local sourcing can help people to reduce their carbon footprint
Drawbacks of local sourcing
- Local sourcing of meat and vegetables can be expensive
- Less demand from the UK for food from developing countries can have a negative impact on their economic growth
- Some products e.g., tomatoes, are grown in heated greenhouses during winter in the UK which produces a larger carbon footprint than if they were imported from Spain
What is a transition town
Founded in 2006 the non-governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Transition Network’ encourages towns to grow their own food in community gardens (not import it) and reduce energy used in transport, e.g. cycling and recycle waste/reuse materials
Transition town case study - todmorden
Todmorden, a small English town, has changed how it produces and consumes food. More residents now grow vegetables, keep chickens, and buy local produce. Public gardens offer free vegetables, and all schoolchildren eat locally produced meals.
The aim of Incredible Edible is to make Todmorden fully self-sufficient in food by 2018. It began as a community-funded project and later gained external funding. It’s inclusive, offering seeds, troughs, and classes to those without gardens.
Planned projects include:
- A 50m polytunnel to increase food production
- Jam-making and woodworking workshops
- Accessible gardens in elderly care homes
- A proposed fish farm near the high school (with a £750k grant application)
- A diploma for 14–19-year-olds in environmental and land-based studies
Costs of the scheme
- Reduced demand for imported food may harm developing economies
- Locally sourced food can be costly, especially for low-income households
- Heated greenhouses can increase carbon emissions more than imported food
Benefits of the scheme
- Healthier produce with fewer pesticides
- UK farmers profit more from value-added local goods (e.g., jam)
- Local sourcing can reduce carbon footprints and benefit the environment
What is fair trade
Fair trade pays farmers of cocoa, cotton, tea, and coffee in developing countries a guaranteed price for their produce plus a ‘fair trade premium’ payment.
Benefits of fair trade
Supports sustainability by enforcing standards that improve soil, water, and pest management, reduce harmful chemicals and emissions, manage waste, and protect biodiversity
- Empowers producers with income control and funds community projects such as schools and healthcare, with Fairtrade Premium supporting farming, financial benefits, and local development
- Builds long-term relationships between producers and consumers, promoting supply chain transparency over short-term profits
- Consumers support ethical production by choosing Fairtrade products, with 77% of UK consumers preferring them, leading to growth in Fairtrade cocoa (6%) and tea (5%) sales in 2023.
Drawbacks of fairtrade
Higher prices for consumers limit product availability in some markets, with Fairtrade-certified items costing 20% to 50% more than conventional ones
- Certifying the products is expensive and can become complex
- Fairtrade is becoming more popular so there is increased competition
- Large companies that are fair trade certified may not uphold the standards on all their products, the label may be misleading
Benefits of recycling
- helps conserve land and reduce methane emissions from decomposing waste.
- reduces the need to extract raw materials (e.g., metals, timber, oil).
- manufacturing from recycled materials uses less energy (e.g., recycled aluminium uses 95% less energy).
- Creates jobs in recycling centres, waste sorting, and material processing.
- Supports circular economy by keeps materials in use for longer, reducing overall consumption
Costs of recycling
- Not all materials are recyclable some items (e.g., certain plastics) are hard or impossible to recycle effectively
- Energy and pollution from recycling processes as sorting and reprocessing can still use energy and produce emissions
- High initial costs because infrastructure and facilities for recycling can be expensive to develop and maintain
- Public confusion because of inconsistent recycling rules across regions can reduce effectiveness and participation
What is a circular economy
The circular economy is an economic system aimed at cutting waste and keeping resources in use for as long as possible
It contrasts with the traditional linear economy, which follows a “take, make, dispose” model.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCircular_economy&psig=AOvVaw1jJmGz4JotTzQjH9VwnP8u&ust=1745408450848000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCJjetr3H64wDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
Benefits and drawbacks of a circular economy
Benefits
- Reduces environmental impact and CO₂ emissions
- Lowers demand for raw materials
- Creates green jobs and sustainable economic growth
Costs
- Setting up circular systems often requires expensive investments in new technology and infrastructure.
- It can be difficult to coordinate changes across industries, supply chains, and government policies.
