Comments on: Do the right thing: buy flowers from Africa http://www.owen.org/blog/660 Thoughts on development and beyond Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:50:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Owen http://www.owen.org/blog/660/comment-page-1#comment-2463 Owen Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:34:06 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/660#comment-2463 Thanks John.<br /><br />I agree on the value of buying local and seasonal food.  But I also buy imported food, and I don't feel uncomfortable about it.  The countries that grow that food - may of whose people depend on the income - have much lower emissions per head than we do; and we should cut our own emissions rather than impose the cost of adjustment on them.<br /><br />The supermarkets do not "control" Kenyan development.  They provide an opportunity for Kenyan farmers to sell their products to rich consumers.  That is welcome.  As consumers, we should do what we can to ensure that we buy products that pass benefits to the growers - for example by buying Fair Trade.  But it does not benefit the world's poor to boycott the products that they are able to sell us. Thanks John.

I agree on the value of buying local and seasonal food.  But I also buy imported food, and I don’t feel uncomfortable about it.  The countries that grow that food – may of whose people depend on the income – have much lower emissions per head than we do; and we should cut our own emissions rather than impose the cost of adjustment on them.

The supermarkets do not "control" Kenyan development.  They provide an opportunity for Kenyan farmers to sell their products to rich consumers.  That is welcome.  As consumers, we should do what we can to ensure that we buy products that pass benefits to the growers – for example by buying Fair Trade.  But it does not benefit the world’s poor to boycott the products that they are able to sell us.

]]> By: John Adams http://www.owen.org/blog/660/comment-page-1#comment-2462 John Adams Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:43:12 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/660#comment-2462 I agree that buying flowers from Kenya in February is more environmentally sustainable than buying flowers from northern Europe. But consumers have <em>another</em> choice, and that is to buy locally and seasonally. For example, the curly kale and cavolo de nero sold at our local farmers market has travelled less than 30 miles, the most appropriate flowers in February are snowdrops and crocuses, and British daffodils are already available. Should Kenyan economic development be controlled by British supermarkets, which don't have a great track record in giving producers a fair share of the profits, or in handling the <a href="http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2012105,00.html">environmental and social consequences in Kenya</a>? Are there more sustainable value-added products that would be better for Kenya, as shown by Ghana's Divine Chocolate? And are there emerging markets in the region for locally-grown produce? I agree that buying flowers from Kenya in February is more environmentally sustainable than buying flowers from northern Europe. But consumers have another choice, and that is to buy locally and seasonally. For example, the curly kale and cavolo de nero sold at our local farmers market has travelled less than 30 miles, the most appropriate flowers in February are snowdrops and crocuses, and British daffodils are already available. Should Kenyan economic development be controlled by British supermarkets, which don't have a great track record in giving producers a fair share of the profits, or in handling the environmental and social consequences in Kenya? Are there more sustainable value-added products that would be better for Kenya, as shown by Ghana's Divine Chocolate? And are there emerging markets in the region for locally-grown produce?

]]> By: Aman http://www.owen.org/blog/660/comment-page-1#comment-2461 Aman Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:18:08 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/660#comment-2461 On a related Valentines Day note is the impact of pesticide exposure from picking roses on women's health in Columbia. Check out the following news story:<br /><br />"Colombia Flower Farms Rely on Pesticides" (<a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070212/colombia_toxic_flowers.html" rel="nofollow">Link</a>) or:<br />http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070212/colombia_toxic_flowers.html On a related Valentines Day note is the impact of pesticide exposure from picking roses on women’s health in Columbia. Check out the following news story:

"Colombia Flower Farms Rely on Pesticides" (Link) or:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070212/colombia_toxic_flowers.html

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