Impacts of a Borderless Society Essay

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Table of Contents

Data Collection
Impacts of Food Purchases on the Environment and Economy
Advantages to Purchasing Local Food Items Versus Shipped from Other Areas
Disadvantages to Purchasing Local Food Items Versus Shipped from Other Areas
Conclusion
References

Living in a borderless society has a number of positive and negative characteristics in terms of economic and environmental development. On the one hand, it is impossible for people to avoid international trade relationships and partnerships that bring financial benefits and growth opportunities (“Local and regional food systems,” 2020). On the other hand, business success depends on multiple factors, and one of them is a variety of services from different parts of the world. Thus, global activities may lead to serious local damage and shortages. Therefore, citizens have to contribute to local manufacturing and consumptions to support communities and homegrown programs. In this paper, data about local and delivered from other areas will be gathered and collected to identify their impact on the environment and economy.

Data Collection

Identity of food item: Green Tea
1. Where was the food item produced?	Salada Green Tea is produced by Harris Tea Company, and one of its offices is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Still, its grades of tea are delivered from China and the Zhejiang Province, in particular.
2. Approximately how far would the food item have to travel to get to your city/town?	In general, more than 7,700 miles should be overcome to deliver the leaves of tea from China to Georgia to be manufactured.
3. Would this be considered a local food based on the reading (Local foods are ones that are sourced from within 100 miles)?	No, green tea cannot be considered a local food for Atlanta’s consumers.
4. If the answer to number 3 was no, is there an alternative that you could use as a substitute that is local?	Today, in Georgia, several organic tea farms are introduced, but their quality and quantity are not enough to cover the needs of the population. The nearest tea plantation can be found in Wadmalaw Island, South California that is 250 miles away from Atlanta, which does not meet the standards of a local food base. Local substitutes can be water or lemonade for the citizens of Georgia.
5. List a minimum of four energy inputs that humans must provide to grow, package/prepare, and transport your food item from where it was produced to the store.	1. Sunlight is necessary to produce the energy for tea plants 2. Water resources to keep the soil moist and effective for growth 3. Fertilizers to help tea plants to grow quickly 4. Electricity to dry leaves and produce tea packages 5. Gasoline to transport tea products from China to Georgia

Identity of food item: Potatoes
1. Where was the food item produced?	Potatoes are commonly produced in Idaho or California, but today, there are also several local farms in the state of Georgia.
2. Approximately how far would the food item have to travel to get to your city/town?	The distance from Idaho to Georgia is about 2,300 miles; the distance from California to Georgia is about 2,400 miles. In Atlanta, there is a well-known Patchwork City Farms to provide the locals with the product. Still, the quantity of potatoes is not usually enough to meet the population’s needs, and outside sources are used.
3. Would this be considered a local food based on the reading (Local foods are ones that are sourced from within 100 miles)?	Several local food bases exist in Atlanta, while California and Idaho manufactures are out of the local base.
4. If the answer to number 3 was no, is there an alternative that you could use as a substitute that is local?	The citizens of Atlanta could use local potatoes products, but the consumption is still limited. Local alternatives for potatoes may be carrot, squash, and broccoli.
5. List a minimum of four energy inputs that humans must provide to grow, package/prepare, and transport your food item from where it was produced to the store.	1. Sunlight to promote potatoes’ growth 2. Gasoline to make trucks and other transportation means work 3. Fertilizers and pesticides to support the growth of the product 4. Electricity to integrate and grade the product

Impacts of Food Purchases on the Environment and Economy

Most people do not have any idea that their food purchases may affect the environment in many ways. However, there are certain benefits and shortages of food choices individuals make every day. For example, if a person chooses green tea leaves that need extensive processing and energy for release, the contributions to global warming pollution are inevitable (Jonathan, 2010). The promotion of potatoes leads to the use of increased transportation means with dirty fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide (Jonathan, 2010). It is recommended for people to eat locally and take organic food with certified eco-labels to reduce unnecessary challenges to the environment.

In addition, food preferences are closely related to the American economy and the rise or fall of gross domestic product rates. Anderson (2015) admits that the support of farmland projects and local agriculture is possible in most American states, including Georgia. When people work in the agricultural sector locally to grow potatoes, they are better employed and increase their personal income (Small, 2014). Thus, when the population chooses local food over the produced delivered from other states or even countries, they positively contribute to their financial stability and the community growth as an independent economic segment.

Advantages to Purchasing Local Food Items Versus Shipped from Other Areas

There are many advantages that Americans could observe if they make a decision to purchase local food versus the products shipped from other regions. Some chefs use local sourcing like potatoes as their culinary trends and attractive elements of their menus (“Local and regional food systems,” 2020). People are eager to try local products as they believe they are less damaged or exposed to chemical processes for effective storage or a good look. When the distance between a food producer and a food consumer is short, the quality of a product is literally and figuratively high (“Local and regional food systems,” 2020). Such an evident benefit of local purchases cannot be ignored in modern food, economic, and environmental discussions.

Another positive aspect of human choices is related to the possibility to increase domestic revenues if foreign food products are replaced with local items. The findings of the United States Department of Agriculture show that in 2015, the work of local farms brought more than $8.7 billion in revenue (as cited in “Local and regional food systems,” 2020). Small (2014) also demonstrates how it is possible to think global and buy local on the example of agritourism. This reward has a high price, and not many people are able to recognize it in a short period. More research and statistical reports are necessary to help society understand what they can do to protect their environment, be in fashion, and succeed economically in producing local tea products or other food.

Disadvantages to Purchasing Local Food Items Versus Shipped from Other Areas

At the same time, among the factors to support local food purchases, several disadvantages of this choice should be mentioned. Buying local is associated with expensiveness and the necessity to control the production process from multiple perspectives. Energy is a critical part of food manufacturing, and its different forms remain interchangeable, including the environment, technology, economy, chemistry, and biology (Trefil & Hazen, 2016). Local farmers try to use the best sources, materials, and ideas to demonstrate their professionalism and potato quality. Thus, they need high prices to cover the costs necessary for growth, production, and distribution.

The second shortage of purchasing local food is a lack of variety of services and products. It is possible for one community to increase the production of potatoes, tea leaves, or coffee beans. However, it is hard to diversify the same field all at once. Many products remain seasonable, and most tea plants, fruits, and vegetables require a specific environment and type of soil. Not all states have enough space for specific plants and factories. Therefore, selection options are decreased, and if all citizens choose local foods over foreign products, the supply would be impossible to offer properly. Many organizational and consumption processes are uncovered, challenging decision-making.

Conclusion

Every day, people make multiple decisions about what food to eat, what clothes to wear, or what service to use. In this assignment, several food products were investigated to understand if foreign delivery or local alternatives should be chosen. The modern world has already identified the benefits and shortages of local and international production and trade. Many American states have enough resources to reduce import products, use local opportunities, and achieve environmental and economic benefits.

References

Anderson, L. (2015). Most Americans could eat locally, research shows. University of California Merced. Web.

Jonathan, K. (2010). Eat green: Our everyday food choices affect global warming and the environment [PDF document]. Web.

Local and regional food systems. (2020). FoodPrint. Web.

Small, S. (2014). Think global, buy local: A new study looks at the impact of buying local produce on local economies. FoodTank. Web.

Trefil, J., & Hazen, R. M. (2016). The sciences: An integrated approach (8th ed.). Wiley.

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