Sustainable Food Production, Consumption, and the Generation of

Consumer perception and public policy in the Capital Regional District of Victoria, BC
Jutta Gutberlet
1.1 Introduction
The quality of our food, the way it is produced and the impacts it generates on our
environment are pressing issues, putting at risk the health of our society. Severe social and
environmental concerns are linked to the increasing commodification and the industrialization of
modern food production. The application of footprint analysis confirms the fact that food travels
longer distances from the production site to our table nowadays (Jones, 2002; Pretty et al., 2005).
More of our food is produced with agrotoxics (from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, to
defoliants, etc.), heavy machines and other inputs like plastic coverage and irrigation schemes
(O’Hara & Stagl, 2001). Finally, with an increase in mechanization less people are involved in
fresh food production today (Renting & Marsden, 2003). In many regions family farming has
become difficult and often impossible to sustain livelihoods. Urban sprawl and land speculation
often take over the most productive and fertile land transforming the rural landscape into a suburban
‘monocultural landuse’ like: predominantly single family housing or typical box store
(Ackerman, 1999; Maxwell et al., 1999; Mariola, 2005).
All of these facts take their toll on the quality of the products we eat and drink, on the quality
of the surrounding environment and finally on our own health. With life style changes and under
the influence of advertisements we also see a growth in the consumption of processed products,
which increases the consumption of less nutritious food and products with more additives
(conservants, artificial colours or flavours, etc.). Changes in our food habits also generate more
waste, since most of the processed food products come in mostly non-biodegradable wrapping
and packaging. There are also possible health risks related to packaging; firstly, through the
contact between food and wrapping and secondly, through the disposal and dumping of
packaging in the environment, where it releases toxic elements into the ground and atmosphere
while degrading.
In opposition to these developments related to our food chain we find alternatives in organic
and biodynamic agriculture, community gardening, or changes in consumer attitudes such as
conscious shopping avoiding packaging and plastic bags or following the principle of
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