Our submission for the Emerging Terrain’s “Stored Potential 2: Transport(ation) directs its attention to food miles. Given the banner’s context and the proactive focus on transportation, it raises a question about local usage. What is Omaha, Nebraska’s role in global, domestic and local transportation of goods? Being a central and remote point of the United States, the role applies to each consumer whether accepted or not. Goods that are part of a local movement are only transported 56 food miles before they reach their consumer while goods that are not, travel 1,494 food miles (96 percent farther than the former, 4 percent of the latter).

The banner displays a portion of the 2005 Nebraska Land Use Map’s analysis (represented by circles). Four percent of the circles are highlighted to graphically display this outrageous comparison.

Lastly, this submission hopes to set an example for not only food miles but “bag miles.” Designed within the banner are bag cut-lines to which they can easily be reused for local bags. If selected, these bags will eventually make a statement and only travel the 56 “bag miles” to catch their goods.

the final design

 

MAKE TEAM

Erin Brouillette
Justin Brouillette
Nicholas Pajerski

Works Cited

Checking the food odometer: Comparing food miles for local versus conventional produce sales to Iowa institutions

by: Rich Pirog, Marketing & Food Systems Program Leader, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Andrew Benjamin, student, Iowa State University Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering

July 2003