Madam, - In her article "50 Ways to save the planet" (Magazine, January 5th), Jane Powers tells us to "buy local food" and says that eating green beans from Africa or South America is "madness" because long-haul provisioning by air transport is unsustainable.
However, it might well be that food grown in ideal conditions, on a large, efficient scale is more environmentally friendly, even after the air travel, than locally grown food. Everything has to be taken into account, not just distance.
To advise readers of The Irish Timesto impoverish farmers and farm-hands in Chile and Zimbabwe is a heavy responsibility. I hope Ms Power checked her facts carefully. - Yours, etc,
AIDAN WALSH,
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Hollybank Avenue,
Dublin 6.