Local food,food miles and carbon emissions: A comparison of farm shop and mass distribution approaches

This paper provides a critical commentary on the conception of food miles followed by an empirical application of food miles to two contrasting food distribution systems based on carbon emissions accounting within these systems. The comparison is between the carbon emissions resultant from operating a large-scale vegetable box system and those from a supply system where the customer travels to a local farm shop. The study is based on fuel and energy use data collected from one of the UK’s largest suppliers of organic produce. The findings suggest that if a customer drives a round-trip distance of more than 6.7 km in order to purchase their organic vegetables, their carbon emissions are likely to be greater than the emissions from the system of cold storage, packing, transport to a regional hub and final transport to customer’s doorstep used by large-scale vegetable box suppliers. Consequently some of the ideas behind localism in the food sector may need to be revisited.     

The energy efficiency of local food systems: A comparison between different modes of distribution

The possible contribution of local sales chains to the reduction of energy consumption has been hotly debated in recent years. Some authors establish a link between the reduction of distances traveled by food and lower energy consumption due to transportation, while others hold that local supply chains have a poor energy performance. This article engages this debate by comparing the rates of energy consumption attributable to different modes of distribution of fruits and vegetables in a region of France.     

Towards a sustainable fashion retail supply chain in Europe: Organisation and performance

Sustainability issues are particularly sensitive to the fashion supply chain, given current fierce competition, intensive resource use, and the exposure of penurious labour conditions in some regions.In this paper, we discuss how the sustainability movement is impacting the fashion retail supply chain organisation and its performance. We carried out a study with stakeholders of the fashion industry and we report on their views. We elaborate on the challenges and conflicts of the different dimensions of sustainability, and we discuss how to leverage both the internal and external organisations in the European supply chain.     

Why sustainable and ‘nutritionally correct’ food is not on the agenda: Western Sydney,the moral arts of everyday life and public policy

Within a context of delivering food security into the future, dietary guidelines are being reframed, corporations are replacing unsustainable products, and consumers are being encouraged to become ecological citizens. While there is a growing literature on the food practices of ‘alternative’ consumers, ‘mainstream’ consumers are less well understood. This paper describes qualitative research undertaken in a socio-economically disadvantaged area of Sydney, Australia, which aimed to uncover consumer views towards sustainable and healthy diets. Most participants indicated a discrepancy between their desired and actual behaviours: while they want to support Australian, or local, food producers they gravitate towards cheap and tasty food from ‘anywhere’; and while they associate nutritious food with fresh food, they will buy processed foods which can be less expensive, appeal to children and are prone to less waste. Reflecting mainstream Australian political culture, participants were compromising household food budgets in order to pursue a socially acceptable standard of living (including decent housing, car-reliance). They were also incorporating the pleasure and desires of family members as part of ‘the moral arts of everyday life’. Using social theories of consumption and practice sociology we argue that food choices and practices – easy or not – need to be interpreted as part of the role that consumption plays in political citizenship and moral subjectivity. In the Western Sydney context, food practices are essentially household budget and family nourishment practices rather than nutrition and sustainability practices; a position which is not addressed in the government’s new food policies or wage determination processes.     

基于建筑供应链的全面建筑废物管理

在分析我国建筑废物管理的现状、存在的问题,和借鉴国外建筑废物管理经验的基础上,从建筑供应链上各个节点出发,结合建筑生产工业化的趋势,提出全面建筑废物管理的方法。既保护环境、促进可持续发展又提高了建筑业的经济效益。     

Modeling sustainable product lifecycle decision support systems

Sustainable product lifecycle systems are attracting increasing attention because of cost competition, resource constraints and environmental issues. Short lifecycle products, such as consumer and defense electronics, are of particular concern. We formulate a product lifecycle evolution system based on stochastic dynamic programming. By applying the concept of a sustainable product lifecycle system on a product line, conclusions and guidelines for rational decision making can be developed through each phase of the product life cycle.     

基于循环经济的建筑垃圾资源化利用文献综述

针对目前中国建筑垃圾资源产业规模较小,尚未形成成熟产业链的情况,在全面文献综述的基础上,利用定性社会研究软件NVivo文献研究热点进行聚类分析,形成基于循环经济的建筑垃圾资源化利用的系统框架。最后提出现有研究的不足及未来的研究方向,并为相关研究人员了解建筑垃圾资源化利用的主要发展趋势提供有价值的参考。     

Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States – Comments

There seems to be high interest in the question of food loss and food waste. The comments take up the article in Food Policy on “Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States”. It is argued that the methodology of calculating the food loss is questionable. Consequently, the estimates are highly inflated; therefore the authors do not provide accurate information for policy makers as intended.     

Assessment of energy intake: Estimates of food supply v measurement of food consumption

National consumption indicators are frequently compiled using food supply estimates in the absence of reliable household or individual intake data. The authors examine the relationship between these three levels of information and in particular, the potential ‘losses’ of energy in the food system, comparing data from different countries and over time. They demonstrate the unreliability of supply estimates as proxy indicators of consumption and question their current usage in statements about global hunger and the links between health and food intake.     

The consequences of voluntary traceability system for supply chain relationships. An application of transaction cost economics

This paper analyses the effects of voluntary traceability on vertical relationships within food supply chains using a transaction cost perspective. The analysis makes reference to the Italian situation where the national standard organization has introduced a private standard for traceability that provides a higher degree of information associated with the individual product than the European mandatory traceability system. A survey was conducted by questionnaire to assess changes in transaction characteristics, costs and governance after the introduction of voluntary traceability. The sample represents all Italian firms applying this standard. Factorial and cluster analyses were applied to find the different reorganizations of transactions. The results highlight an increase in asset specificity and a decrease in the uncertainty level throughout the supply chains. The introduction of voluntary traceability shows increased vertical coordination for firms that previously used oral agreements and variation in transactions conditions for firms using contracts. Instead vertically integrated firms do not reveal any variation in the governance of transactions as they are already internally safeguarded.     

One more tool for the food aid toolbox? Experimental evidence on food aid packaging

International food assistance reaches more than 90 million people per year, much of it through in-kind programs that distribute food. Several key aspects of in-kind programs—what food is shipped, when and from where it is sourced—have been changed to improve program effectiveness and efficiency, becoming helpful tools in the modernized in-kind food assistance toolbox. Packaging—in what food is shipped—remains an unstudied and underused tool despite more than 50 million bags per year passing through in-kind supply chains, affecting program effectiveness and efficiency. We conduct an experiment with 46 shipments using different packaging materials and sizes to measure the effect of packaging on shipment quality, cost, and timeliness. Analyzing the data with randomization tests, we find that, relative to the current materials, new materials maintain shipment quality and cost while improving timeliness and in some cases may reduce cost. One promising material that balances cost and effectiveness is a bag with a biopesticide applied, designed to prevent insects from reproducing. We also find that, relative to the current size, larger bags may improve costs at least in the domestic portion of the supply chain. Donors and their partners should consider packaging as one more tool in the modernized food assistance toolbox. As the toolbox continues to fill, the coming opportunity and challenge to identify situations where the various tools work in complementary ways.     

Examining sustainability performance in the supply chain: The case of the Greek dairy sector

This paper evaluates the sustainability performance of the Greek dairy chain and the performance of its individual members by using key indicators in relation to efficiency, flexibility, responsiveness and product quality. We assessed the importance of these indicators based on the relevant perceptions of key members of this chain. A structured questionnaire was developed where nineteen sustainability-related issues were examined. Two hundred and fifty three members of the Greek dairy supply chain responded including breeders, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and catering companies. Our findings illustrate the immediate need for improvement in many key sustainability performance indicators. They also show the critical role of large dairy manufacturers who are the “sustainability performance champions” in this chain and are the driving force for the implementation of many sustainability initiatives.     

基于供应链管理的房地产开发企业合伙模式研究

基于供应链的思想，传统制造业中的各个企业被看作整个供应链中的某一环节，供应链管理使企业集中优势资源与精力创造特殊价值，提高自身竞争能力并带动相关企业发展。房地产开发企业作为自身行业中的“集成制造商”，应该充分借鉴供应链管理的思想，大力发展与相关合作对象的伙伴关系，基于其独特的供应链的内部集成，建立合适的合伙模式，以达到降低开发成本、提高项目品质、增强企业核心竞争力的目标。     

供应商选择方法综述

针对供应链管理是目前企业管理的先进管理模式,供应链管理可以实现供应链上各节点企业的“共赢”,对作为整条供应链源头的供应商评价与选择已成为企业提高竞争优势的关键。在对目前供应商选择方法从定量和定性角度研究的基础上,分析了各种方法存在的优缺点,以及应如何选择合适的评价方法,为企业选择供应商提供有力参考。