Think globally, drink locally20 December 2001
'Think globally, drink locally' was this year's festive message from Friends of the Earth. Christmas drinkers can reduce their environmental impact by choosing locally produced beer over the holiday period. By drinking locally, consumers can reduce the distance beer travels by road, sea and air and support their local economy at the same time.
Between 1989 and 1997 the market share of regional and micro- breweries dropped from 15 per cent to 13 per cent. By 1998 four breweries controlled 83 per cent of the market.
Some local breweries are committed to buying local or UK ingredients. Estimates put the 'beer miles' of all ingredients used to produce a barrel of beer as high as 24,000 miles. For example, some hops are imported from New Zealand - even though they can be grown in the UK. Thirty per cent of Europe's hops are imported from the US.
"Britain's 400 small brewers brew high quality beers for local markets, supporting local jobs and promoting local choice," says Jonathan Mail, Public Affairs Manager at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). "Not only does the beer they produce increase consumer choice but because the beer is drunk locally it also means fewer food miles and therefore less damage to our environment."
For more information see the CAMRA website: www.camra.org.uk/
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