Lately, I seem to be reading a lot about the inevitable demise of the “3,000-mile salad”. The logic goes like this. Because of rising fuel prices, it will no longer be economical to truck California produce to the East Coast, so the East Coast will have to either grow its own produce or do without. Superficially, the argument is valid. But is it really?

A lot of energy expended in agricultire is actually expended while producing fertilizers. A head of lettuce grown closer to the East Coast just may require more fertilizer. Plus, the East Cost will have to build processing facilities, which California already has in place.

Obviously, this counteragrument is void without some numbers to back it up. Now where would I go to get the numbers?