There is lots of interest these days in buying local. There is of course the desire to bolster local economies and support the businesses of the people who live in our community. But there is also an energy conservation issue because importing products over vast distances uses large amounts of energy and adds to greenhouse emissions.
Some enterprising people in Vermont are looking at a different way to tackle the problem. They are investigating the viability of carbon-neutral shipping using sail-powered cargo vessels with no motorized assistance.
The Vermont Sail Freight Project, supported by the nonprofit Willowell Foundation, has built a 39-foot sailing barge, which is designed to make 300-mile trips down the Hudson River from small-scale farms in Vermont to New York City. The barge will deliver pre-ordered, shelf-stable products to customers along the route.
There is no refrigeration aboard the carbon-neutral vessel, so only goods that are stable over a 10-day trip can be shipped this way. Crops like grains, dry beans, preserves, onions, squash, and potatoes will make the trip. Phone calls, texts, and emails will inform customers that their orders are arriving at their destination.
The Vermont Sail Freight Project is a tiny little effort, but is one of a growing number of projects aimed at reviving sail-powered transport for use with sustainable agriculture. It is the technology of the past, but it may turn out to be a way to expand the horizons of buying local in the 21st century.
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Web Links
The Vermont Sail Freight Project
http://www.vermontsailfreightproject.com/
Photo, taken on November 2, 2013, courtesy of angrywayne via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.