McWilliams, a former locavore who teaches environmental history at the Texas State U.-San Marcos, challenges ideas that eating locally is better for the environment and argues that it is not a viable option to sustainable food production on a global scale. He argues that instead, it can be harmful to the environment in some cases and proposes ways that readers can make responsible food choices. He discusses the issue of food miles, noting that transporting produce from thousands of miles away may be more energy efficient; genetically modified foods, which he says should be reconsidered; and the emphasis on organic crops, an obstacle to building more inclusive models of sustainable food production for feeding more people. He does propose that people should eat less meat, and addresses the need for farm-raised fish, liberalized and regulated trade policies, and sustainable ranching, contending that the answer to global food issues lies in the center rather than one extreme or another. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less