The Off Topic Topic

[Jacob]

The part that really bothers me is the "fish flown in from Portugal."

Why is that? Do you prefer they fly the fish in from somewhere other than Portugal? Or is it that fish should be transported on trucks and trains, rather than airplanes? Or is it that you believe only people actually living near centres for fisheries should eat fresh fish (i.e. you're a hardcore localvore)?

Or are efficient distribution networks something that bothers you on a more fundamental level?

[Admiral Yi]

Air transport is costly and has a large carbon footprint.  Plus the Atlantic is being overfished.

[celedhring]

Airlifting fish from Portugal to Poland seems a bit wasteful to me, but if there's a market for it...

[Josquius]

What really annoys me about that sort of thing is these aren't usually special fish that can only be found in Portugal. There's probably pretty similar fish being flown in the other direction too.
I recall reading some figures a few years back about how many potatoes countries are shipping to each other. Just madness.

[Ideologue]

The part that really bothers me is the "fish flown in from Portugal."

Why is that? Do you prefer they fly the fish in from somewhere other than Portugal? Or is it that fish should be transported on trucks and trains, rather than airplanes? Or is it that you believe only people actually living near centres for fisheries should eat fresh fish (i.e. you're a hardcore localvore)?

Or are efficient distribution networks something that bothers you on a more fundamental level?

"Express flights from Portugal to Warsaw that deliver fish" and "efficient" probably don't belong in the same sentence.  Are there no fish in the Baltic?  Aside from the extravagance, it's actively destroying the planet primarily so people can conspicuously consume their dinner.  Disgusting.  Also, they shouldn't be eating fish at all, though I only mildly judge them for that.

[Grey Fox]

Hell, it's probably fish those asshole Portuguese stole from Canadian waters too.

Humanity should not eat wild fish.

[Ed Anger]

The supply chain.

[Eddie Teach]

What really annoys me about that sort of thing is these aren't usually special fish that can only be found in Portugal. There's probably pretty similar fish being flown in the other direction too.
I recall reading some figures a few years back about how many potatoes countries are shipping to each other. Just madness.

I suspect there's a more limited variety in the Baltic.

[Jacob]

Air transport is costly and has a large carbon footprint.  Plus the Atlantic is being overfished.

I expect they're not chartering special planes for this, but rather shipping along regular routes.

[Jacob]

Airlifting fish from Portugal to Poland seems a bit wasteful to me, but if there's a market for it...

I'm guessing it's because the Portuguese are some of the most rapacious efficient industrial fishers of the world.

[Admiral Yi]

I expect they're not chartering special planes for this, but rather shipping along regular routes.

Next you will hopefully explain the relevance of this comment.

[Ideologue]

I was not, when I critized the practice, under the impression that the Portuguese fish have their own private death jet.

[Jacob]

I expect they're not chartering special planes for this, but rather shipping along regular routes.

Next you will hopefully explain the relevance of this comment.

The fish, presumably, are a small part of the cargo of the planes they're on. Those planes could be passenger flights or they could be dedicated cargo planes, but in either case those planes are likely going to be flying whether or not someone is shipping fish from Lisbon to Warsaw.

So yeah, carbon footprint, for sure; but I don't think if that store shut down the carbon output of transportation between Lisbon and Warsaw would drop one iota, since the same flights would happen in any case.

I agree that air shipping fresh fish seems a bit frivolous, yeah, but when you look at the distribution infrastructure food is being shipped all over the world constantly and in great volumes. It seems odd to pick on the fresh fish-eaters of Warsaw in particular. I mean... if you're eating sushi anywhere away from a mayor fishing port, there's a transportation carbon footprint attached. Same for fresh fruits and veggies, and meat and most other food for that matter.

Also, you're one of the last people I'd expect a "carbon footprint" argument from. It's good to see that Languish can still surprise

[Jacob]

I was not, when I critized the practice, under the impression that the Portuguese fish have their own private death jet.

No. You just don't like fish, you don't like people in big cities, and you don't like people spending money on things you would not spend money on.

[Valmy]

I think my neighbourhood might be gentryfying.

Well heck you living there is pretty good evidence in itself.