BIDDEFORD — Food is a necessity of life, but some believe that the by-products of large scale production of food could end up killing us.

Corporate-controlled agricultural production and distribution in the United States, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, was the focus of a panel discussion Saturday at the Biddeford Campus of the University of New England.

The local food panel, to raise awareness about the climate change problem and what can be done about it, was one of many events at the school and one of 5,200 events held in 181 countries around the world in support of the Global Day of Action for Climate Change.

According to the www.350.org Web site, which provides information about the International Day of Climate Action, greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere is causing global warming.

Both the fuel used transporting products to stores, hundred or thousands of miles away from where it’s produced, and the release of nitrous oxide, a by-product of fertilizers, contribute to the greenhouse gases which are causing global climate change, said Althea Cariddi, the sustainability coordinator at UNE.

Everyday actions liking turning on lights, cooking food and heating homes use energy sources that emit carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas.

While China has caught up to the U.S. in the amount of greenhouse gas it produces, America is still ahead of all countries in the amount of carbon dioxide produced, per person, according to the 350 Web site.

Events around the world were organized around the number 350 parts per million, which represents “the safe upper limits of carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere to stave off climate change,” said Cariddi.

The estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere today is about 390 parts per million, she said.

If the emission level isn’t lowered, some scientists fear the temperature on the earth’s surface will rise several degrees which could have a devastating effect on the health of the people and the planet.

Although awareness about the issue is increasing, said Cariddi, more action is needed because consumption of oil and energy is increasing.

The university hosted a number of events and discussions providing information about the problem and what can be done.

Topics ranged from the environmental impact of water mining, alternatives to driving, ways to make homes more energy efficient, how to promote sustainable living on a community level and the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act being proposed in the United States Congress.

One of the ways people can be part of the solution to the climate change problem is to buy their food locally, said Tom Hams, the owner of Wolf Pine Farm in Alfred.

Buying locally cuts down on the need to transport food from long distances, said Hams, and smaller farms also rely more on human labor rather than carbon spewing machinery.

There are a number of options to buy locally. These include the traditional farmer’s markets and the seasonal roadside farm stands, like Shady Brook Farm in Biddeford owned by Richard Rhames. Local food enthusiasts can also purchase from Ham’s winter food share program or choose to frequent retail stores, restaurants or even join a buying group serviced by Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative, which distributes food grown by a number of large and small Maine farms.

There are a number of challenges to the buy local movement, however.

Tucker Jordon, who works at his family’s Alewive’s Brook Farm in Cape Elizabeth, noted that for most people it’s easier to buy a salad from a fast food chain than seek out fresh produce grown in state.

In addition, in many cases “farmers can’t get the cost of production back from the market,” said Rhames.

Hams, however, he said he believes there will be a tipping point where enough people will buy locally to make it more profitable for small local farmers and, as a result, more available to consumers.

“I’m optimistic about the direction we’re heading in,” he said.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.