Lecture_18_-_Options_for_reducing_the_environmental_impact_of_our_food

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Our Food

Page 1: Introduction

• Focus on reducing the environmental impact associated with food systems.

Page 2: Objectives

• Define trade-offs within food systems and illustrate the importance of a systems approach.

• Distinguish between production efficiency and use efficiency in food systems.

• Explain how improving distribution and diversity can lead to sustainable food systems.

Page 3: No Silver Bullets

• Food systems encompass significant diversity in production; thus, no singular solution addresses all environmental, economic, social, and health dimensions involved.

Page 4: Entry Points for Solutions

• Multiple entry points exist for addressing food system challenges, driven by various disciplines and roles across society.

• Emphasis on the complexity and diversity of food systems prevents reliance on a single solution.

Page 5: Reducing Agricultural Emissions

• Agricultural GHG Emissions: Production + land-use change measured in Gt CO₂e/year projected for 2050.

• Key strategies to reduce emissions include:

  • Reduce food loss and waste.

  • Achieve replacement-level fertility rates.

  • Shift dietary patterns.

  • Phase out crop-based biofuels.

  • Increase crop yields and pasture productivity.

  • Improve fishing practices and aquaculture productivity.

  • Enhance manure management and nitrogen use efficiency.

  • Restore natural ecosystems such as peatlands.

Page 6: General Principles for Sustainable Food Systems

1. Take a systems approach to identify and avoid undesirable trade-offs.

2. Improve production and use efficiency.

3. Improve distribution methods.

4. Maintain diversity within food systems.

Page 7: General Principles (Repeated)

• Reinforcement of the four general principles listed on Page 6.

Page 8: Trade-Offs in Food Systems

• Definition of Trade-Off: Situations where gaining one benefit requires giving up another.

• Importance of discussing trade-offs with partners to find workable food system solutions.

Page 9: Engagement and Responses

• Encouragement for participants to identify and discuss trade-offs in food systems.

Page 10: Trade-Off Focus

• Emphasis on how concentrating on one component can lead to negative outcomes in another area.

Page 11: Questions on Trade-Offs

• Suggested questions to consider when thinking about trade-offs:

  • Interconnections between environmental factors (GHGs, water, land use, etc.)

  • Nutritional alternatives when changing dietary habits.

  • Societal impacts such as labor and nutrition.

  • Skepticism towards seemingly "too good to be true" solutions.

Page 12: General Principles (Repeated)

• Reinforcement of the four general principles listed on Page 6 again.

Page 13: Improving Production and Use Efficiency

• Production Efficiency: Maximizing output with the same input.

• Use Efficiency: Maximizing benefits from the same quantity of resources.

Page 14: Improving Production Efficiency

• Strategies to increase production efficiency include:

  • Enhanced irrigation practices.

  • Strategic fertilizer application.

  • Use of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms).

• Potential trade-offs to consider when employing these strategies.

Page 15: Precision Farming

• Introduction to precision farming as a technological approach to improving agricultural efficiency.

Page 17: Improving Use Efficiency

• Key areas to focus on for increasing use efficiency include:

  • Reducing on-farm spoilage of crops.

  • Creating alternative uses for food processing by-products.

  • Minimizing consumer-level waste (portion control, standardizing labeling).

  • Enhancing food recovery pathways to reduce waste.

Page 18: General Principles (Repeated)

• Restatement of the four general principles outlined.

Page 19: Improving Distribution

• Addressing inequities in nutrition outcomes associated with food systems.

• Acknowledging that overnutrition coexists with undernutrition, indicating systemic inefficiencies.

Page 20: Improving Distribution (Repeated)

• Reinforcement of earlier points regarding nutritional inequalities within and between countries.

Page 21: General Principles (Repeated)

• Restatement of the four general principles outlined.

Page 22: Maintaining System Diversity

• Risks involved in pursuing a single "perfect" solution for food production.

• Importance of retaining diverse production knowledge for potential alternative solutions.

Page 23: Resilience through Diversity

• Production diversity enhances resilience in food systems facing environmental shocks, like pandemics or natural disasters.

Page 24: Local Production and Shocks

• Local food production can act as a buffer against global supply chain shocks, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Page 25: Global Trade Considerations

• Global trade acts as a network for supplying goods during localized shocks (e.g., droughts), reinforcing the need for diverse production sources.

Page 26: Consumer Driven Approaches

• Encourage consumers to "vote with their wallets" by purchasing based on sustainability principles to influence market outcomes positively.

Page 27: Regulation & Monitoring

• The importance of regulating and monitoring food systems to ensure alignment with sustainability goals.

Page 28: Repeat on Regulation & Monitoring

• Emphasis on ensuring desired outcomes through consistent regulation within food systems.

Page 29: Course Wrap Up

• Summary of key components required for a successful course conclusion and evaluations.

Page 30: Grading Information

• Clarification on grading policies; lowest participation scores will be dropped; numerical scale to convert percentages noted.

• Final grade contingent on Exam 2 score.

Page 31: Topics Covered

• Overview of critical environmental science topics connected to food systems:

  • Population growth, nitrogen/phosphorus cycles, water cycle, energy/carbon cycles, biodiversity, climate change.

  • Application of these topics to food demand, fisheries, fertilizers/eutrophication, water use, GHG emissions, and land use risks.

Page 32: Course Objectives Summary

• Recap of objectives and related activities accomplished during the course:

  • Describe primary environmental impacts and diverse food systems.

  • Discuss interdisciplinary approaches in sustainability.

  • Summarize findings from key sustainability papers.

  • Evaluate dimensions of food item sustainability and trade-offs.

Page 33: Evaluations

• Course evaluations available; separate evaluations for lecture and discussion.

• Incentives for high completion rates; bonus points for participants.

Page 34: Class Reminders

• Important reminders regarding upcoming exams and class participation; office hours stated.

Page 35: Closing Remarks

• Thankful closure for the quarter, wishing good luck for exams and suggesting a relaxing Spring Break.

Page 36: Exit Ticket

• Attendance status on exit ticket feedback surveys yet to be completed.