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Reducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers
Abstract and Figures
The global impacts of food production
Food is produced and processed by millions of farmers and intermediaries globally, with substantial associated environmental costs. Given the heterogeneity of producers, what is the best way to reduce food's environmental impacts? Poore and Nemecek consolidated data on the multiple environmental impacts of ∼38,000 farms producing 40 different agricultural goods around the world in a meta-analysis comparing various types of food production systems. The environmental cost of producing the same goods can be highly variable. However, this heterogeneity creates opportunities to target the small numbers of producers that have the most impact.
Science , this issue p. 987
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... Moreover, animal agriculture itself was demonstrated to be responsible for up to 20% of global CO 2 emissions [6]. A meta-analysis of the environmental impacts of over 38,000 agricultural farms producing various food goods worldwide demonstrated that beef, lamb, mutton, and dairy had the highest carbon footprint [7]. ...
Background/Objectives: Analyzing the carbon footprint of diets in various populations is important as it can help identify more sustainable food choices that reduce the overall impact of human activities on ongoing warming of the global climate. This pilot exploratory study analyzed the carbon footprint (measured in kg of CO2 equivalent, eq.) using food diaries collected from Polish individuals with varying levels of animal-derived product exclusion in their diets. Methods: The study employed a food diary method, where participants from four dietary groups (vegan, vegetarian, fish-eater, and meat-eater) recorded all meals and beverages consumed over a 7-day period, including portion sizes and packaging details. These diaries were then analyzed to assess dietary adherence and calculate carbon footprints, utilizing standardized CO2 equivalent emission data from publicly available databases. Results: The analysis revealed a decreasing trend in the carbon footprint corresponding to the degree of elimination of animal-derived products from the diet (R2 = 0.96, p = 0.0217). The mean daily footprint in the vegan group was 1.38 kg CO2eq., which was significantly lower than in the vegetarian (2.45), fish-eater (2.72), and meat-eater groups (3.62). For each 1000 kcal, the meat-eater diet generated 39.7, 58.3, and 93.9% more CO 2 eq. than in the case of fish-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans, respectively. Over a week, a group of 10 vegans had a total carbon footprint lower than vegetarians, fish-eaters, and meat-eaters by 42.9, 52.2, and 61.8%, respectively. Hard and mozzarella cheese had the highest contribution to the carbon footprint in vegetarians, fish, and seafood in fish-eaters, and poultry, pork, and beef had the highest contribution in meat-eaters. Conclusions: Dietary carbon footprints vary considerably by dietary pattern, with lower consumption of animal-derived products associated with lower emissions. Additionally, identifying specific high-impact food items within each diet may inform strategies for reducing environmental impact across various eating patterns.
... inputs and use less land and water while emitting fewer greenhouse gases, making them a more sustainable option. Moreover, in an optimized continuous process, the desirable fibrous structure can be achieved without additives, further enhancing their environmental benefits (Ozturk et al. 2023;Poore and Nemecek 2018). However, the processing of plant-based meat, particularly through high-moisture extrusion (HME), which transforms plant proteins into fibrous structures by heating and pressurizing them to resemble the texture of animal meat, can be energy-intensive and may partially offset some of these environmental advantages (Dekkers et al. 2018). ...
The global protein demand is predicted to double by 2050, driving the rise in the adaptation of plant‐based meat alternatives (PBMAs), which replicate traditional meat textures while reducing environmental impact. This review examines challenges and opportunities in producing and adopting PBMAs, with a particular focus on high‐moisture extrusion (HME) technology. Anisotropic structure control during HME remains a major challenge due to the varied physicochemical properties of plant proteins. Additionally, nutrient composition variability complicates standardization, which affects dietary adequacy and consumer acceptance, while understanding the effects of antinutrients on nutrient absorption is also crucial. The review further explores the nutritional profiles, health implications, environmental impacts, labelling practices, and marketing strategies of PBMAs, identifying research gaps. It highlights the need for cross‐sector collaboration to advance sustainable plant‐based diets. Eco‐friendly plant protein production can be achieved through efficient agroecosystem management and dry fractionation, in contrast to water‐ and chemical‐intensive wet extraction. Life cycle assessments consistently show a lower environmental footprint of plant‐based diets versus meat‐inclusive diets, although more comprehensive methodologies are required. Market challenges, including costs and consumer acceptance influenced by demographics and culture, remain key challenges. Policy interventions, such as carbon taxation, could reduce meat consumption, but socioeconomic impacts must be carefully considered. Reducing production costs and effectively communicating the sustainability benefits of PBMAs seem crucial for widespread adaptation. Advances in fermentation and genomic technologies hold promise for enhancing nutrient bioavailability sustainably. Ongoing evaluation of PBMA production processes is crucial to addressing nutritional variability, health impacts, and environmental concerns.
... If meat consumption stayed the same, there would not be enough land to transition from concentrated animal feed operations to free-range animals (FAO 2020;Stanescu 2010). It has been suggested that increasing animal productivity may reduce environmental impact (Poore and Nemecek 2018) but it comes at the cost of animal welfare. ...
Marketing ‘sustainable and humane’ super-premium dog kibble emerged alongside alternative food movements interested in sustainability, transparency, and welfare. To demonstrate the trends and implications of the alternative pet food movement, I selected Open Farm for a case study. Open Farm was the first certified humane and sustainable dog food on the market with a ‘transparent’ supply chain. Through interviews, autoethnography, and semiotic analysis, I demonstrate that certification represents a series of nested relationships in the dog food supply chain, from the dog through to the nonhumans used as ingredients. With the transparency tool, these relationships are commodified to increase the exchange value of the product. The added premium is meant to signal an intimate and improved food system, but I argue that the certification and representation of these specific relationships obscures the industrial scale of alternative pet foods and the consequential impact for humans and nonhumans within food systems. This research contributes to food and animal geographies by applying alternative food literature to the alternative pet food industry, and by researching a novel intersection in pet-farmed animal-human relationships: the pet store.
Dicas práticas de como utilizar alguma PANC em diversas refeições do dia a dia.
r e v i s t a s u s t e n t a r e a Entre pequis e pitangas: o caminho para uma alimentação sustentável | p. 5 Da mesa ao planeta: a contribuição das PANC para os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável | p. 8 PANC na rotina: opções deliciosas para inserir novos ingredientes na alimentação | p. 13 DOSSIÊ PANC: sustentabilidade, saúde e cultura alimentar no prato | p. 17 Herança familiar e prática no quintal de casa: conhecendo as PANC com Neide Rigo | p. 33
In order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from beef production Uruguayan and New Zealand systems have a significant role to play. Despite the differences, both are exposed to the same threats, i.e. more profitable alternative systems competing for the land, with enhanced production through intensification being a common response, and increasing pressure on the environment. This issue has attracted attention around the world concerning climate change and GHG emissions associated with animal production systems. The comparison using a whole-farm model (OVERSEER®), shows clear differences in GHG emissions, with higher emissions (in carbon dioxide equivalents, CO2 eq) per kilogram of beef on Uruguayan farms (18.4-21.0 kg CO2 eq/beef) compared with New Zealand farms (8-10 kg CO2 eq/beef) as a result of lower production efficiency. However, the emissions per hectare were higher on intensive New Zealand farms (3013-6683 kg CO2 eq/ha/year) than on Uruguayan farms (1895-2226 kg CO2 eq/ha/year) due to high stocking rates and increased inputs. Sensitivity analysis revealed a large effect of methodology and the benefit of using tier 2 factors that account for differences in animal productivity and feed quality. Nitrous oxide emissions factors for animal excreta determined in New Zealand are half of the default IPCC factors, while activity factors for indirect nitrous oxide emissions from excreta-ammonia and N leaching are 50% and 23% respectively. Increased feed conversion efficiency in the more intensive systems was associated with lower GHG intensity but farm systems also need to account for other environmental factors that are more important on a regional or catchment basis.
The study of the environmental impact of agricultural products has significantly grown in recent years, as consumers now demand more information about the product’s footprint in the environment. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental impact of the life cycle phases of tsipouro production, which is one of the traditional products of Greece produced mainly from viticulture. The environmental analysis was performed through the study of eutrophication, global warming, photochemical oxidation and acidification, using the life cycle assessment methodology. The system was studied through fifteen subsystems and a 250 ml bottle of tsipouro, which was the basis of the calculations, was defined as a functional unit. From the results it appears that the process of tsipouro production is the subsystem with the highest energy consumption and the grape cultivation the one with the highest water consumption. In environmental impact the subsystem with the highest contribution is the cultivation of grapes. Also the subsystems production/transportation and use of fertilizers, bottle production/transportation and the process of tsipouro production have a significant contribution. In addition, some literature-based solutions are suggested. Some of the solutions are the use of clearer energy sources, the use of biodiesel and alternative cultivation methods without synthetic fertilizers. The results of this research can be used by tsipouro or similar industries to minimize the environmental impact and focus on the phases that are most involved in it.
Pasture systems for grass-fed beef production in the Gulf Coast region were evaluated for profitability and sustainability over the period 2009/2010 to 2011/2012. May-weaned steers were divided into groups and randomly placed into different pasture systems. Data on input usage, output quantities, and carbon emissions were recorded and analyzed. The least complex grazing system yielded higher profit than the most complex, but the most complex produced the lowest greenhouse gas impact. A trade-off was found between profitability and greenhouse gas impact among the systems.
Feeding late maturing young bulls on high concentrate diets needs adjustment of both animal feeding behaviour and rumen adaptation which can be done by feeding maize silage according to researchers at the National Institute of Agronomic Research, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France who state good economic results are achievable alongside animal welfare.
This study aims to produce multicriteria environmental figures (using Life Cycle Assessment, LCA) associated with socioeconomicindicators for different types of pig units representative of the main French production standards. Eight systems are assessed,defined by their size, the degree of specialization and the location of the pig unit, the slurry management and the pig feedingstrategy. The results are expressed per kilogram live pig produced at the farm level, and the field for Life Cycle Analysis includesproduction and supply of inputs, construction of buildings, pig breeding and management of slurry. These reference standardsprovide a picture of the socioeconomic and environmental performance of French pig production systems and of their variabilitybetween and within systems. The environmental results make it possible to identify the most strategic and easily attainableoptions of improvement. The efficiency of different strategies is evaluated in connection with feed formulation, improvement ofanimal performance, and the implementation of recommended good environmental practices. The socioeconomic indicators showthe various levels of access to the action levers.
In a world with an increasing urban population, analyzing the construction impacts of sanitation infrastructures through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is necessary for defining the best environmental management strategies. The purpose of this research is studying application of the life cycle assessment methodology to Hazelnut production under rain fed farming systems in forest north of Iran. Data were collected from 36 farms by used a face to face questionnaire method during 2013 year in Guilan province. In rain fed farming system, total green house gases emissions for hazelnut production were showed table 2 (66.955 kgCO2eqha-1).