Food sustainability

The new focus on sustainability. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and for our planet


5 tips for sustainable eating
Seeing Past the Supermarket

Sustainability is a topic of increasing importance asparagus_grocerystoreas consumers become more interested in learning what lies beyond the supermarket. Where does food come from? How was it grown? Where was it produced? Sustainability is a multi-faceted issue, in which the food production system and sustainable diets play a crucial role.

What is sustainability?

Jeffrey D. Sachs, an expert on sustainable development and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, wrote: “Like all living species, humanity depends on nature for food and water, materials for survival, and safety from dire environmental threats, such as epidemics and natural catastrophes. Yet for a species that depends on the beneficence of nature, or on what the scientists call ‘environmental services,’ we are doing a poor job of protecting the physical basis of our very survival!” (1)

As we refer to it here, sustainability means the enactment of practices that fulfill the needs of society while protecting the physical basis of our long term survival, our environment. We cannot have a secure food supply unless that food supply is sustainable.

Why is a sustainable food supply important?

The world’s population is rapidly expanding, and it is estimated there will be over 9 billion people on our planet in as little as 25 years. (1) It is essential that food sustainability be an international priority to ensure that the rapidly expanding population will have both enough food to eat, and access to high quality, nutritious foods.

Food systems throughout the world are currently not sustainable, even though at present almost a billion persons are not getting enough food and most of the 7 billion inhabitants of the world eat diets poor in quality.

Many people don’t realize that food production places enormous demand upon our natural resources, with agriculture alone responsible for up to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – with almost half caused by livestock production alone.

The present rate of greenhouse gas accumulation is driving climate change at a rate that is unprecedented in human history and that will have disastrous effects on food production unless we change alter our present course.

At present, agriculture also accounts for the majority of deforestation, total freshwater withdrawals, and loss of species in marine systems. (2)

Working toward a sustainable food supply is crucial, but it won’t be achieved without a shift in the way our food is produced. Systems of food production affect everything from the nutrient value of crops and food products, to the health of livestock, the environment, and even the economy.

A 2013 report from the Union of Concerned Scientists highlights the importance of changing the current farming practices in the U.S.(3):

A more diversified farm landscape produces a healthier mix of crops and livestock for local and regional markets. The positive effects are numerous, including benefits for the environment, better nutrition and health for consumers, and improved local economies in farm areas.

Shifting the American diet to include less processed food and meat, and more fruits and vegetables, would create a more diversified farm landscape – away from the current system that is primarily corn- and soybean-dominated.

Vegetables, fruits, and nuts currently account for only 2 percent of U.S. crop acreage. By contrast, nearly 60 percent is devoted to cereal grains and seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils.

The greatest uses of corn and soybeans include fuel (ethanol and biodiesel), livestock feed, and ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, which are used in highly processed food products with low nutrient value. Only 10% of grains grown in the U.S. are for direct consumption by humans.

FAOcharts

Domestic utilization of grain from FAO 2009: Includes wheat, rice, barley, maize, rye, oats, millet, sorghum, and other cereals. Data on maize used for ethanol was only available for U.S. The United States uses 15% of the total grain used in the world. Graphic adapted from Jahn JL, Stamper MJ, Willet WC (in press). Food, Health and the Environment: A Global Grand Challenge and its Solutions. Daedalus. (4)

Food sustainability is an urgent matter that depends on collaborative efforts from governments, the private and public sectors, as well as individuals. Supply and demand works both ways—a shift in the food production landscape depends on a shift in our diets. We must be aware that our food choices ultimately impact more than just ourselves, and primarily plant-based diets are best for both health outcomes and the environment. In the end, what’s good for the planet is good for us too.

What can I do to promote sustainability?

Consumers have more power than they realize. While people often feel that taking care of the environment is too great an issue for one person to make a difference, the sum of each individual’s actions can have a powerful impact. The following are some ways you can promote sustainability:

1. Examine your personal food choices.

As explained in the Union of Concerned Scientists report:

• If Americans ate fruits and vegetables at recommended levels, U.S. farmers would grow a lot more of these foods.

• Changes in demand for meat and dairy products—either up or down—would have significant implications for how much grain U.S. farmers grow. This is because farm livestock consume grains in such large quantities.

2. Eat less red meat (5), and you can help the environment.

As outlined in a 2013 FAO report (6):

• Beef (41%) and cattle milk production (19%) account for the majority of livestock emissions, with pig meat (9%) and poultry meat and eggs (8%) contributing as well.

3. Practice mindful eating.

By taking the time to truly savor your meal – being aware of your actual hunger and eating until you’ve had just enough – you can minimize food waste.

• Learning to eat in accordance with your hunger, and avoiding overeating, has benefits for both your waistline and for the environment.

4. Choose a food guide that enhances both personal and planetary health.

As outlined in a Union of Concerned Scientists report, Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate recommends less dairy consumption and less red meat relative to the USDA’s MyPlate. While both guides emphasize eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables, The Healthy Eating Plate helps you choose more sustainable food options. (3)

• Learn about and support efforts to produce foods in ways that reduce green house gas emissions and that are more environmentally friendly in other ways as well. This will usually mean foods that are also fresher, flavorful, and healthier.
Sustainability News



References

1. Sacks JD. The Age of Sustainable Development. New York: Columbia University Press; 2015.
2. Rockström J, Willett W, Stordalen GA. An American Plate That Is Palatable for Human and Planetary Health. Huffington Post. March 26, 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johan-rockstrom/post_9225_b_6949716.html.
3. Union of Concerned Scientists. The Healthy Farmland Diet: How Growing Less Corn Would Improve Our Health and Help America’s Heartland. October 2013. http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/solutions/expand-healthy-food-access/the-healthy-farmland-diet.html.
4. Jahn JL, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (in press). Food, Health and the Environment: A Global Grand Challenge and its Solutions. Daedalus.
5. Menus of Change. Rethinking Meat. March 31, 2014. http://www.menusofchange.org/news-insights/news/rethinking-meat.
6. Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations. Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock. October 21, 2014. http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/resources/en/publications/tackling_climate_change/index.htm.