International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (September 29, 2022): Small steps make a difference

September 29th is designated as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. It is estimated that approximately 14% of food produced in the world is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17% of total global food production is wasted. Saving just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted around the world could help feed more than 800 million people who are living in hunger as well as fight climate change (International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, 2022) as food loss and waste are responsible for ~ 8 -10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to climate change (UNEP, 2021).

“Food loss and waste greatly undermine the sustainability of our food systems as when food is lost or wasted, all resources used to produce it — including water, land, energy, labor, and capital go to waste. It also negatively impacts food security and food availability and contributes to increasing the cost of food (International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, 2022).”

In 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was established to defeat hunger in the world and they have made strides towards achieving this, including meeting up in December 2019 to collectively establish a day for the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, of which September 29 was chosen. The FAO and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) drive the observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. With an estimated 91.6 million tons of food thrown away every year, China is the country that wastes the most food, followed by India with 68.8 million tons (International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, 2022).

“In the wake of how Covid-19 disrupted food systems, President Xi Jinping launched the “Clean Plate Campaign” to tackle consumer food waste in China. Apart from signifying the importance of food waste as a national issue, it reflected the growing recognition that a significant amount of food waste comes from consumers’ leftovers (Makov et al., 2020) (Wang et al., 2022).” “The UNEP food index estimates around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019, 61% of which came from households, 26% from food service, and 13% from retail. This suggests that 17 percent of total global food production may be wasted (11 percent in households, 5 percent in food service, and 2 percent in retail) (UNEP, 2021). “

To investigate whether macro-level interventions implemented in staff cafeterias can help reduce food waste in the workplace and further facilitate pro-environmental behaviors in the household, researchers in Macau, China collaborated with a business specializing in measuring food waste through smart technologies, and a large hotel-casino chain in the hospitality sector in Macau.

“To measure the effects of environmental framing and anthropomorphism in the workplace, the researchers employed a difference-in-differences (DID) design where, in all the cafeterias, they gave fortnightly feedback on the reduction of food waste, and introduced environmental framing and anthropomorphic cues into the feedback in some of the sites. Anthropomorphism is defined as attributing human-like characteristics to non-human objects (Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007)… Indeed, previous research shows that anthropomorphic cues boost pro-environmental behaviors like waste-sorting (Ahn, Kim, & Aggarwal, 2014) and that anthropomorphism increases consumers’ intentions to buy misshapen [i.e., imperfect] food products (Cooremans & Geuens, 2019; Shao, Jeong, Jang, & Xu, 2020). (Wang et al., 2022).”

The study design is summarized in Fig. 1 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Detailed Study Design

In control site A, researchers planned to provide food waste feedback in rounds 1-5, but only managed to do so in rounds 3-5, as there was a one-month delay in installing the Winnow Sense system (smart bins) in site A due to logistical difficulties. In treatment site B, food waste feedback was given for all 5 rounds, while additional posters about the environmental benefits of reducing food waste were added in rounds 3-5. The same food waste feedback and environmental messages were given to treatment site C with the only difference that images (e.g., food, trees, and the globe) were anthropomorphized (see Figure 2 for exemplar posters) (Wang et al., 2022).

Figure 2: Exemplar Posters – Round 3

During the study, three staff cafeterias in different hotels received smart bins and fortnightly informational feedback on the amount of food they wasted. The researchers varied the type of feedback each site received to investigate if it can be communicated more effectively in some ways: feedback in site A solely illustrated how much food was wasted, whereas they framed feedback with environmental information without and with anthropomorphic cues (e.g., where the food icons had faces) in sites B and C respectively.

In addition to actual food waste data, the researchers collected an online survey of staff after the interventions were trialed. This combination of metrics enabled researchers to examine if actual food waste data corresponded with self-reported levels of effort to save food at work, and if there were any unintended impacts on efforts to reduce waste at home. The survey, importantly, also allowed them to identify micro-level psychological determinants (e.g., environmental identity, motivations, and beliefs) for saving food at work and home to analyze how they might interact with the macro-level contextual spillover effects (Wang et al., 2022).

The authors found that there were significantly greater reductions in food waste in the treatment sites than in the control site. More specifically, they reported that “a combination of multiple interventions achieved the best results in food waste reduction, such that the treatment site C which received the environmental feedback with anthropomorphism saw the most salient reduction in food waste during and after the campaign. Theoretically, this work takes forward past research on anthropomorphism and food consumption (Cooremans & Geuens, 2019; Shao, et al., 2020), and shows that anthropomorphism can reinforce the effects of environmental feedback in eliciting waste-reducing behaviors (Wang et al., 2022).”

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that, “food waste feedback provided together with environmental footprint information and anthropomorphic cues jointly contribute to reducing food waste at work and can have positive spillover effects on food saving behaviors as well as other waste-reduction actions at home.” The authors also concluded that these results help advance the emerging field of multi-level interventions in managing consumer food waste behaviors (Wang et al., 2022).

Below are some simple action steps from Today’s Dietitian to reduce food waste at the household level (share these tips with your family members and friends):

Ask for smaller food portions. Serve smaller portions of food at home or share large dishes with friends and family at restaurants.
• Love your leftovers. Instead of throwing leftovers away, use them as ingredients for the next day’s meal. In addition, store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of preparing a meal.
• Create a shopping list and stick to it. Plan ahead for food purchases to prevent from buying too much food during a shopping trip.
• Become a meal planner. Track and plan what you will eat each week before heading to the store. That way, you’ll know exactly what ingredients to buy to create meals and avoid buying food you don’t need.
• Buy ‘ugly’ (imperfect) fruits and vegetables. Some food retailers and farmers’ markets sell irregularly shaped fruits and vegetables and those with small bruises or discoloration. If this produce goes unpurchased, some of it will be discarded as waste. Also, Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods offer sustainable food delivery services using misfit or imperfect produce. Learn more at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/misfits-market-vs-imperfect-foods
• Check your refrigerator. Set your refrigerator temperatures between 34˚ and 41˚ F (1˚ to 5˚ C) for maximum freshness and shelf life.
• Don’t overfill the refrigerator with food. The refrigerator will use less energy, and you will be less likely to waste food they don’t eat.
• Practice the “first in, first out” rule. Rotate the older food items in their fridge and cupboards from the back to the front, so the most recently purchased items go to the back.
• Understand dates on food packages. Know the difference between “use by,” the date by which a food should be eaten, and “best before,” the date indicating that the food’s quality is best before that date.
• Turn waste into compost. Compost is organic material you can add to the soil in your outdoor and indoor gardens to help plants grow. It helps soil retain moisture, decreases the need for chemical fertilizers, lowers methane gas emissions from landfills, and provides other benefits. You can begin by setting up a bin for food waste that can include fruit and vegetable peelings, but they’ll need additional components to complete the process. Visit www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home for more information.
• Donate surpluses. Give surplus food to those in need. Contact food banks/food pantries and faith-based organizations in your communities and donate food (McCullum-Gomez, 2020).

References:

International Day of Food Loss and Waste, September 29, 2022. National Today. Available at:

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021. March 2, 2021. Available at:  https://www.unep.org/resources/report/unep-food-waste-index-report-2021


Wang F, Shreedhar G, Galizzi MM, et al. A take-home message: workplace food waste interventions influence household pro-environmental behaviors. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 2022;15, 200106,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcradv.2022.200106. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667378922000438

McCullum-Gomez C. Food waste, climate change, and hunger. Today’s Dietitian. June/July 2020. Available at:  https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/JJ20p36.shtml

Lorencz, K. Misfits Market vs. Imperfect Foods: Which Sustainable Produce Delivery Service Is Best? Healthline. May 17, 2022. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/misfits-market-vs-imperfect-foods

Do carbon footprint labels promote climatarian diets? Evidence from a large-scale field experiment

In a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Economics & Management, researchers from the United Kingdom (UK) assessed the causal effect of carbon footprint labelling on individual meal choices in a university cafeteria setting using a large-scale field experiment. The study allowed the scientists explicitly explore whether carbon footprint labels can induce more climatarian food choices and simultaneously quantify potential emissions reductions that can be attained from such changes in food consumption patterns.

The experiment was conducted in partnership with five college cafeterias catering to students and staff at the University of Cambridge between October 2019 and March 2020. Carbon footprint labels were introduced at three of the five cafeterias on all cafeteria main meals served during an intervention period, while two cafeterias served as our control. The researchers collected baseline (pre-treatment) meal choice data as well as a post-intervention follow-up exit survey data. The final dataset consisted of over 80,000 individual dining decisions made by 2228 individuals.

Results from this large-scale field experiment indicate that carbon footprint labels led to a decrease in the probability of selecting a high-carbon footprint meal by approximately 2.7 percentage points with consumers substituting to mid-carbon impact meals. The researchers found no change in the market share of low-carbon meals, on average. The reduction in high-carbon footprint meals was driven by decreases in sales of meat meals while sales of mid-ranged vegan, vegetarian and fish meals all increased. The authors estimated that the introduction of carbon footprint labels was associated with a 4.3% reduction in average carbon emissions per meal.

Carbon Label: University Cafeteria

Based on these results, Lohmann et al. 2022 conclude that labels are an effective tool to leverage pro-environmental preferences in a cafeteria setting and promise considerable greenhouse (GHG) emission reductions at the individual level. And while this study is limited to the cafeteria setting, the authors assert that carbon labels will have a much larger role to play in a broader set of food consumer choices, in particular supermarket purchase decisions (because the volume is much larger than cafeteria choices). These authors point out that additional experiments in these food choice settings with non-student samples will be important to solidify our understanding of how carbon footprint labels affect consumer choices.

Moreover, the authors noted that, “labels allow for product differentiation on sustainability grounds and hence provide clear signals to consumers who hold environmental preferences. Product differentiation aids consumer choices and in turn may bring about significant changes on the producer side if market dynamics continue their current trend in favor of low-carbon alternatives and increasing climatarian dietary preferences. “

“For instance, labels may incentivize suppliers to substitute high-carbon alternatives in favor of lower-carbon alternatives, which could result in substantial decreases in food production emissions. If future carbon footprint labels are based on full life-cycle assessments capturing emissions from ‘farm to fork’, this could further encourage innovations along the entire supply chain.” The researchers observed that the “results are particularly relevant under the current policy climate in the UK, the EU and elsewhere where pilot voluntary carbon food labelling schemes are emerging (e.g. the UK’s Carbon Trust label) and advanced discussions are underway for introducing carbon food labels as part of many countries’  decarbonisation agendas.

This momentum is partly a reaction to an increasing consumer shift towards climatarian diets (i.e. diets aimed at reducing the carbon footprint). Yet, the reality remains that rolling out carbon food labels across the entire food industry is an immensely challenging and complex endeavour, while at the same time, causal hard evidence-based studies on the impact of these labels on actual behavior are lacking (Rondoni and Grasso, 2021).”

The paper by Lohmann et al. (2022) provides one of the first large-scale field experiments that specifically assessed impacts of carbon labeling on behavioral change within a university cafeteria setting in a causal manner. The authors found that carbon footprint labels on food could induce carbon reducing behavioral changes. However, as stated by these authors, “The challenges that remain are how to scale up the use of such labels in a manner that is unambiguous to consumers and also cost-effective.” Furthermore, Faccioli et al. (2022) noted that while information on the carbon characteristics of a food is relevant for consumers in making food choices, use of a combined carbon and health tax policy may be necessary to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069622000596#b15

Lohmann PM, Gsottbauer E, Doherty A, et al. Do carbon footprint labels promote climatarian diets? Evidence from a large-scale field experiment. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. 114,102693 (2022). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069622000596?via%3Dihub

Faccioli, M., Law, C., Caine, C.A. et al. Combined carbon and health taxes outperform single-purpose information or fiscal measures in designing sustainable food policies. Nat Food 3, 331–340 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00482-2

Eat more fish: new research identifies several marine species that are more nutritious and better for the planet than beef, pork, or chicken

Replacing meat with certain types of sustainably sourced seafood could help people to reduce their carbon footprints without compromising on nutrition, finds an analysis of dozens of marine species that are consumed worldwide. The study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment  (Bianchi et al., 2022), “suggests that farmed bivalves — shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters — and wild-caught, small, surface-dwelling (pelagic) fish, which include anchovies, mackerel and herring, generate fewer greenhouse-gas emissions and are more nutrient dense than beef, pork or chicken.”

The research aimed to “do a better job of understanding the climate impacts of seafood through the lens of very diverse nutritional qualities”, says co-author Peter Tyedmers, an ecological economist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.

“The findings echo those of previous studies, including work by members of Tyedmers’ group that focused on seafood consumed in Sweden (Hallström et al., 2019). This time, the researchers wanted to include a more diverse, global range of seafood, says Tyedmers.”

‘Blue’ diet benefits

“Food production accounts for roughly one-third of global greenhouse-gas emissions, mostly of methane and carbon dioxide (Crippa et al., 2021). More than half of those emissions are driven by livestock farming (Xu et al., 2021). Plant-based diets offer one lower-impact alternative to eating meat, but solutions tend to overlook the benefits of seafood-based, or ‘blue’, diets, the study (Bianchi et al., 2022), says.

Using 41 seafood species, the researchers established a nutrient-density score that accounted for essential nutrients, such as certain fats and vitamins. The species surveyed included farmed and wild-caught fish, crustaceans, bivalves and cephalopods (the group that includes octopus and squid). The team then used available emissions data for 34 of those species to compare their nutrient density with the emissions associated with their production or capture.

Half of the seafood species offered more nutritional bang for their buck in terms of emissions (See Figure 1 below). Wild-caught pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), along with wild-caught, small pelagic fish and farmed bivalves, were the best choices for nutrient-dense, low-emissions protein sources. Whitefish such as cod (Gadus sp.) also had a low climate impact, but were among the least nutrient-dense food. Wild-caught crustaceans had the highest emissions, with a carbon footprint rivalled only by that of beef. The authors note that their emissions data do not include ‘post-production’ emissions, such as those generated by refrigeration or transport.”

Figure 1: Seafood by relative greenhouse gas emissions (%) & relative nutritional score (%)

“The analysis adds more perspective to the role of seafood in food systems, says Zach Koehn, a marine scientist at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions in California. He adds that one hurdle in applying this research will be the need to make seafood more widely available in an affordable way, because those who could benefit the most from nutrient-dense foods might not have access to it.”

Tyedmers agrees that access to diverse diets is a privilege. “Every opportunity there is to substitute seafood for beef is a small climate win,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be every meal.”

Source: Coleman J. Eat more fish: when switching to seafood helps – and when it doesn’t. Nature News, September 13, 2022. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-02928-w

Citations:

1. Bianchi, M., Hallström, E., Parker, R.W.R. et al. Assessing seafood nutritional diversity together with climate impacts informs more comprehensive dietary advice. Commun Earth Environ 3, 188 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00516-4

2. Hallström E, Bergman K, Mifflin K, et al. Combined climate and nutritional performance of seafoods. Journal of Cleaner Production, 230, 402-411 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.229.

3. Crippa, M, Solazzo, E, Guizzardi, D. et al. Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Nat Food 2, 198–209 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00225-9

4. Xu X, Sharma P, Shu S. et al. Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. Nat Food 2, 724–732 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x

Ultra-processed foods should be central to global food systems dialogue and action on biodiversity

A recent commentary article published BMJ Global Health (2022) points out that, “The global industrial food system and consequent rapid rise of ultra-processed foods is severely impairing biodiversity. Yet although the impacts of existing land use and food production practices on biodiversity have received much attention, the role of ultra-processed foods has been largely ignored. An increasingly prominent ‘globalized diet’, characterized by an abundance of branded ultra-processed food products made and distributed on an industrial scale, comes at the expense of the cultivation, manufacture and consumption of traditional foods, cuisines, and diets, comprising mostly fresh and minimally processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are typically manufactured using ingredients extracted from a handful of high-yielding plant species, including maize, wheat, soy and oil seed crops. Animal-sourced ingredients used in many ultra-processed foods are often derived from confined animals fed on the same crops. The contribution of ultra-processed foods to agrobiodiversity loss is significant, but so far has been overlooked in global food systems summits, biodiversity conventions and climate change conferences. Ultra-processed foods need to be given urgent and high priority in the agendas of such meetings, and policies and action agreed.”

Read the full commentary at:

Click to access bmjgh-2021-008269.pdf

Increased consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to higher greenhouse gas emissions as well as negative impacts on the nation’s water footprint and ecological footprint, such as deforestation, by a study that charted 30 years of dietary change in Brazil (da Silva et al, 2021; Askew, 2021). The authors of this study concluded that, “The environmental effects of the Brazilian diet have increased over the past three decades along with increased effects from ultra-processed foods. This means that dietary patterns in Brazil are becoming potentially more harmful to human and planetary health. Therefore, a shift in the current trend would be needed to enhance sustainable healthy food systems.” (da Silva et al., 2021).

Discussions related to the food system and biodiversity are important and timely as the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) will meet in Montreal, Canada from December 7-19, 2022. To learn more about the upcoming COP15 go to:

https://www.unep.org/events/conference/un-biodiversity-conference-cop-15

Source: BBC UK

The food system and biodiversity: what can consumers do to make a difference?

In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers simulated the potential effects of dietary shifts and food waste reduction on the biodiversity impacts of food consumption in the United States. The authors found that, “Adopting the [EAT-Lancet] Planetary Health diet or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)–recommended vegetarian diet nationwide would reduce the biodiversity footprint of food consumption. However, increases in the consumption of foods grown in global biodiversity hotspots both inside and outside the United States, especially fruits and vegetables, would partially offset the reduction…. Simply halving food waste would benefit global biodiversity more than half as much as all Americans simultaneously shifting to a sustainable diet.”

“Combining food waste reduction with the adoption of a sustainable diet [EAT-Lancet planetary health diet or USDA-recommended vegetarian diet] could reduce the biodiversity footprint of US food consumption by roughly half. Species facing extinction because of unsustainable food consumption practices could be rescued by reducing agriculture’s footprint; diet shifts and food waste reduction can help us get there (Read et al., 2022).”

To read the study in its entirety, go to: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2113884119

For more information on the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, see: https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/

and

Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31788-4/fulltext

References:

Askew K. Study charts impact of ultra-processed foods: Diet-related disease and climate change ‘share an underlying driver.’ Food Navigator. November 11, 2021. Available at: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/11/11/Study-charts-impact-of-ultra-processed-foods-Diet-related-disease-and-climate-change-share-an-underlying-driver

da Silva, JT, Garzillo JFG, Rauber F, et al. Greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint, and ecological footprint of food purchases according to their degree of processing in Brazilian metropolitan areas: a time-series study from 1987 to 2018. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5: e775–85.

Leite FHM, Khandpur N, Andrade GC, et al. Ultraprocessed foods should be central to global food systems dialogue and action on biodiversity. BMJ Global Health 2022;7:e008269. doi:10.1136/ bmjgh-2021-008269

Read QD, Hondula KL, Muth MK, et al. Biodiversity effects of food system sustainability actions from farm to fork. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2022;119(5):e2113884119.

Healthier foods are better for the planet: new study

An analysis of 57,000 foods published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) “reveals which [foods] have the best and worst environmental impacts. A team of researchers used an algorithm to estimate how much of each ingredient was in thousands of products sold in major UK supermarket chains. The scientists then gave food items an environmental-impact score out of 100 — with 100 being the worst — by combining the impacts of the ingredients in 100 grams of each product. They considered several factors, including greenhouse-gas emissions and land use.

Healthier foods tended to have low environmental impacts, the team found. Products containing lamb and beef — such as ready-made meat pies — had the most serious environmental impact. The lowest-impact foods tended to be made with plants and included bread products, fruits, vegetables, grains and sugar-rich drinks.” See ‘Food For Thought’ (Figure 1) below. “There were some notable exceptions: both nuts and seafood had a good nutrition score but relatively high environmental impacts.”

Figure 1. Food for Thought


Keep in mind that previously published analyses have shown there are varying environmental impacts of nuts and seafood, depending on the type of nut and seafood. In an article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2022), Rose and colleagues found that substituting peanuts for almonds in self-selected diets in the U.S. reduced the water scarcity footprint by 30 percent. In the same study, replacing a serving of shrimp with cod reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent. However, while whitefish – such as cod – have a low climate impact, they are among the least nutrient-dense seafood. In contrast, wild-caught pink salmon and sockeye salmon, along with wild-caught, small pelagic fish (e.g., anchovies, mackerel, herring) and farmed bivalves (e.g., mussels, clams, oysters), are the best choices for nutrient-dense, low-emissions protein sources (Bianchi et al., 2022). Furthermore, a study by Dr. Jessica Gephart and colleagues published in Nature (2021) reported substantial differences in the amount (pounds) of CO2 equivalents by type of seafood (per serving) (See Figure 2 below). To learn more, see: https://www.cspinet.org/article/which-seafood-causes-least-damage-planet-its-complicated

Figure 2. Fishing for greener seafood

Aim for seafood with low greenhouse gas emissions. Farmed fish have other costs such as nitrogen and phosphorus runoff, but they’re typically lower than that of chicken.

Photo: Source: Nature 597: 360, 2021.

References:

Clark M, Springmann M, Rayner M, et al. Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 119, e2120584119 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2120584119

Kreir F. Healthier foods are better for the planet, mammoth study finds. Nature. August 10, 2022. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02160-6#:~:text=Comparing%20the%20environmental%2Dimpact%20score,but%20relatively%20high%20environmental%20impacts.

Bianchi, M., Hallström, E., Parker, R.W.R. et al. Assessing seafood nutritional diversity together with climate impacts informs more comprehensive dietary advice. Commun Earth Environ 3, 188 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00516-4

Gephart JA., Henriksson PJG, Parker RWR. et al. Environmental performance of blue foods. Nature 597,360–365 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03889-2.

Liebman B. Which seafood causes the least damage to the planet? It’s complicated. Center For Science in The Public Interest. March 28, 2022. Available at: https://www.cspinet.org/article/which-seafood-causes-least-damage-planet-its-complicated

Rose D, Willits-Smith AM, Heller MC. Single-item substitutions can substantially reduce the carbon and water scarcity footprints of US diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 115(2), 378-387 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab338

Scientists offer blueprint for sustainable redesign of food systems

A new perspective article published in the journal Nature Sustainability describes food systems designed not by the logic of growth such as efficiency and extraction, but by principles of sufficiency, regeneration, distribution, commons, and care. It argues that food systems can instead be the foundation of healthy communities, ecologies, and economies. “For this agenda-setting article, we’ve reviewed the vast experience of diverse farmers, food cooperatives, home gardeners, alternative retailers, and other endeavors to re-claim what sustainability for food systems means in high and low-income nations,” the authors state.

The authors call for policymakers, researchers and community groups worldwide to rethink their approach to developing new solutions beyond the current “growth paradigm.” They compare the current growth paradigm, which they argue is exploitative of humans and animals, ecologically harmful, dependent on fossil fuels, and controlled by a small number of multi-national corporations, with an alternative paradigm that is based on a post-growth agrifood system.

“We have seen what food systems designed to achieve relentless economic growth and profit maximization do to the environment, farming communities, and our health, and it’s not good,” says Dr. Steven McGreevy, an assistant professor of institutional urban sustainability studies at the University of Twente.

Post-growth food system

“Fortunately, there are countless examples from around the world of post-growth agrifood system elements in action. We need to support these models where they exist, and rediscover, transfer, or further develop them where appropriate,” says McGreevy.

The authors identify post-growth agrifood system endeavors already in action around the world including:

  • Food production: How the adoption of agroecological farming and gardening into the current food systems can enhance biodiversity, maintain fertile soils, and improve system resilience to social and ecological shocks. For more information on the benefits of agroecology, view the new book by Dr. Stephen Gliessman and colleagues titled, Agroecology: Leading The Transformation To a Just and Sustainable Food System, 4th ed. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, 2022) (see book cover below).
  • Food business and trade: Community-based business models such as cooperatives and benefit corporations can anchor sustainability in businesses and prioritize the health and well-being of the environment and the public.
  • Food culture: Closer relationships with food and the processes which it goes through to reach people can create a culture of appreciation in which we value food as a “commons” and the people working in the agrifood system.
  • Food system governance: Food is connected to multiple siloes/sectors of governance—agriculture, public health, land-use planning, education, tourism, etc.—that are often working independently, rather than working together in an integrative way. “Food policy councils (FPCs) are one example of new governance structures that are inclusive and representative of diverse public and private stakeholders and cut across multiple sectors of policy expertise related to food.”

New research agenda

According to the authors of this study, “the conventional wisdom of mainstream sustainability science–including its underlying logic of economic growth—is fixated on narrow solution space: increasing production efficiency, high-tech innovation and individual behavior change.”

To break free of these intellectual constraints, thee authors argue that “the redesign of the global agrifood system should be supported by a coordinated education and a new research agenda that challenges conventional wisdom and focuses on understanding and developing diverse solutions outside of the growth paradigm.”

Similarly, an article by McCullum and colleagues (2005) published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association provides dietetics professionals with a three-stage continuum of evidence-based strategies and activities that applies a food systems approach to building food security within communities.

“Stage 1 creates small but significant changes to existing food systems through such strategies as identifying food quality and pricing inequities in low-income neighborhoods and educating consumers regarding both the need and the possibilities for alternative food systems. Stage 2 stabilizes and augments change for food systems in transition by developing social infrastructure through multisector partnerships and networks and fostering participatory decision-making and initial policy development [e.g., serving on food policy councils]. Based on these changes, stage 3 involves advocacy and integrated policy instruments to redesign food systems for sustainability. Data collection, monitoring, and evaluation are key components of all stages of the community food security continuum.”

Source: University of Twente. Scientists offer blueprint for sustainable redesign of food systems. Phys.org. August 9th, 2022. Available at: https://phys.org/news/2022-08-scientists-blueprint-sustainable-redesign-food.html

McGreevy, S.R., Rupprecht, C.D.D., Niles, D. et al. Sustainable agrifood systems for a post-growth world. Nat Sustain (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00933-5

McCullum C, Desjardins E, Kraak V, et al. Evidence-based strategies to build community food security. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(2):278-83. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2004.12.015 https://www.jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(04)01973-X/fulltext



The effectiveness and consequences of carbon taxes on U.S. food purchases: new research

New research published in the journal Food Policy examined the effectiveness and consequences of using carbon taxes on food purchases to contribute to the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) reduction target for 2025. The researchers found that “carbon taxes on food purchases decrease GHGEs from the agricultural and food sectors by 1.9 to 4.8 percent and generate up to $839 billion 2012 dollars social welfare gain per year due to avoided GHGEs-related external costs.” However, the authors also reported that “tradeoffs exist among climate, nutritional and distributional goals. Food instance, the most effective policy in reducing GHGs is regressive. Moreover, the quantity of health-promoting nutrients falls significantly in almost all scenarios.”

Based on these results, the authors concluded that, “the use of carbon taxes alone may not be the most effective way to reduce GHGEs from U.S. food purchases.” “[A]dditional policies, such as subsidies on less carbon intensive foods, may be needed to encourage consumers of all income level[s] to adopt more sustainable diets without increasing health and social inequalities.”

Citation: Tiboldo G, Boehm R, Shah F, et al. Taking the heat out of the U.S. food system. Food Policy (2022). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306919222000471

Bacon burger with beef patty on red wooden table

The Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index 2022

How sustainable is the city where you live? The 5th edition of the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index “provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of urban sustainability and how it is the key to unlocking prosperity in cities and improving quality of life.” More specifically, the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index provides an overall ranking of 100 global cities based on 51 metrics across 26 indicators themes, arrayed under the 3 different pillars of sustainability: planet (environmental), people (social), and profit (economic).

Overall, the following cities ranked the highest: 1) Oslo, 2) Stockholm, 3) Tokyo, 4) Copenhagen, and 5) Berlin. On the planet pillar, the highest ranked cities are: 1) Oslo, 2) Paris, 3) Stockholm, 4) Copenhagen, and 5) Berlin. On the people pillar, the highest ranked cities are: 1) Glasgow, 2) Zurich, 3) Copenhagen, 4) Seoul, and 5) Singapore. And on the profit pillar, the highest ranked cities are: 1) Seattle, 2) Atlanta, 3) Boston, 4) San Francisco, and 5) Pittsburgh. See the link below to access the full report and learn more about the factors that contribute to a sustainable city.

The Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index 2022

Click to access %7Be08e5cda-768d-46a3-91ce-4efe16cbfc05%7D_The_Arcadis_Sustainable_Cities_Index_2022_Report.pdf

Why beans? For people and the planet

“The possibilities for positive change in our food systems are endless! With focused and coordinated action we have the potential to create a more sustainable, resilient planet that provides good food for all.” See: Good Food for All – https://www.goodfood4all.org/

“Unfortunately, as cost, conflict, COVID, and climate continue to negatively impact the rates of hunger and malnutrition, alongside obesity rates and other diet-related illnesses, the disruption to the global food supply chains has been widespread.

To build a safer, healthier food future, agricultural scientists, nutritionists [registered dietitian nutritionists or RDNs], and key leaders are in agreement that beans are an optimal food choice for both people and the planet, and can assist in driving transformative change. Eating beans is an affordable, accessible solution to the world’s growing health and climate challenges.”


Beans are an excellent source of fiber, iron, folate, calcium, protein, and more… When paired with carbohydrates they can provide all the essential amino acids. Whether canned, fresh, or dried, beans can help us meet our daily nutritional needs and move way from high fat, sugar, and salt consumption that is common in many diets. With regards to their environmental impact, beans are known to produce nitrogen on their own which reduces the need for fertilizers and means they can be grown in nutrient-poor soils…

Farmers will need to consider infrastructure such as storage and drying, which is often a key hurdle, as well as financing for new kinds of machinery. They will grow what has a market but there are still many barriers to entry that may slow or prohibit them from growing beans at scale. A better understanding of current production patterns and supply chains is necessary before promoting changes. For example, ensuring that local and Indigenous varieties are freely available for farmers is crucial to ensuring biodiversity and soil health maintenance.

To protect farmers, stakeholders have come together to support a new consensus that highlights the policy priorities of small-scale food producers. This consensus was created with farmers and details 8 calls to action items that will promote better livelihoods and environmental resilience.” You can read the consensus statement titled, “New Consensus with Small-Scale Food Producers: Prioritizing smallholders’ nutrition and livelihoods,” here:

https://sdg2advocacyhub.org/actions/new-consensus-small-scale-food-producers-how-we

“Around the world, beans play an important cultural and nutritional role in many people’s lives. Now is the time to rally around these incredible ingredients which possess the power to address multiple challenges and propel us into a healthier future.” To learn how to grow, store, and cook a variety of beans, see the book by Susan Young titled, “Growing Beans: A Diet for Healthy People and The Planet” (2022) (see book cover below). For more information on this book, go to: https://shop.permaculture.co.uk/growing-beans.html

Finally, see the URL below for an easy recipe for Spicy Black Bean Soup from Eating Well:

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/256520/spicy-black-bean-soup/

Source: The Chefs’ Manifesto. Beans is how. July 20, 2022. Available at: https://sdg2advocacyhub.org/news/beans-how

Glyphosate may be harming bumblebee hives: new research

“As bees continue to decline, scientists have found many contributors, including climate change and landscape transformation. Now they’ve added another one: glyphosate” – a broad-spectrum herbicide that is used primarily for weed control in agriculture.

A recent study published in the journal Science found that “exposure to glyphosate can impair a bumblebee’s ability to maintain hive temperature, which is critical for bees’ ability to forage and reproduce to increase colony size.”

“Anja Weidenmüller, who led the study, has been researching bumblebee thermoregulation behavior for more than a decade. For this study, Weidenmüller prioritized the long-term effects that glyphosate has on bumblebee behavior rather than looking at the immediate 24-48 hour time frame, normally used to determine if glyphosate is immediately lethal for bumblebees.

Contrary to many lab studies, the bumblebees were studied in environments of resource limitation and environmental stressors as most organisms would experience in the natural world. In fact, as bumblebees have declined, scientists have found there are multiple factors that play into this decline including climate change, landscape transformation, and harmful chemicals used on agriculture, such as pesticides. As a result, bumble bees have experienced a severe decline in recent decades: a 2021 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report found that over the past 20 years populations have disappeared or become rare in 16 states, and observations of the bees have declined by about 90%….”

“To imitate this complex environment, the researchers placed a brood of bees in the lab and exposed the bees to stressors such as glyphosate, and limited their sugar water to reproduce the resource limitations that they would be exposed to in agricultural landscapes.

This study found that when exposed to glyphosate for just four hours, a bumblebee’s ability to maintain brood temperature decreased by 25% when resources were limited, which could affect the health of bees and impair their ability to reproduce, leading to a decline in population.”

“[The study] highlights the importance of these multiple stressors for bees, and for their health; those risk periods of resource limitation are often not accounted for in laboratory settings,” said Emily May, Pollinator Conservation Specialist and Agricultural Lead at Xerces Society.

Extensive research has found that the conservation of bumblebees, and bees in general, is crucial for the survival of crops and wild ecosystems. Bees are effective pollinators and have been found to pollinate 80% of the world’s flowering plants, including food crops.

“We really need them to be able to have these thriving systems, both for our food production and for wild ecosystems as well,” stated May.

Food systems are largely pollinator dependent and the conservation of biodiversity can be more beneficial long term for human health and agriculture production than chemicals used in modern agriculture for food yield and pest control, researchers have found.

“Agrichemicals might not actually be all that important for increasing yields,” said James Crall, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, [who] researches bees and plant-pollinator interactions. Crop pollination has been found to improve produce yield more than increased fertilization.

Although glyphosate is currently approved for use in the U.S., at least 43 countries have banned or restricted the use of products containing glyphosate. Although there is research focused on the effects of glyphosate on humans and other organisms, such as the U.S. Department of Health’s Agency for Toxic Substances acknowledgement of links between glyphosate and cancer, there are still potential long-term effects of which we may not yet be aware.”

For information on how to support pollinators, including bumblebees, see: Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: https://www.xerces.org/

For additional information on promoting pollinator health, the Pollinator Partnership has numerous useful resources available at: http://www.pollinator.org. For foodies, there is a pollinator-friendly cookbook that can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.pollinator.org/pollinated-food

Source: Yessennia Cruz M. Glyphosate may be harming bumblebee hives. Environmental Health News. July 11, 2022. Available at: https://www.ehn.org/bee-population-decline-2657613362/brood-of-bees

Citation: Weidenmüller A, Neupert S, Schwarz A, Kleineidam C. Glyphosate impairs collective thermoregulation in bumblebees. Science 2022;376:1122-1126.

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