Climate Change and What and How We Eat

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1 Climate Change and What and How We Eat Mia MacDonald January 29, 2011 Healthy Food for a Healthy Life: Cool Food in School and at Home Conference

2 Climate Change and Food Estimated ONE-THIRD of all human-caused greenhouse gases (GHGs) result from agriculture and changes in land-use related to the production of crops and farmed animals

total More GHGs than world s transportation systems combined

3 Meat of the Matter UN FAO: Livestock sector (meat, dairy, eggs) emit 18% of human-caused GHGs: nearly ONE- FIFTH global total More GHGs than world s transportation systems combined (14%) Almost equal to GHGs from forest loss and degradation (20%)

4 More Matter GHGS produced at each stage of production and transport; also deforestation for pasture, grain World Watch research (World Bank specialists): Livestock sector responsible for far more GHGs: 51% of global total

5 Climate Foodprints - 1 Study at Carnegie-Mellon: All local omnivore s diet EVERY DAY, EVERY MEAL, GHGs saved = equivalent of 1,000 miles of driving Vegetarian, no dairy ONE DAY A WEEK, GHGs saved = more: equal to 1,163 miles of driving/year

6 Climate Foodprints : 2 Study at University of Chicago: Vegan diet = 1.5 tons fewer GHG emissions a year/person than standard American diet

Animal Agriculture -1 Animals raised in factory farms: indoor, mechanized, fossil fuel dependent; cruelty of confinement Most common: poultry ( meat chicken, egg)

7 Animal Agriculture -1 Animals raised in factory farms: indoor, mechanized, fossil fuel dependent; cruelty of confinement Most common: poultry ( meat chicken, egg) and pig operations Feedlots for cattle; also factory dairies Use enormous amounts of grain and water (incl. in grain production); nearly 500 gallons for 1 lb. of chicken

8 Animal Agriculture - 2 Each year: 10 billion farmed animals raised and slaughtered in U.S. 60 billion globally (mostly poultry, too) Average American eats 200+ lbs. of meat Rest of world: 70 lbs., and rising

9 Health and the Planet My growing conviction [is] that the meat-heavy American diet and our increasing dependence on prepared food and processed foods is detrimental not only to our personal health but also to that of the planet. Mark Bittman, New York Times writer and cookbook author (How to Cook Everything series most recently, Vegetarian), January 26, 2011

10 Potential for (Climate) Change Compared with cars or appliances or heating your house, eating pasta on a night when you d otherwise have made fajitas is easy.... A Montanan who drives 40 miles to work might not have the option to take public transportation. But he or she can probably pull off a veggie stew. Ezra Klein, Washington Post, July 29, 2009

11 The IPCC (Science) Speaks Please eat less meat meat is a very carbon intensive commodity. Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chair, UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2008

12 Sustainability: Worldwide Shift Animal products, both meat and dairy, in general require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products. UN Environment Program Report, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production, 2010

13 Teaching Climate-Food Connection - 1 Younger Kids (grade school): Incorporate into lessons on diet and nutrition: Animal products shouldn't be eaten in excess Fruits and vegetables are important for heart, blood, and bones, and overall health Over-consumption of animal products can lead to problems with obesity, diabetes, other chronic conditions Make broad GHG estimates for favorite foods Diagram foods kids eat and inputs (e.g., soil, water, animals, etc.) the obvious and not-so-obvious

14 Teaching Climate-Food Connection - 2 Slightly Older Kids (Middle School): Do GHG audit (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide) of food in school lunchroom; foods they eat at home Complete scientific calculations of approximate CO2, methane, nitrous oxide in common meals Discuss food consumption and production patterns, climate space, food security

15 Teaching Climate-Food Connection - 3 Older Kids (High School): Incorporate into units on climate change: Animal products require more resource inputs (e.g., water) than plant-based foods. Explore water requirements for different foods and increasing global water scarcity (drought, glaciers melting); issues of equity As climate change intensifies, food production is strained. Explore use of grain for people and farmed animals Conduct socio-economic analysis: assess availability of less GHG-intensive foods who? where? why?

16 Teaching Climate-Food Connection - 4 Older Kids (High School): Assess the costs of current food production methods, animalbased foods for climate change, food security, use of other natural resources (water, grain, forests); also public health Increase global awareness: e.g., links between deforestation of Brazil s Amazon/Cerrado and consumption of pork and chicken in China (fed on soybeans many from Brazil) Use Brighter Green s short videos (on Brazil, China, India, Ethiopia) as teaching aids/discussion starters:

20 Resources for Water E.g.s Hidden water, including in food from: environment.nationalgeographic.com/ environment/freshwater/embedded-water/ Useful map on water scarcity: signsandsolutions/

21 Food Policy and Equity Program Case studies: Brazil, India, China, Ethiopia environment, climate, animals, food security, health + Documentary videos

Global Warming & Food Choices

Global Warming & Food Choices Mia MacDonald November 16, 2008 www.brightergreen.org Addressing Climate Change Most common recommendations: Save energy, home and work: lower heat, A/C, use power strips