SustainabilityAnd The American
Diet Michelle Parenti, MS, RD, LD/N
Registered Dietitian/NutritionistDiet Balance Nutrition & Wellness
Educationalwww.dietbalance.net
Michelle Parenti, MS, RD, LD/NRegistered Dietitian/NutritionistDiet Balance Nutrition & Wellness
Educationalwww.dietbalance.net
Slides reproduced with permission from Kate Geagan
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Sources of U.S. GH Emissions
Sources of U.S. GH Emissions
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
HFCs, PFCs, & SF
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
U.S greenhouse gas emissions by gasTg CO2 Eq.
SOURCE: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006, USEPA #430-R-08-005.
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GHG in our food systemGHG in our food systemCarbon dioxide Fossil fuel activities such as processing, production, transportation and storage
Methane: 20x as potentEmitted by ruminant animals, food waste in landfills
Nitrous oxide: 300x as potentNitrogen-based fertilizers, agricultural practices
HFC’s: Large global warming potentialHuman activities, refrigeration, air conditioning
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Today it takes between 7-10 fossil fuel calories to bring 1 food calorie to the
American plate
Today it takes between 7-10 fossil fuel calories to bring 1 food calorie to the
American plate
12
10
8
6
4
2
0Energy consumed
10.2 quatsFood energy available
1.4 quats
Household storage& prep (3.25 quads)
Commercial foodservice (9.675 quads)
Food retail (o.377 quads)Packaging materials(0.678 quads)
Processing industry(1.68 quads)
Transportation (1.39 quads)
Agricultural production(2.20 quads)
Food energywe put in
Food energywe get out
Energy flow in the U.S. food systemEnergy per year in quads (1 x 10 BTU)
SOURCE: Copyright 2000, Dr. Martin C. Heller, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems
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Which is more responsible for global warming: your BMW
or your Big Mac?
Which is more responsible for global warming: your BMW
or your Big Mac?
“Believe it or not, it’s the burger.”
– Bryan Walsh, Time/CNN
SOURCE: http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074_1603171,00.html
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The average American diet creates 2.8 tons of CO2 emissions each year per person, which has now surpassed the 2.2 tons generated by the driving.
Roughly 1/3 of all GHG emissions can be traced back to the food supply.
The average American diet
The average American diet
SOURCE: Eshel G and Martin P.A. Diet, energy and global warming. Earth Interactions. 2006: 10(9): 1-17. Bon Appetit Management Company.
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Change your diet. Change the planet. Feel
fabulous.
Change your diet. Change the planet. Feel
fabulous.
Consistent overlap between personal and planetary health
What to consume
How much to consume
Food-related behaviors
Consistent overlap between personal and planetary health
What to consume
How much to consume
Food-related behaviors
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Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating
style
Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating
style Degree of meat/dairy intake vs. plant consumption
Degree of highly processed foods
Cold chain system
Disposable dining culture
Daily massive bottled beverage consumption Americans guzzle 60 million plastic bottles/day
100 million aluminum cans/day
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Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating style
Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating style
SOURCE: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. “Checking the food odometer: Comparing food miles for local versus conventional produce sales to Iowa institutions”. Iowa State University, July 2003.Heller, M.C. and G.A. Keoleian (2000). Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System (CSS00-04).
High ratio of packaging to food
Global supermarkets in a flat world The average food is traveling 1500 miles
800 million tons of food shipped around the world annually, a 400% increase since 1960s
US food supply provides about 3800 calories pp/pd
About 26% of edible food available is wasted at consumer level
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GHG emissions from food GHG emissions from food
Cereals
Other
BeveragesRed meat
Fruits/vegsDairy
products
Oils/sweets/condiments
Chicken/fish/eggs
SOURCE: Weber CL, Matthews HS. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2008:42(10):3508-3513.
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Why are cows so significant?
Why are cows so significant?
It takes about 7 pounds of corn and 2500 gallons of H20 to put 1 pound on cattle
Cows produce methane, which is 23x more warming that CO2
Growing plants: 2 fuel calories/1 calorie of food
Growing animals: 20-80 fossil fuel calories/1 calorie food
Research from U.S. and Netherlands has found beef and dairy account for about 50% of a family’s “food footprint”
SOURCE: Geagan, K. Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low Carbon Footprint Diet. New York: Rodale (2009).
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Greener Pastures are Possible
Grass-fed & Organic Production 2006 study finds it requires about 50% less fossil fuel energy than conventional grain systems.
2003 Swedish study found organic beef raised on grass emits 40% fewer GHG’s and consumes 85% less energy.
“Local” helps reduce food miles Local Food Systems animal/plant production are re-coupled
Bison (grassfed) Wild Game (venison, elk, fowl)
Pimentel, “Impacts of Organic Farming on the Efficiency of Energy Use in Agriculture: An Organic Center State of Science Review” (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, The Organic Center, 2006).
Cederberg, Intl J Life Cycle (2003) 8(6):350-56.
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Plant foods: lean and green cuisine
Plant foods: lean and green cuisine
Most
Least
VeganVegetarian (lacto-ovo) Poultry“Mean American” (FAOSTAT 2005)FishRed meat
Plant based diets a cornerstone of energy efficient diets
SOURCE: Eshel G and Martin P.A. Diet, energy and global warming. Earth Interactions. 2006: 10(9): 1-17.
A 2006 study rated energy efficiency of diets:
Lean and green super foods: nuts, beans, soy
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Plants and planetary health: Healthy in every
sense
Plants and planetary health: Healthy in every
sense
Tuna: 17.2Grain-fed beef: 16 Chicken: 5.5Herring: 0.9Milk: 4.8Corn: 0.4Soy: 0.24Apple: 0.9
Tuna: 17.2Grain-fed beef: 16 Chicken: 5.5Herring: 0.9Milk: 4.8Corn: 0.4Soy: 0.24Apple: 0.9
How many calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of food?
SOURCE: Eshel and Martin 2006.
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High-protein, low-carb diets use almost 2x the
land
High-protein, low-carb diets use almost 2x the
land
SOURCE: Wilkins, J et al. Increasing Acres to Decrease Inches: Comparing the Agricultural Land Requirements of a Low-Carbohydrate, High Protein Diet with a MyPyramid Diet. J Hun Env Nutr. Vol 3(1) 3-16.
Researchers compared land requiredAmount of land to feed 15 million Americans on a LCHP diet: 17.49 million acres
Amount of land to feed 15 million Americans on USDA MP: 9.77 million acres
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Impact of Diet on Resource Use: Seventh Day Adventist
Study
Impact of Diet on Resource Use: Seventh Day Adventist
Study
Comparison for vegetarian & non vegetarian diets from Adventist Health Study
Input Ratio
Water (L):2.9
Primary Energy (kJ) 2.5
Fertilizer (g) 13Pesticide (g) 1.4
SOURCE: Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89 (suppl): 1699S-703S.
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What’s the dish on fish?
What’s the dish on fish?
Food chain is key Tuna, salmon
Plant eating fish are planet friendly Tilapia, catfish, barramundi
U.S. farm raised Fresh flown seafood is a splurge 10X as carbon intensive
Lean and green super-foods Sardines, mackerel, anchovies
Food chain is key Tuna, salmon
Plant eating fish are planet friendly Tilapia, catfish, barramundi
U.S. farm raised Fresh flown seafood is a splurge 10X as carbon intensive
Lean and green super-foods Sardines, mackerel, anchovies
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Get the Dish on FishGet the Dish on FishFishPhone: Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH in caps, followed by the name of the fish you want to know about.
FishPhone: Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH in caps, followed by the name of the fish you want to know about.
iPhone: Download directly to your iPhone or iPod touch. Free at http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_iPhone.aspx. Cell phone:Available for all mobile devices with an Internet connection at mobile.seafoodwatch.org.
Log On: Download a seafood pocket guide specifically for your region: http://www.blueocean.org or Pocket Seafood Selector at www.oceansalive.org.
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The Key to SuccessThe Key to Success
Lean and green super-foods are the foundation for weight loss, satiety fight inflammation and maximize health-at a winning cost
Lean and green super-foods are the foundation for weight loss, satiety fight inflammation and maximize health-at a winning cost
•Nuts/pistachios
•Beans and legumes
•Fruits and vegetables
•Whole grains/ancient grains
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Produce unwrapped: “Local or global?” Produce unwrapped: “Local or global?”
•Shifting 1 day to plant foods (or even chicken and fish) reduces GHG emissions more than moving to an all local diet of mostly beef
Local and regional food networks
•“As much as you can, to the extent you can”
SOURCE: Weber CL, Matthews HS. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2008:42(10):3508-3513.
Keep it local, preferably organic!
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Produce Unwrapped: “Organic or
Conventional?”
Produce Unwrapped: “Organic or
Conventional?”
Need to consider:•Mode of transport, shipping distance, packaging
SOURCE: N .El-hage Scialabba and C. Hattam, eds., Organic Agriculture, Environment and Food Security (Rome: UN FAO, 2002).The Rodale Institute
Organic is greener•Organic production uses about 30-60% less fossil fuel than conventional systems because of the fossil fuel to manufacture, ship and apply fertilizers
•Organic farms act like a carbon sink, storing 2-3X more carbon
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The fossil fuel density of food
The fossil fuel density of food
Calorie densityNutrient densityNew language for new realities: Fossil fuel density What’s your “dietary lifestyle?”
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We can simplify for the consumer
SOURCE: Courtesy of Natural News
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Easy ways to start losing
Easy ways to start losing
A 2008 study identified 4 key elements that would reap significant energy savings:
A 2008 study identified 4 key elements that would reap significant energy savings: Eating fewer calories Modern food system produces over 3500 calories pp per day
Less meat, more plants
Return to minimally processed foods/less junk food
More local food in diet
SOURCE: Pimentel David. Human Ecology 2008 (DOI: 10.1007/s10745-008-9184-3).
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Eating “green” another consumer benefit
Eating “green” another consumer benefit
A more cost-effective way to eat
Plant proteins cost less than animal proteins
Nutrient to cost/value of choosing “one ingredient foods”
Reduce our reliance on a convenience food and fast food culture
Sipping cleanly and cheaply
Moving back to the kitchen from the drive-thru
Taking less, wasting less
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Are You Ready to Change YOUR Dietary Lifestyle?