Lesson5 Food Flashcards
What proportion of our annual greenhouse gases come from growing things?
nearly one-fifth - 19% (9.7 billion tons)
Of the 9.7 billion, how much comes from agriculture?
80%
What does the remaining 2 billion tons come from?
De-forestation
What are the main greenhouse gases from agriculture?
methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)
How bad is methane (CH4)?
It causes 28 times more warming per molecule than CO2.
What is the source of methane (CH4) in agriculture?
Livestock digestion and growing rice.
How does rice growing create methane (CH4)?
Rice paddies inhibit oxygen-absorption of the soil which creates bacteria that emits methane.
Where does the nitrous oxide (N2O) come from?
Cow and pig manure.
How bad is nitrous oxide (N2O)?
It causes 265 more warming than CO2.
What make the agriculture challenge even greater?
By 2050, the world population projection is between 9 and 10 billion.
What is the Good Food Institute?
A non-profit working to transform the environmental impact of our food.
How many calories must you feed a chicken to get 1 calorie back?
9
How much for pork and beef?
Pork → 15 calories
Beef → 30 calories
What other problem is there from eating meat?
It requires much land.
What is NOT the solution?
Rely on individuals to make better choices.
People rely on taste and price.
What is the solution?
Technology applied to meat.
How can this be done?
Making meat from plants.
and
Making meat from cells.
Until 2009, veggie burgers were made from what?
The waste products of soy oil and the waste product of wheat.
What is cultivated meat?
Cultivated directly from animal cells. It is animal meat.
How long does it take a chicken to get to slaughter weight?
6-7 weeks after coming out of the shell.
How long does it take a cow to get to slaughter weight?
Years (18-24 months)
How long does it take cultivated meat to be ready to eat?
6-7 days
What is an added benefit of these ways of making meat?
They are produced with low levels of CO2.
With de-forestation, what is the primary way CO2 is emitted?
From the exposed soil. There is more carbon in soil than plant life.
What does the Pachama company do?
Preserve and restore rain forests. https://pachama.com/originals/
How does Pachama partner with companies?
If the company has carbon emissions they can offest by supporting Pachama re-forestation projects.
How do they select the land to reforest?
1. How much carbon can be sequestered.
2. What are the wildlife benefits?
3. What are the social benefits? Jobs
4. RIsks (fire, etc.)
The President of Pachama lives in the San Francisco area. What happened to him last year?
His house burned down in a forest fire.
What is most promising in the area of growing things?
CO2 lasts thousands of years in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide lasts 121 years. Methane just lasts 12 years. So, if we reduce methane emissions, we could have a significant impact.
