People, Food and Sustainability Flashcards
Environmental problems and solutions are defined by …
Individual world views and values
Anthropocentric view on the environment
when value is determined relative to human interests, wants and needs
environment is seens as only being useful as a reasource to humans
Ecocentric view on the environment
when the environment is seen as existing independently of human wants or needs
environment has value beyond human use
Instrumental value
environment has worth or value becasue they are valued by people and it has use for specific purposes (Pickerill 2012)
Inherent value
environment having worth or value beyond its use as a reasource but still relate it to how it makes us feel -> combination of environmentla and human value (Pickerill 2012)
Intrinsic value
environment having worth and viewed as important in itself without refrence to human benefits (Pickerill 2012)
Various natural indicators show that there has been clear _ _ on ecosystem functions and services
Human Impact
if we continue on current trends in the next 100 years we will see a _% loss in biodiversity
25
Socio-ecological system resilience
the capacity of a system to absorb shocks without collapsing into a qualitatively different state, controlled by a different set of processes, fundamentally changing the way the system operates
if dunedin supermearkets didnt get re-stocked it would run out of food in …
3-4 days
Current food system
focused on increasing productivity
reliant on imports and exports
consumption is dominated by supermarket chains
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005, reported on 3 different aspects of the environment :
Impacts on ecosystems
Impacts on Biodiversity
Impacts on Ecosystem services
what percentage of land mass is used for food production ?
25%
examples of Human impacts on the ecosystem were identified in the Millennium ecosystem assessment 2005
land use change -> conversion of ecologically signifianct land for agriculter and crops
20% of coral reefs have been destroyed
natural flows of water are stuck behind dams -> hydropower and uses for irrigation
examples of Human impacts on the biodiversity were identified in the Millennium ecosystem assessment 2005
habitat and species loss
loss in genetic diversity -> 90% of global food energy comes from 15 crops
three types of ecosystem services :
Provisioning
Regulatory
Cultural
Prvisioning ecosystem services are
direct benefits we get from the environment -> fisheries, water supply, food
Regulatory ecosystem services are
those systems and processes that make the environment suitable to live in -> carbon storage, flood protection, cliamte regulation
cultural ecosystem services are
the recreational, cultural and spiritual value we get from a well functioning scosystem
The Millennium Ecosystem assessment 2005 identified that the human impacts to ecosystem services is
across the three services of cultural, regulatory, provisioning there have been declines
what is the is the largest driver of environmental degredation and transgression of planetary boundaries (EAT - lancet commission, n.d.)
the gloabl food system
Ecological Footprints
measure of human demad on ecosystem that can be compared to ecological capacity to regenerate
Total Global Biocapacity
what is the potential of the planet / productivty of the planet on an annual basis
Global Biocapacity (measured in global hectares, gha)
is the annual productive capcity of the planet
what is the global carrying capacity for a population of 8 billion (assuming that reasources are equitablly distributed)
1.7 gha per person
carrying capcity
is defined as a species average population size that can live in a particular area. this is limited by environmental factors like adequate food, shelter and water
the Global average ecological footprint is …
2.75 gha per person
equivalent to using 1.5 planets per year
New Zealands average ecological footprint is …
4.7 gha
What is the consequence of living beyond natures capcity ?
reducing biocapcity for future generations
degrading the environment
Indias average Ecological footprint is …
1.2 gha
living below the global carrying capacity -> however the proportion of population that does not have adequate access to reasources is significant … wealthy populations have similar consumption patterns to western countries
Issue with Global food production lies with … rather than volume of production
distribution
there are strong cases of overconsumption and under consumption *759 million people are food insecure
the large volumes of waste that occurs throughout the food system indicates that it is not the volume food being produced that is the issue
Food Security
When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life (World food Summit 1996)
focus around access, avability and use
Food Sovereignty
the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems (Via Campesina 1996)
what is a significant issue with the accolcation of crops that are produced
a large volume of crops produced are being allocated to animal feed
- a less meat intensive diet can reduce the amount of these crops being grown or allow more for human consumption
where does waste occur in the food system ?
at every step
- production
- processing
- distribution
- consumption
How many people could be fed with the amount of calories that the USA throws away
2 billion
what is one of the sustainability challenges associated with the globalised food system ?
the growing of food in inapropritate areas -> often requires additional water and nutrients -> signfianct environemtal implications
Simpliefied understnading of the root of environmetal impacts
P * A * T
P = popualtion
A = affluence
T = technology
Challenges to urban sustainability in relation to wealth
the wealthier you are the more reasources you have access to -> local environmental problems can be solved with the increased access to reasources -> increased consumption contributes to a greater extent to global environmental problems
consequence of consuming beyond environemtal limits
drawing down / reducing the furture biocapacity of the earth
4 differing world views on the effect of population on the environment
- overpopulation will cause reasource depletion and environmental degredation
- population isnt the root of the problem rather issues with distribution of resources
- population is an issue but advances of technology can extend the worlds carrying capcity
- more people means more ingenuity to solve problems
what needs to be done to change the food system
a change in values and way we view the environment
4 ways we can reduce our footprint through food (MacKay & Connelly 2019)
eat less meat, buying food with less packaging material, eating seasonally and eating locally sourced foods
why is it important to view food as a outcome of a complex set of processes rather than viewing food as a thing
if we view food as a thing it hides the complexity that goes on behind the scenes
thinking of food as a system includes thinking about 2 aspects :
supply chain and flows of food
6 parts of a generalised local food system
Growing
Harvesting
Packaging
Transportation
Retailing
Eating
food systems are extremly complex. what are 5 aspects of a food system which efffect how they operate ?
Biological, Health, Political, Social and economic systems
examples of environemtal impacts from production :
43% of arable land is used for agriculture -> impacts on natural ecosystems
Green house gas emissions -> 33% of global emissions are from agriculture
degrading soil quality -> as a result of the intensified and hyperproductive systems that rely on fertilisers to keep up with practises
Example of environmetal impacts from processing :
plasticuse for packaging products
Examples of environmental impacts from distribution :
food transport accounts for 6% of global green house gas emissions -> local transport is worse than bulk transport
virtual water trade -> the water that goes into producing the products is moved aroudnd the world (often exported from water poor places)
Examples of emvironmental impacts from consumption
types of diets, for example one heavy in meat, has greater environmetal impacts
effects of overconsumption -> needing to increase reasources to meet demands
Examples of environmeal impacts from waste
Large volumes of waste throughout the food system
2 billion people could be fed with the amount of claories the USA throws away annually
what are reasons between saying we want change and actioning ?
path dependence (tied into patterns and views)
convience
cost
accessibility (who has the ability to make and act upon choices)
what are often barriers to chaning the food system
the risks and uncertainties
why are food banks ‘successful failures’ ?
they are a coping mechanism not a solution
successful at generating reasources but fail to address the root problem of people experiencing hunger
What are the 7 ways we can value food ?
value of work
value of social interactions
value of health and nutrition
value of environment
value of local economic development
value of justice
value of cost
what are 3 potential aspects of the future food system ?
- increased consumption of meat alternatives
- educating people
- tech focused
how has Cultivate Christchurch created an alternative food network ?
converted empty urban lots into prosperous urban gardens which supply food to the local community
what is Cultivate Christchurchs relationship with local resuteraunts
they are the supplier of the resteraunts fruit and vegetables, and they take their food scraps to turn into compost which will benefit the garden - positive feedback
what is the purpose behind ‘Our food Network’ - dunedin
production, distributionand consumption of local food, contribute to the building of a resilient and prosperous community and local economy
How did the community fo West Oakland address thier issue of lack of access to healthy food becuase there was no supermarket ?
the community came together and started their own grocery store -> Mandela Food Co-op. they source the food from local urban farmers -> supporting the local economy
Food provides an important starting point for considering solutions for a range of _ _
environmental challenges
At what scale do changes need to be made for a more sustainable food systems ?
consumer (change in habits)
producer (sustainable cultivating practises)
government (policy change)
the decisions we make today have long lasting impacts
lock us into particular patterns of reasources use, consumption and behaviours
Sustainable community development
focuses on community level interventions
what are the 5 different types of community that we may be a part of ?
interest, culuture, practise, resistance, place
urbanization and urban spaces impact on the food environment ?
negative - is a key driver for many environemtal issues
positive - is a space that can be transformed to be a part of the solution
David Suzuki quote …
“the environemtal crisis is a human crisis; we are at the center of it as both the cause and the victims
according to the Eat lancet report what kind of diet will have both improved health and environemtal benefits ?
(EAT, n.d.)
a diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal source foods
operating outside the earths biocapacity has the risk of …
risk of harm to the stability of the earth system and human health
according to the EAT lancet report a dietary change could prevent _ _ deaths per year
11 million
the EAT lancet commission proposes _ that global food production should stay within to _ the risk of _ and potentially _ shifts in the _ system
boundaries, decrease, irreversible, cateshrophic, earth
what are the 6 earth system process that are affected by the food system
(EAT, n.d.)
climate change
land system change
freshwater use
Nitrogen cycling
Phosphorus cycling
biodiversity loss
what solutions needs to implememted to stay within the worlds safe operating space ?
a combination of changes
- change in diet towards a more plant based diet
- reducing the volumes of food waste
- more sustainable food production practises
what does agricultural and marine policies and practises need to changed towards ?
practises that enhance biodiversity rather than aiming for increased volume of a few crops
what are the 5 strategies for a great food transformation ?
(EAT, n.d.)
- seek international and national commitment to shift toward healthy diets
- reorientate agricultural priorities from producing high quantities of food to producing healthy food
- sustainably intesify food producion to increase high-quality output
- strong and coordinated governance of land and oceans
- at least halve food losses and waste
how does the metaphore of a donut encompass the worlds social and planetary boundaries ?
(Raworth, 2017)
the hole in the middle reveals the short fallings on lifes essentials (SGD’s)
beyond the out ring is the risks on earths critical life supporting systems (planetary boundaries)
the space of the donut lies a possible future for humanity where we live within our means and the needs of everyone is met.
what is one way that we can change out future ?
(Raworth, 2017)
transformation of the mainstream economic mindset
what percetnage of global green house gas emissions are from agriculture ?
33%
