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Food Consumption & Its Environmental Impact Food Facts: the environmental impact of agriculture and food production Introduction | Sustainable Consumption Success Stories National Policy | What You Can Do | Contacts Our consumption of food contributes to environmental damage in a variety of ways. The production, processing, transportation, and packaging of food can all contribute to environmental damage. Clearing land for agriculture, especially that related to cattle ranching, is a major cause of wilderness loss and habitat destruction, in the United States and throughout the world. A huge percentage of the world's open spaces are set aside for cattle. This is especially true in fragile habitats such as the western U.S., where cattle grazing is a major cause of de-sertification. In tropical regions of Asia and South and Central American, cattle production is a major reason for burning and clearing rainforests. About 260 million acres of forests in the U.S. have been cleared to create cropland for cattle, and many millions more have been cleared, and are cleared every day, in forests around the world. Meat production requires not only land but also energy and water. 16 pounds of wheat and up to 2,500 gallons of water are necessary to produce one pound of grain-fed beef. Cattle production also consumes large amounts of fossil fuels - about a gallon of gasoline per pound of beef - and produces water pollution. Chicken and pork production also require large amounts of water, grain, and energy and result in significant water and air pollution. This is especially true of "factory farms" or confined-animal feeding operations, which have polluted waterways throughout the U.S., especially in the Southeast and Midwest. Although seafood might seem a less damaging food choice, there are also negative consequences associated with fishing and acquaculture. Highly subsidized factory fishing "stripmines" our oceans. For every pound of shrimp sold, upwards of 20 pounds of other sea creatures are caught. "Fish farming" destroys wetlands and mangroves, pollutes with fertilizers and pesticides and creates sickly, abnormal fish that may escape into the wild. Further, aquaculture still depends on factory fishing in the ocean to feed the "farmed" fish. Even production of grains, fruits, and vegetables can have negative ecological consequences. Heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in industrial agriculture result in air and water pollution and damage to many native plant and animal species. Food grown outside the U.S. (and eaten "out of season" here) often comes from countries with weak regulations regarding pesticides and pollution. Further, "out of season" food is transported great distances, using huge amounts of fossil fuels and adding greenhouse gas emissions. What's the answer? While we all have to eat, we can educate ourselves and make better food choices to reduce the harmful consequences of our diet. Eating less animal products and more locally and organically grown products is good for your health and for the Earth. Sustainable Consumption Success Stories Local communities The City of Santa Cruz , California just passed a resolution encouraging consumer awareness of fair trade issues and encouraging the purchase of Fair Trade coffee. City departments and government offices will purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee. Businesses, schools, and organizations Early last summer, British supermarket chain Iceland began converting its entire frozen vegetable line to organics, at no extra cost to consumers. Last month Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, entered the fray. In an effort to bulk up the organic market, Tesco will dramatically expand its line, as well, while lowering its profit margin on organics to keep them competitive. Soon, Tesco shoppers will have over 700 organic items to choose from, including produce, meat, frozen foods, dairy items, bakery goods, alcohol, baby food, and pet food. This is all the more noteworthy considering that a 1992 organic shopping spree at Tesco would have netted a total of 5 items and a quick trip through the express line. Chiquita bananas are certified green according to the Rainforest Alliance's Better Banana Project. Chiquita has improved water quality, instituted programs for recycling and safe waste disposal, dramatically decreased agrochemical use, and improved the quality of life of workers on all company-owned farms in Latin America. Certified Chiquitas now account for 15 percent of total Latin American banana exports. A number of retailers, including Borders Books, Hyatt hotels, Safeway, and Starbucks, have begun selling sustainable coffee blends, including "shade-grown" coffee that protects the trees used by migratory songbirds, organic coffee, and/or "fair-trade" coffees that guarantee farmers a minimun price for their beans. While sustainable coffee is still a small part of the overall coffee market, the demand for it is on the rise. National Policy The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Wetlands Reserve Program and Farmland Protection Program have helped U.S. farmers to protect wildlife habitat. They have restored nearly a million acres of wetlands and saved over 125,000 acres of farmland from urban sprawl. Thousands of farmers have volunteered to participate in the programs, and thousands more are asking to help. However, the Bush administration proposed that the government deny funding for all three. For more information, go to http://www.family farmer.org What You Can Do At home reduce consumption of animal products buy in bulk to reduce packaging buy certified organic and locally-grown products when possible avoid disposable paper and plastic products In your local community support (or start) a local farmers market encourage local stores and restaurants to carry locally and organically-grown products ask local stores and restaurants about the sources of the food they sell ask local stores and restaurants not to sell especially destructive foods, such as swordfish In your Sierra Club chapter and group visit local organic or low-impact farmers have a local farmer present at a monthly group meeting organize service outings to support environmentally-friendly food producers At work or school Support local food producers when catering events Have your department or workplace purchase certified shade-grown and/or organic coffee Provide reusable mugs, silverware, and plates for coffee breaks and meals Public policy activism work to end "negative subsidies" which hide the real costs of producing environmentally damaging food support policies that benefit small, local, and organic farmers learn more about the negative effects of cattle grazing on public lands Contacts The National Audubon Society features five different Seafood Wallet Cards: the National Seafood Wallet Card, the Colorado's Ocean Journey/Audubon Seafood Wallet Card, the Pacific Whale Foundation (Hawaii)/Audubon Seafood Wallet Card, the Shedd Aquarium (Illinois)/Audubon Seafood Wallet Card, and the Aquarium of the Pacific (California)/Audubon Seafood Wallet Card. The regional cards include a focus on locally-available catches. All cards are available at: www.audubon.org/campaign/lo/seafood/cards.html The Monterey Bay Aquarium website offers a wallet-sized card indicating the most sustainable seafood choices – a perfect guide to take to restaurants! The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, Inc. is dedicated to educating the public on the importance of a sustainable food and agriculture system that is economically viable, environmentally sound, socially just, and humane. www.sustainableagriculture.net On the environmental problems associated with Confined Animal Feeding Operations(CAFOs), http://www.sierraclub.org/factoryfarms/ On community-supported agriculture (CSA), including programs in different regions of the U.S., contact Biodynamic Farming Association, P.O. Box 29135. San Francisco, CA 94129; tel.888-516-7797; email: biodynamic@aol.com; www.biodynamics.com/csa.html On ocean sustainability, contact the Marine Stewardship Council; 4005 20th Ave., W, #221,Fishermen's Terminal, West Wall Building, Seattle WA 98199, Email: information@msc.org; tel: 206-691-0188, fax 206-691-0190 The website of Seafood Choices, www.seafoodchoices.com offers a "SeaSense" database with information to help in making sustainable seafood choices For information on fair trade coffee, see http://www.globalexchange.org/ economy/coffee/purchasing.html Up to Top