Sustainable Food

In the 1960s, an agronomist named Norman Borlaug introduced biologically modified rice and wheat to the world. These new crops took up less space to grow and produced higher yields. As Borlaug developed these crops, he assumed that chemical fertilizer and plenty of water were a necessary part of the equation. Borlaug's success has shaped the food industry into what it is today, and he even won a Nobel Peace Prize for aiding in stopping world hunger. However, many companies and groups have recently brought the long-term effects of his method of agriculture into question.

What is Sustainable Food

Sustainable food has the ability to produce food in a way that meets the needs of the present but doesn't compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Dan Goddard, the Co-founder of Backyard Bowls describes it as "Food that's grown in a way that the environment can sustainably reproduce itself. Food grown the way nature intended it to be grown." However, the food industry has somewhat forgotten about food sustainability. These are the top unsustainable food practices:

Pesticides, Fertilizers, and Non-local Foods

Pesticides contain substances meant to kill and repel insects, and fertilizers often have nitrogen to enhance plant growth. Both of these products contain harmful chemicals that have damaging effects on the environment around them. Moreover, eating foods that aren't local takes an abundance of fossil fuels to transport them to their final location.

Overconsumption

Throughout the world, it is estimated that around 1/3 of food purchased is not used. Reasons for this food waste vary, but the leading causes are poor meal prep, incorrect knowledge of best-by and sell-by dates, and cosmetic impurities. In America, 40% of produce is thrown away at the retail and consumer level.

Inhumane Practices

Major food companies follow the minimum standards for food sustainability and humane practices to reduce production costs, like taking advantage of farmers. Companies pay very little to farmers working under them in underprivileged communities which make up 84% of farming, who have no way to stand up for themselves. Many also use child labor in unsafe working environments. Factory-farmed animals are also treated poorly, where most of them haven't seen sunlight and don't have enough room to turn around in their cages.

Ultra-processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are multi-ingredient products altered from their natural state with preservatives and additives to improve shelf life. These foods typically come with added sugar, salt, and fat. Through processing the ingredients with their respective preservatives, the nutritional values of the original food are lost, making the food unhealthy. With the improved shelf life of the product, these foods become cheaper making them appealing and accessible universally.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is a high-yield vegetable oil that can be produced for less money than competing vegetable oils. The widespread utility of vegetable oil leads it to be in around 50% of all products in grocery stores. However, an increasing demand for palm oil is causing the industry to use unsustainable practices. The name given to unsustainable palm oil farms is 'Conflict palm oil'. These Conflict companies are expanding into rainforests and destroying many habitats, specifically endangering the Sumatran orangutan, tiger, elephant, and rhino. In addition, the plantation workers are being paid as low as $2-$10 a day while unethical child labor is also being taken advantage of. As a result, there is a new movement for sustainable palm oil farming. Certain organizations such as Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil are growing in popularity. With 5,000 organizations part of RSPO worldwide, they strive to clean up the palm oil industry by holding their own members to high standards.

Rice Farming

Rice is farmed by keeping the land it's growing on flooded for four to five months until reaching the harvesting point. Being the third largest crop in the world, rice currently uses around 30% of the world's freshwater supply. Furthermore, when the rice crop is flooded, microbes called Methanogenic Bacteria release methane into the air. Along with factors such as transportation and harvesting, rice farming makes up around 10% of carbon emissions from agriculture. In the 1980s, the System of Rice Intensification was created, a management system for rice production. In this system, rice is planted less densely to improve yields, the soil is enhanced with organic nutrients instead of chemical fertilizers, and a controlled amount of water is used. This new method reduces water waste by up to 40% and also cuts down on methane release.

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