The Scary Carbon Footprint of Grain and Processed Food

Carbon FootprintIt refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases released during the production, use and processing of products or services. It is also an important indicator to measure the impact of individuals or institutions on climate change. Food, as an indispensable part of everyone's daily life, has an important impact on the environment. Behind every eating habit and every mouthful of delicious food, there is a carbon footprint. So how does the carbon footprint in food come about? Let’s take a look!

How do grains and processed foods affect the climate and environment?

According to "Our World in Data", a data website platform developed by Oxford University, the world's greenhouse gas emissionsA quarter comes mainly from food and agriculture, the fundamental reason is that every stage of food production will cause carbon emissions and other environmental impacts, which mainly involve the following five stages:

1. raw material: The cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock will release large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen dioxide. For example, cattle and sheep emit methane in the form of burps or farts during their digestion process. In addition, crop cultivation also requires large amounts of pesticides, fertilizers and water resources. These cultivation processes may lead to carbon emissions and other environmental impacts.
2. Processing and packaging: The processing of food requires energy such as electricity, gas, and water. At the same time, food packaging also requires the use of various resources, such as plastic, paper, metal, etc. These processes will increase the emission of various greenhouse gases.
3. Transportation and Distribution: Carbon emissions from long-distance transportation caused by trucks, ships, airplanes and other means of transportation are the main source of carbon footprint at this stage.
4. Consumption: People’s consumption, lifestyle, cooking, eating habits, etc. will all cause carbon footprints to varying degrees.
5. garbage disposal: Waste disposal is the final stage of food production, which involves the disposal of food waste and packaging materials. For example, decomposing garbage in landfills naturally produces methane gas; garbage incineration sites also produce large amounts of carbon dioxide and other air pollution sources.

Which food has high carbon emissions? Which food has low carbon emissions?

It can be seen from the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) data graph produced by each kilogram of food provided in the data website platform "Our World in Data" developed by the University of Oxford.Beef, mutton, fish, pork and other animal foods have relatively high carbon emissions, and beef is number 1 among them. In contrast,Plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, etc. are foods with low carbon emissions.

Surprisingly, both plantsCocoa beans and coffee beans have extremely high carbon emissions. The main reason for this is because cocoa and coffee trees usually grow in tropical and subtropical areas, and forests in these areas often need to be cleared or cleared to provide enough planting space. However, forests are one of the most important carbon absorbers on the planet. The reduction of forest area will lead to an increase in carbon emissions. This is one of the main reasons why growing cocoa beans and coffee beans produces extremely high carbon emissions. In addition, during the processing of cocoa beans and coffee beans, multiple procedures such as washing, fermentation, and sun-drying are required. These steps not only increase energy consumption, but also generate additional carbon emissions.

What are some ways to reduce the carbon footprint of food?

Diet can also save energy, reduce carbon and save the earth. The reduction of food carbon footprint can be achieved through the following methods:

1. Choose local and seasonal foods: Buying food produced locally can reduce the carbon emissions caused by long-distance transportation. At the same time, choosing seasonal foods means they don’t require additional resources for greenhouses or other production methods.
2. Increase plant-based diet: The production of animal foods will lead to more carbon emissions, so increasing the intake of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans can not only effectively reduce carbon emissions, but also promote good health and be more environmentally friendly.
3. Reduce red meat consumption: The production of red meat such as cattle, pigs, and sheep has a greater impact on the environment. Meat-loving groups can reduce their consumption of red meat and instead choose ingredients such as chicken, duck, fish, or plant-based protein.
4. Reduce food waste: According to data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is estimated that about one-third of the world's food is wasted, and that wasted and discarded food will lead to unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. There are 800 million people suffering from famine on the other side of the earth, so buying the right amount of food and reducing food waste is the best way.
5. Choose environmentally friendly cooking methods: Energy-efficient kitchen utensils and methods can be used during the cooking process to reduce energy consumption.
6. Choose environmentally friendly packaging products: Give priority to packaging products with environmental certification and recyclable materials. These materials can be recycled, reducing waste and reducing the need for new raw materials.
7. buy organic food: Organic farming uses more environmentally friendly farming methods and does not use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, so it has a smaller impact on the environment.

external link

References

1. J Poore, T Nemecek, Reducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers, Science, 2018 Jun 1;360(6392):987-992.

2. H. Nabipour Afrouzi, J. Ahmed, B. Mobin Siddique, N. Khairuddin, Ateeb Hassan, A comprehensive review on carbon footprint of regular diet and ways to improving lowered emissions, Results in Engineering, 18 (2023) 101054.

3. Our World in Data – See the world with data

4. The pictures in the article are all from the CC0 free gallery.