SustainabilityAnd The American

Diet Michelle Parenti, MS, RD, LD/N

Registered Dietitian/NutritionistDiet Balance Nutrition & Wellness

Educationalwww.dietbalance.net

Michelle Parenti, MS, RD, LD/NRegistered Dietitian/NutritionistDiet Balance Nutrition & Wellness

Educationalwww.dietbalance.net

Slides reproduced with permission from Kate Geagan

2 2

Sources of U.S. GH Emissions

Sources of U.S. GH Emissions

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Carbon dioxide

Methane

Nitrous oxide

HFCs, PFCs, & SF

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

U.S greenhouse gas emissions by gasTg CO2 Eq.

SOURCE: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006, USEPA #430-R-08-005.

3 3

GHG in our food systemGHG in our food systemCarbon dioxide Fossil fuel activities such as processing, production, transportation and storage

Methane: 20x as potentEmitted by ruminant animals, food waste in landfills

Nitrous oxide: 300x as potentNitrogen-based fertilizers, agricultural practices

HFC’s: Large global warming potentialHuman activities, refrigeration, air conditioning

4 4

Today it takes between 7-10 fossil fuel calories to bring 1 food calorie to the

American plate

Today it takes between 7-10 fossil fuel calories to bring 1 food calorie to the

American plate

12

10

8

6

4

2

0Energy consumed

10.2 quatsFood energy available

1.4 quats

Household storage& prep (3.25 quads)

Commercial foodservice (9.675 quads)

Food retail (o.377 quads)Packaging materials(0.678 quads)

Processing industry(1.68 quads)

Transportation (1.39 quads)

Agricultural production(2.20 quads)

Food energywe put in

Food energywe get out

Energy flow in the U.S. food systemEnergy per year in quads (1 x 10 BTU)

SOURCE: Copyright 2000, Dr. Martin C. Heller, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems

5

6

Which is more responsible for global warming: your BMW

or your Big Mac?

Which is more responsible for global warming: your BMW

or your Big Mac?

“Believe it or not, it’s the burger.”

– Bryan Walsh, Time/CNN

SOURCE: http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074_1603171,00.html

7

The average American diet creates 2.8 tons of CO2 emissions each year per person, which has now surpassed the 2.2 tons generated by the driving.

Roughly 1/3 of all GHG emissions can be traced back to the food supply.

The average American diet

The average American diet

SOURCE: Eshel G and Martin P.A. Diet, energy and global warming. Earth Interactions. 2006: 10(9): 1-17. Bon Appetit Management Company.

8

Change your diet. Change the planet. Feel

fabulous.

Change your diet. Change the planet. Feel

fabulous.

Consistent overlap between personal and planetary health

What to consume

How much to consume

Food-related behaviors

Consistent overlap between personal and planetary health

What to consume

How much to consume

Food-related behaviors

9 9

Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating

style

Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating

style Degree of meat/dairy intake vs. plant consumption

Degree of highly processed foods

Cold chain system

Disposable dining culture

Daily massive bottled beverage consumption Americans guzzle 60 million plastic bottles/day

100 million aluminum cans/day

10

Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating style

Connecting the dots: Why Americans have an SUV eating style

SOURCE: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. “Checking the food odometer: Comparing food miles for local versus conventional produce sales to Iowa institutions”. Iowa State University, July 2003.Heller, M.C. and G.A. Keoleian (2000). Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System (CSS00-04).

High ratio of packaging to food

Global supermarkets in a flat world The average food is traveling 1500 miles

800 million tons of food shipped around the world annually, a 400% increase since 1960s

US food supply provides about 3800 calories pp/pd

About 26% of edible food available is wasted at consumer level

11

12

GHG emissions from food GHG emissions from food

Cereals

Other

BeveragesRed meat

Fruits/vegsDairy

products

Oils/sweets/condiments

Chicken/fish/eggs

SOURCE: Weber CL, Matthews HS. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2008:42(10):3508-3513.

13

Why are cows so significant?

Why are cows so significant?

It takes about 7 pounds of corn and 2500 gallons of H20 to put 1 pound on cattle

Cows produce methane, which is 23x more warming that CO2

Growing plants: 2 fuel calories/1 calorie of food

Growing animals: 20-80 fossil fuel calories/1 calorie food

Research from U.S. and Netherlands has found beef and dairy account for about 50% of a family’s “food footprint”

SOURCE: Geagan, K. Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low Carbon Footprint Diet. New York: Rodale (2009).

14

Greener Pastures are Possible

Grass-fed & Organic Production 2006 study finds it requires about 50% less fossil fuel energy than conventional grain systems.

2003 Swedish study found organic beef raised on grass emits 40% fewer GHG’s and consumes 85% less energy.

“Local” helps reduce food miles Local Food Systems animal/plant production are re-coupled

Bison (grassfed) Wild Game (venison, elk, fowl)

Pimentel, “Impacts of Organic Farming on the Efficiency of Energy Use in Agriculture: An Organic Center State of Science Review” (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, The Organic Center, 2006).

Cederberg, Intl J Life Cycle (2003) 8(6):350-56.

15

Plant foods: lean and green cuisine

Plant foods: lean and green cuisine

Most

Least

VeganVegetarian (lacto-ovo) Poultry“Mean American” (FAOSTAT 2005)FishRed meat

Plant based diets a cornerstone of energy efficient diets

SOURCE: Eshel G and Martin P.A. Diet, energy and global warming. Earth Interactions. 2006: 10(9): 1-17.

A 2006 study rated energy efficiency of diets:

Lean and green super foods: nuts, beans, soy

16

Plants and planetary health: Healthy in every

sense

Plants and planetary health: Healthy in every

sense

Tuna: 17.2Grain-fed beef: 16 Chicken: 5.5Herring: 0.9Milk: 4.8Corn: 0.4Soy: 0.24Apple: 0.9

Tuna: 17.2Grain-fed beef: 16 Chicken: 5.5Herring: 0.9Milk: 4.8Corn: 0.4Soy: 0.24Apple: 0.9

How many calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of food?

SOURCE: Eshel and Martin 2006.

17

High-protein, low-carb diets use almost 2x the

land

High-protein, low-carb diets use almost 2x the

land

SOURCE: Wilkins, J et al. Increasing Acres to Decrease Inches: Comparing the Agricultural Land Requirements of a Low-Carbohydrate, High Protein Diet with a MyPyramid Diet. J Hun Env Nutr. Vol 3(1) 3-16.

Researchers compared land requiredAmount of land to feed 15 million Americans on a LCHP diet: 17.49 million acres

Amount of land to feed 15 million Americans on USDA MP: 9.77 million acres

18

Impact of Diet on Resource Use: Seventh Day Adventist

Study

Impact of Diet on Resource Use: Seventh Day Adventist

Study

Comparison for vegetarian & non vegetarian diets from Adventist Health Study

Input Ratio

Water (L):2.9

Primary Energy (kJ) 2.5

Fertilizer (g) 13Pesticide (g) 1.4

SOURCE: Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89 (suppl): 1699S-703S.

19 19

What’s the dish on fish?

What’s the dish on fish?

Food chain is key Tuna, salmon

Plant eating fish are planet friendly Tilapia, catfish, barramundi

U.S. farm raised Fresh flown seafood is a splurge 10X as carbon intensive

Lean and green super-foods Sardines, mackerel, anchovies

Food chain is key Tuna, salmon

Plant eating fish are planet friendly Tilapia, catfish, barramundi

U.S. farm raised Fresh flown seafood is a splurge 10X as carbon intensive

Lean and green super-foods Sardines, mackerel, anchovies

20

Get the Dish on FishGet the Dish on FishFishPhone: Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH in caps, followed by the name of the fish you want to know about.

FishPhone: Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH in caps, followed by the name of the fish you want to know about.

iPhone: Download directly to your iPhone or iPod touch. Free at http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_iPhone.aspx. Cell phone:Available for all mobile devices with an Internet connection at mobile.seafoodwatch.org.

Log On: Download a seafood pocket guide specifically for your region: http://www.blueocean.org or Pocket Seafood Selector at www.oceansalive.org.

21 21

The Key to SuccessThe Key to Success

Lean and green super-foods are the foundation for weight loss, satiety fight inflammation and maximize health-at a winning cost

Lean and green super-foods are the foundation for weight loss, satiety fight inflammation and maximize health-at a winning cost

•Nuts/pistachios

•Beans and legumes

•Fruits and vegetables

•Whole grains/ancient grains

22 22

Produce unwrapped: “Local or global?” Produce unwrapped: “Local or global?”

•Shifting 1 day to plant foods (or even chicken and fish) reduces GHG emissions more than moving to an all local diet of mostly beef

Local and regional food networks

•“As much as you can, to the extent you can”

SOURCE: Weber CL, Matthews HS. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2008:42(10):3508-3513.

Keep it local, preferably organic!

23

Produce Unwrapped: “Organic or

Conventional?”

Produce Unwrapped: “Organic or

Conventional?”

Need to consider:•Mode of transport, shipping distance, packaging

SOURCE: N .El-hage Scialabba and C. Hattam, eds., Organic Agriculture, Environment and Food Security (Rome: UN FAO, 2002).The Rodale Institute

Organic is greener•Organic production uses about 30-60% less fossil fuel than conventional systems because of the fossil fuel to manufacture, ship and apply fertilizers

•Organic farms act like a carbon sink, storing 2-3X more carbon

24

The fossil fuel density of food

The fossil fuel density of food

Calorie densityNutrient densityNew language for new realities: Fossil fuel density What’s your “dietary lifestyle?”

25

We can simplify for the consumer

SOURCE: Courtesy of Natural News

26 26

Easy ways to start losing

Easy ways to start losing

A 2008 study identified 4 key elements that would reap significant energy savings:

A 2008 study identified 4 key elements that would reap significant energy savings: Eating fewer calories Modern food system produces over 3500 calories pp per day

Less meat, more plants

Return to minimally processed foods/less junk food

More local food in diet

SOURCE: Pimentel David. Human Ecology 2008 (DOI: 10.1007/s10745-008-9184-3).

27

Eating “green” another consumer benefit

Eating “green” another consumer benefit

A more cost-effective way to eat

Plant proteins cost less than animal proteins

Nutrient to cost/value of choosing “one ingredient foods”

Reduce our reliance on a convenience food and fast food culture

Sipping cleanly and cheaply

Moving back to the kitchen from the drive-thru

Taking less, wasting less

28

Are You Ready to Change YOUR Dietary Lifestyle?