1 | 07-11-2016 1 | faculty of mathematics and natural sciences energy and environmental sciences 07-11-2016 Why becoming a vegetarian is not going to save the world. Sanderine Nonhebel and Winnie Leenes
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1|07-11-2016
1|
faculty of mathematicsand natural sciences
energy and environmental sciences
07-11-2016
Why becoming a vegetarian is not going to save the world.
Sanderine Nonhebel and Winnie Leenes
2|07-11-2016
Production of food puts large claim on environment
› It uses:› 30 % of the land› 70 % of the fresh water› 20 % of the energy
3|07-11-2016
Production of food puts large claim on environment
› Is major cause for
› Deforestation› Eutrophication› Acidification› Erosion› Desiccation› Decline biodiversity
4|07-11-2016
› Food causes the largestenvironmental impact of our totalconsumption
›However, stop consuming food is notan option.
5|07-11-2016
Huge challenge:› Enough healthy food for the global
population, without destroying the globalenvironment.
6|07-11-2016
Can we reduce theenvironmental impact of ourfood by changing ourconsumption pattern?
7|07-11-2016
What is the environmental impact of individual food items?
8|07-11-2016
Method: chain analysis› Determine land, water and energy required in
the whole production chain.
9|07-11-2016
10|07-11-2016
11|07-11-2016
12|07-11-2016
13|07-11-2016
14|23-05-2016
Typical values resource use food items
EnergyMJ/kg
Land m2/kg
Water l/kg
Vegetables 5 0,2 100Bread 18 1,1 600Potatoes 2 0,2 80Rice 20 3 3000Veg. oil 30 10 3000Meat 90 12 8000Milk 10 1,3 600Coffee 38 16 17000
15|07-11-2016
A luxurious diet requires more resources than a basic one.
› Wheat as livestock feed (5 kg of wheat for 1 kg of meat)
› More energy for growing, storing, transport preparation
› More packaging
16|07-11-2016
17|07-11-2016
0500
1.0001.5002.0002.5003.0003.500
1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Western Europe
Source: Kastner T, Ibarrola Rivas MJ, Koch W, Nonhebel S (2012) Global changes in diets and the consequences for land requirements for food. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Available at: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1117054109
0500
1.0001.5002.0002.5003.0003.500
1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Consumption in kcal Land use for this consumption
meat
cereals
19|23-05-2016
Reduction meat consumption reduces environmental impacts of food
20|23-05-2016
Vegetarian meals become popular› Restaurants› Cantines› Shops› Policy › Recipies
21|23-05-2016
What is the environmental impact of a vegetarian meal?
2 menusPotato, cabbage, sausage
Rice, cashew nuts, spinace cheese
23|23-05-2016
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
water energy land0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
water energy land
Resource use› sausage › vegetarian
sausage nuts
cheese
24|23-05-2016
The resource use of the vegetarian meal is higher!
› These results can also be found for many more vegetarian recipies
25|23-05-2016faculty of mathematicsand natural sciences
energy and environmental sciences
That is why becoming a vegetarian is not going to save this world.
There is a strong need for resource saving recipies.
Related Documents
