Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Harish K. Jeswani, Gonzalo Figueroa-Torres, Adisa Azapagic
Summary: This study estimates the quantities of food waste and its resulting life cycle environmental impacts in the UK, finding that cereals and vegetables are the main sources of waste, while meat and fish have a higher impact on the overall environment. The study highlights the need to consider environmental impacts of food waste and engage all supply chain actors in formulating food waste reduction strategies.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Monica Di Donato, Oscar Carpintero
Summary: The study discusses how increasing population challenges the global food system in terms of productivity and environmental pressures. It emphasizes the importance of innovative approaches to support effective policy efforts. By using household metabolism approach, the study illustrates the environmental pressures derived from household food consumption, especially during the 2008 crisis in Spanish regions. The study also highlights the impact of economic crisis on food consumption patterns and environmental performance, showing how it can drive change towards better sustainability.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Clark, Marco Springmann, Mike Rayner, Peter Scarborough, Jason Hill, David Tilman, Jennie I. Macdiarmid, Jessica Fanzo, Lauren Bandy, Richard A. Harrington
Summary: Understanding and communicating the environmental impacts of food products is crucial for transitioning to environmentally sustainable food systems. A method is developed to infer the environmental impacts of food products based on ingredient lists, revealing that food types vary in their environmental impacts and more nutritious products are generally more environmentally sustainable.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Berill Takacs, Julia A. Stegemann, Anastasia Z. Kalea, Aiduan Borrion
Summary: More than one third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system. Dietary changes, particularly reducing meat consumption, can significantly reduce environmental impacts and contribute to climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Anna Herzog, Christoph Winckler, Stefan Hoertenhuber, Werner Zollitsch
Summary: Improving the health and welfare of dairy cows can reduce the environmental impacts of milk production. Implementing mechanical ventilation devices to mitigate heat stress can help decrease the contribution of milk production to global warming and terrestrial acidification, but the impact on freshwater eutrophication is not significant.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra L. Stern, Nicole Tichenor Blackstone, Christina D. Economos, Timothy S. Griffin
Summary: Changing dietary patterns is crucial to ameliorating the environmental impacts of the global food system, and adjusting school meal policies can help reduce these impacts. Meat products are the largest contributor to environmental impacts, and policy changes related to them should be prioritized.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mengqing Kan, Shelie A. Miller
Summary: Life cycle assessment is commonly used to compare different packaging materials for food products. This study analyzes 28 LCA studies and finds that plastic packaging has a relatively small impact on the total emissions of most food products, with higher impact for liquids and small quantities.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Stefan Bringezu, Martin Distelkamp, Christian Lutz, Florian Wimmer, Ruediger Schaldach, Klaus Josef Hennenberg, Hannes Boettcher, Vincent Egenolf
Summary: The environmental footprints of the German bioeconomy between 2000 and 2015 are dominated by animal-based food consumption and double the domestic agricultural land use for consumption.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Rosa E. E. Gonzalez, Max T. T. Stephens, Charlotte Toma, David Dowdell
Summary: Seismic losses have significant economic, social, and environmental consequences. Research on predicting the economic and social impact of seismic risk has been increasing. This paper introduces a framework using environmental indicators to quantify seismic response losses and advocates for a change in seismic performance objectives. A case study comparing different environmental indicators between a Code Minimum building and a higher seismic performance building is presented, and the benefits of designing buildings with improved seismic performance are highlighted.
BULLETIN OF EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Toni Meier, Torsten von Borstel, Birgit Welte, Brennan Hogan, Steven M. Finn, Mike Bonaventura, Silke Friedrich, Kerstin Weber, Tanja Draeger de Teran
Summary: The study quantified the environmental impacts of food losses in the food-service sector in Germany, showing variations in CO2 emissions, water usage, and land demand among subsectors. By implementing robust food waste management schemes, achieving the UN's goal of halving food waste by 2030 is within reach.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Max Bamberger, Paul Behrens, Laura Scherer
Summary: The shift towards diets characterized by higher consumption of sugars, fats, processed foods, and animal-source foods, known as the nutrition transition, has significant environmental impacts in countries like Indonesia, India, and Mexico. Implementing a zero-hunger scenario could lead to similar health improvements globally by preventing disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per undernourished person.
SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tadesse Fikre Teferra
Summary: This research estimates the food security and economic burdens of postharvest losses in Ethiopia. The study shows that proper postharvest management can save a considerable amount of crops and reduce economic losses. The findings highlight the importance of addressing postharvest losses for food security and economic growth in the country.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yihang Liang, Yanqin Zhang, Yuyue Wang, Xinggong Kong, Zucong Cai, Yanhua Wang
Summary: Increasing urbanization and affluence have led to changes in food consumption patterns, resulting in both food security and environmental pollution issues. This study analyzed the link between food consumption and nitrogen losses in Bayannur City, using a case study from 2000 to 2016. The findings showed that the shift in food consumption patterns led to an increase in nitrogen consumption and losses, with significant variations in different agricultural regions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cristina Cambeses-Franco, Humberto Jose Urdaneta, Gumersindo Feijoo, Maria Teresa Moreira, Sara Gonzalez-Garcia
Summary: The home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in dietary patterns and lifestyle, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. It is important for people to be aware of the significance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and dietary pattern.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Xinru Han, Yufei Guo, Ping Xue, Xiudong Wang, Wenbo Zhu
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the nutritional intake of China's rural residents, especially among low-income groups. The results of the study indicate that an increase in confirmed cases in a county leads to a decrease in per capita intake of dietary energy, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.