“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Food is intimately connected to the health of both people and the planet. And food systems — including emissions from agriculture, transportation, processing, and packaging — have a more considerable environmental impact than one might think.

Food systems are responsible for between 21% and 37% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture alone is responsible for approximately 14.5% of global emissions, primarily from methane released by livestock during digestion. Approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, representing a significant waste of resources, including water, land, and energy, and further contributing to emissions as food waste decomposes and releases methane. And agricultural inputs like nitrogen fertilizers can release nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, when they are applied to crops. The list goes on.

What’s more is that while food systems represent a massive contribution to climate change, they are also deeply impacted by it.

Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, for example, can affect the production of crops and livestock, leading to food shortages and price increases. Extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, can also damage crops and infrastructure, further exacerbating food insecurity. Farmers are stretched thin as poor soil health decreases resilience in the face of these multiple crises.

Studies have shown that, over the past century, the nutritional component of almost every type of agricultural product has declined by 10 to 100% percent, likely due to a decrease in soil health. (Read our deep dive into soil health here.)

The good news? Most of us eat at least daily. For many, three or more times per day.

That gives each of us three opportunities per day to take climate action. Meanwhile, many environmental organizations, private companies across sectors, and even legislators are innovating toward a better future.

For this issue of Journal Copernicus, we spoke to Aaron Hiday, a compost program coordinator for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, about the potential cost savings of reducing food waste — which many call the low-hanging fruit of climate mitigation.

“If we could reduce loss and waste, you would see monetary benefits,” says Hiday. “You’d see farmers and corporations saving more money, and you might actually see costs come down [for consumers] if there’s less waste because producers aren’t going to be pushed to produce more.”

Dr. Bruno Basso is a John Hannah Distinguished Professor of earth and environmental science at Michigan State University, taught us about the digital, mechanical, and biological technologies called “digital agriculture,” a suite of tools with significant promise in building and scaling circular agriculture systems — systems that can not only reduce waste but reduce the number of inputs farmers need to use, conserve water, increase soil health, and more.

For all of us eaters, when it comes to food choices, the most sustainable options are often the healthiest.

Mira Kohl of Sustainable Harvest International (SHI), an organization that partners with smallholder farmers to embrace regenerative and sustainable farming practices, shared the power of individual food choices.

“Buy locally and eat seasonally whenever possible,” Kohl says. “But like all habits, it’s best to build them over time. Don’t be paralyzed by perfectionism, because perfection is neither realistic nor sustainable. Rest assured that every change you make, no matter how small, multiplied over time, will have a tremendous impact.”

By supporting sustainable food systems and practices, we can help ensure that we have access to healthy, affordable food in the long term. We can also ensure that the farmers, ranchers, producers, processors, drivers, chefs, disposal workers, and more working across the food system are given safe, equitable working conditions with fair pay. And this can all be done in a way that protects and restores nature.

I hope this issue of Journal Copernicus leaves you feeling empowered to get involved with those working on the ground — the farmers, farmers’ markets, composting groups, chefs, food advocacy organizations — to drive real systemic change.

We simply cannot mitigate the climate crisis without reshaping our food systems. Remember: with every food choice we make, we can help to support a better future. What will your role be?

Food is intimately connected to the health of both people and the planet. And food systems — including emissions from agriculture, transportation, processing, and packaging — have a more considerable environmental impact than one might think.

Food systems are responsible for between 21% and 37% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture alone is responsible for approximately 14.5% of global emissions, primarily from methane released by livestock during digestion. Approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, representing a significant waste of resources, including water, land, and energy, and further contributing to emissions as food waste decomposes and releases methane. And agricultural inputs like nitrogen fertilizers can release nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, when they are applied to crops. The list goes on.

What’s more is that while food systems represent a massive contribution to climate change, they are also deeply impacted by it.

Notes from the Field: The Food Issue