The Problem With Food

The Problem With Food

Poll

How much of total greenhouse gas production per year is as a result of food production for human consumption?

• Less than 20%

• 20% - 50%

• 51% - 80%

• More than 90%

Greenhouse Gases

About 26% of the total greenhouse gas emissions is as a result of food production. This equates to 13.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Poll

Of all habitable land on Earth (not including deserts and ice), how much is used for agriculture?

• Less than 25%

• 25% - 50%

• 51% - 75%

• More than 75%

Land Use

50% of all habitable land on Earth is used for agriculture. That is 51 million square kilometers!

Multiple Select

Which of the following rank in the top 3 for land use per kilogram of product produced? (Choose 3)

• Beef

• Lamb and Mutton

• Cheese

• Dark Chocolate

• Coffee

Poll

Which of the following uses the most fresh water per kilogram of food produced?

• Beef

• Nuts

• Cheese

• Fish

• Prawns

Eutrophication

One of the biggest problems with agricultural practices is the pollution of the surrounding environment. This often comes from excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphates mostly) flooding the waterways and ecosystems. This can drastically throw ecosystems out of balance, as it generally leads to the production of more plants that can choke ecosystems. In waterways especially, more algae means less fish species (and other aquatic animals).

Poll

Which of the following contributes the most to eutrophication per kg of food produced?

• Cheese

• Prawns

• Fish

• Beef

Poll

Which of the following transport methods is used most to transport our food?

• Air

• Roads

• Water

• Rails

Poll

Which method of travel contributes the least to greenhouse gas emissions per tonne-km?

• Air

• Road

• Water

• Rails

Poll

Food production accounts for 26% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Of this 26%, how much of this is from food that is never eaten?

• Less than 5%

• 6% - 12%

• 13% - 18%

• More than 18%

Can you see any problems?