Drawdown!
Food & Agriculture
Overview
Agriculture is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The choices we make about the type of food, how it is grown, and where it is grown can significantly reduce our impact on the environment as well as improve the quality of our lives.
Some Food & Agriculture Climate Facts
- American food on average travels 1,500-2,500 miles to get from the farm to your table. This creates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, does not support the local economy, and the food isn't as fresh.
- "About 13 percent of total global emissions. That makes the agricultural sector the world’s second-largest [greenhouse gas] emitter, after the energy sector (which includes emissions from power generation and transport)."
Videos
- The Diet that Helps Fight Climate Change - Vox
- Food and Ecological Footprint - Global Footprint Network
Youth Advocacy
Action |
Reason |
Resources |
1. Plant trees, flowers, or other plants to capture carbon. ($) |
Plants take in carbon dioxide. |
Consider planting things that have multiple benefits, such as providing habitat for animals and food. |
2. Plant trees or other plants in a garden that provide food. (Saves $) |
Growing your own food has lots of benefits. It reduces emissions from transportation. Most food in the US travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. You can also plant unusual varieties and enjoy great flavors while protecting biodiversity. |
Check out seeds from our seed library. Support local and small seed companies, such as Living Seed Company and Peace Seedling. Trial out unusual varieties and fall in love with one and learn how to save seeds! |
3. Encourage parents to buy the things you need in bulk section. (Save $) |
Avoid excess packaging by buying in the bulk section. You need to bring your own reusable containers to reduce waste. |
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4. Buy food that is labelled as "locally sourced" when you shop. (Saves $) |
One idea is to subscribe to a Community Support Agriculture (CSA) box. This supports local agriculture, reduces emissions, and helps you appreciate locally grown food. |
Good Earth and some markets will also identify where the food was grown. Here is a list of local farms. |
5. Buy food that is in season Your local farmers market will have what's in season. (Saves $) |
Locally grown food will be in season. It's fresher and doesn't have to travel a long distance (smaller carbon footprint). |
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6. Shop at your local farmers market. Look them up online to find the days & locations! (Saves $) |
Buying locally grown food supports local farmers and reducing emissions from transportation. Community Support Agriculture (CSA) support local agriculture, reduce emissions, and help you appreciate locally grown food. |
Visit a local farmer's market to get produce. Full Belly Farm and Frog Hollow are two very ethical farms that offer CSA boxes in our area. |
7. Plant a habitat garden that helps attract pollinators and other helpful insects. ($ but will save on water over time) |
Humans have taken over so much natural habitat. Walk around your neighborhood and see how much is undisturbed habitat for other animals, such as pollinators. Dedicate some of your garden for habitat. |
Get you and your family started by reading this article on Habitat Gardening from the California Native Gardening Society. Remember to not use pesticides and also buy plants that are organically grown. |
8. Improve the quality of the soil you are planting in by using your own compost or adding mineral supplements. ($ for composter) |
Healthy soil holds more carbon and moisture. This is a win-win for the planet and your plants. |
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9. Eat nothing but locally produced food for a full week! |
Eating locally grown food significantly reduces your carbon footprint and supports the local economy. |
Here is a list of local farms. Visit a local farmer's market to get produce. Good Earth also identifies locally grown produce. |
10. Eat nothing but locally produced food for a full month! |
Eating locally grown food is fresher. Trying this for a month will help you to see how much of your diet has NOT been seasonal. Eating local food is what we have done for thousands of years! |
Consider signing up for a CSA box and get the produce delivered straight to your house. Full Belly Farm and Frog Hollow are two very ethical farms that offer CSA boxes in our area. |
Actions
11. Become a vegan.* (Saves $$)
Going vegan will drastically reduce your carbon footprint, save money and many lives from the cruel practices in the animal agriculture industry, and improve your health! Although at first going vegan may seem daunting, being vegan is fairly simple and easy! For more information about why people should go vegan click here!
Go online or to the library to find some great recipes that will support the change. There are hundreds of videos and articles online with vegan tips, recipes, and support, here is some inspiration to get you started. Save money while you make a difference!
12. Become a vegetarian.* (Saves $)
You do not have to go vegan to make a difference! Being vegetarian is a great start to reducing your carbon emissions, and contributing to a ethical lifestyle. Go online or to the library to find some great recipes, or tips that will support the change. There are so many yummy recipes to get you started on your low carbon diet! Here is a video about what would happen if the world went vegetarian?!
13. Eat less meat and/or animal products.*
Even reducing a little bit of meat, dairy, or eggs from your diet will help the planet! Some examples are Meatless Mondays, choosing a veggie burger over a meat burger, or you can make it a general commitment to eat smaller portions of meat or animal products. Lots of ethnic dishes have meat embedded in the dish so it’s less meat than eating a steak. Need more ideas click here (Saves $)
14. Eat less beef and more poultry.* (Saves $)
According to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, "Cattle raised for US consumption emit about 5.5 billion pounds of methane a year. And methane, while it doesn’t stay in the atmosphere for as long as carbon dioxide, warms it at 86 times the rate. Cows, moreover, are awfully inefficient calorie-production machines: They convert only 1 percent of all that grass they eat into energy humans can consume." So switch out some of that beef for chicken or turkey and make a difference with your climate emissions.
15. Compost your food waste whenever possible. (Free)
Reducing food waste not only saves money, but reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Food tossed into the garbage breaks down and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Here's a video on how to compost. You can buy composters, use the green bin, or get a compost pile built. Here's the design that I use in my yard.
Going vegan will drastically reduce your carbon footprint, save money and many lives from the cruel practices in the animal agriculture industry, and improve your health! Although at first going vegan may seem daunting, being vegan is fairly simple and easy! For more information about why people should go vegan click here!
Go online or to the library to find some great recipes that will support the change. There are hundreds of videos and articles online with vegan tips, recipes, and support, here is some inspiration to get you started. Save money while you make a difference!
12. Become a vegetarian.* (Saves $)
You do not have to go vegan to make a difference! Being vegetarian is a great start to reducing your carbon emissions, and contributing to a ethical lifestyle. Go online or to the library to find some great recipes, or tips that will support the change. There are so many yummy recipes to get you started on your low carbon diet! Here is a video about what would happen if the world went vegetarian?!
13. Eat less meat and/or animal products.*
Even reducing a little bit of meat, dairy, or eggs from your diet will help the planet! Some examples are Meatless Mondays, choosing a veggie burger over a meat burger, or you can make it a general commitment to eat smaller portions of meat or animal products. Lots of ethnic dishes have meat embedded in the dish so it’s less meat than eating a steak. Need more ideas click here (Saves $)
14. Eat less beef and more poultry.* (Saves $)
According to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, "Cattle raised for US consumption emit about 5.5 billion pounds of methane a year. And methane, while it doesn’t stay in the atmosphere for as long as carbon dioxide, warms it at 86 times the rate. Cows, moreover, are awfully inefficient calorie-production machines: They convert only 1 percent of all that grass they eat into energy humans can consume." So switch out some of that beef for chicken or turkey and make a difference with your climate emissions.
15. Compost your food waste whenever possible. (Free)
Reducing food waste not only saves money, but reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Food tossed into the garbage breaks down and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Here's a video on how to compost. You can buy composters, use the green bin, or get a compost pile built. Here's the design that I use in my yard.
