Sustainable Agriculture
What is one reason why biodiversity is an important part of sustainable agriculture?
Variety of crops to sell; ecological health; system resilience; etc.
What are the two products we consume that are responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions?
What is the Project Drawdown ranking of "plant-rich diet" as a solution to climate change?
#4
Which group of people are responsible for the majority of smallholder farm production?
Women
What are three whole-food sources of plant-based protein?
Legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, etc.
What sustainable agriculture avoids and excludes the use of fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, and livestock food additives?
Organic farming
What is one of the biggest reasons for meat and dairy historically being relatively affordable?
Government subsidies
How should meat be reframed in global diets?
As a delicacy or "extra", rather than the focus of each meal
What is one factor that can make rice cultivation more sustainable?
What are two ways to reduce your own food waste?
Meal prepping, freezing, repurposing, etc.
Which country has nearly doubled its forest cover by integrating agriculture with native forests?
Costa Rica
What is the number one cause of deforestation?
Raising cattle
How much of business-as-usual emissions could be reduced by worldwide adoption of a vegetarian diet?
63%
What are two functions of a cover crop?
nitrogen-fixation (nutrient protection), reduced erosion, biodiversity preservation, green manure, and food
What is one individual consumer action that is likely more impactful than buying organic?
Buying seasonal
What are the four environmental goals of sustainable agriculture?
Protecting biodiversity, conserving water, reducing pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions
How much of the world's habitable land is used for livestock production?
75%
What are some health issues that eating too much animal protein can cause?
What type of technology can keep freshly-harvested produce fresh, for longer periods of time, in rural farm communities? (Discussed in TED Ed video)
Solar-powered cold storage units
What is a good plant-based heavy cream alternative?
2/3 plant-based milk, 1/3 olive oil
How can agricultural land restoration be beneficial (3 reasons)?
Better carbon cycling, increased food production, decreased necessity of farmer migration
Which two countries have especially high beef consumption?
USA and Argentina
What are two larger, global issues that can be addressed by altering meat consumption patterns?
Water management/conservation, hunger, health/longevity, terrestrial ecosystem preservation, climate change, etc.
What are two types of farming practices that integrate multiple layers of farming into a cohesive strategy?
Agroforestry, silvopasture, tree intercropping, biologically-integrated farming
What are two ways to help convince people to adopt more plant-forward eating practices?
Debunking protein myths (we don't need huge quantities each day), amplifying the health benefits, making plant-based "meats" more economical, marketing meat as more dangerous/harmful, etc.