Latest news with #foodsystems
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Peanuts or almonds? Rice or millet? Planet-friendly grocery shopping choices go beyond cutting meat
It's one of the most impactful climate decisions we make, and we make it multiple times a day. The U.N. estimates about a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change, come from food. That pollution can come from several links in the food supply chain: how farmland is treated, how crops are grown, how food is processed and how it's ultimately transported. Maybe you've already heard the short answer to minimizing your diet's impact on the planet: eat more plants and fewer animals. The data backs up that suggestion. Emissions from meat-rich diets are four times higher than that of vegan diets. But so much focus on meats overshadows many other food choices that also impact the environment and can contribute to global warming. Here is a look at other important grocery store decisions: Proteins Swapping one serving of chicken per day for beef cuts a diet's emissions nearly in half. Ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats are the top drivers of emissions. Those animals "are associated not only with nitrous oxide emissions, but they're also related to direct methane emissions because they burp them up while they digest food,' said Marco Springmann, professorial research fellow in climate change, food systems and health at University College London. Springmann said processed animal products have a higher impact on the planet, too: 'You need 10 times the amount of milk to make one unit of cheese.' So — and this is true of most food groups — the less processed the food, the smaller the environmental impact. Plant-based proteins like legumes, beans and nuts all boast a much lower climate impact. Grains The standout here is rice, and not in a good way. ' Rice uses a ton of water. It uses gobs of fertilizer. There's flooded rice paddy fields, and that water actually breeds all kinds of bacteria, and those bacteria produce methane gas,' said eco-dietitian nutritionist Mary Purdy. Purdy said the most planet-friendly alternative is just eating a bunch of different grains. 'The wheat, corn and soy world is very, very familiar to us because we've been seeing it. It's been heavily marketed. When was the last time you saw a commercial for millet or buckwheat?" she asked. Diverse diets, Purdy said, incentivize biodiverse agriculture, which is more resilient to erratic weather — a hallmark of climate change — and makes healthier soil. Fruits and vegetables When it comes to produce, minimizing impact is less about choosing between foods and more about buying based on the way that food was grown. Conventionally grown produce 'very likely is using pesticides, fertilizer, and maybe more water because the soil isn't healthy,' said Purdy. Purdy said organic labels, such as Regenerative Organic Certified, indicate those foods had a smaller climate impact when they were grown. The tradeoff is that organic food has a lower yield, so it requires more land use and is often more expensive. Local and 'in season' foods also have a smaller climate impact, but not just for one of the reasons you may be thinking of: emissions from international shipping. Every day, thousands of large ships transport goods, including produce, around the world, and the fuel they use is heavily polluting. However, "it's mostly those local emissions on trucks that are actually impactful, not the international shipping emissions," Springmann said. Also, food grown nearby tends to be grown in a way that fits with the local climate and is less harmful to the environment. "We're not trying to grow oranges in some place in a greenhouse,' Purdy said. Butter and oil Plants win out over animals, again. Vegetable oils are less impactful than butter or lard. Springmann also said tropical oils are healthiest in moderation, such as those from coconuts or palms, because they have a higher fat content. Plus, palm oil is associated with deforestation. As for nut butters, almonds might be a great option for limiting carbon emissions, but they require a lot of water. One study out of Tulane University found that a serving of peanuts has an emissions footprint similar to almonds but 30% less impact on water use. Don't waste food Throwing less food away might sound obvious, but roughly a third of food grown in the U.S. is wasted. Meal planning, freezing leftovers and checking the fridge before heading to the grocery store all help cut waste. 'The climate impact, the embedded water use, all of the labor and different aspects that went into producing that food, that all gets wasted if we don't eat it,' Blackstone said. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Peanuts or almonds? Rice or millet? Planet-friendly grocery shopping choices go beyond cutting meat
It's one of the most impactful climate decisions we make, and we make it multiple times a day. The U.N. estimates about a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change, come from food. That pollution can come from several links in the food supply chain: how farmland is treated, how crops are grown, how food is processed and how it's ultimately transported. Maybe you've already heard the short answer to minimizing your diet's impact on the planet: eat more plants and fewer animals. The data backs up that suggestion. Emissions from meat-rich diets are four times higher than that of vegan diets. But so much focus on meats overshadows many other food choices that also impact the environment and can contribute to global warming. Here is a look at other important grocery store decisions: Proteins Swapping one serving of chicken per day for beef cuts a diet's emissions nearly in half. Ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats are the top drivers of emissions. Those animals 'are associated not only with nitrous oxide emissions, but they're also related to direct methane emissions because they burp them up while they digest food,' said Marco Springmann, professorial research fellow in climate change, food systems and health at University College London. Springmann said processed animal products have a higher impact on the planet, too: 'You need 10 times the amount of milk to make one unit of cheese.' So — and this is true of most food groups — the less processed the food, the smaller the environmental impact. Plant-based proteins like legumes, beans and nuts all boast a much lower climate impact. Grains The standout here is rice, and not in a good way. 'Rice uses a ton of water. It uses gobs of fertilizer. There's flooded rice paddy fields, and that water actually breeds all kinds of bacteria, and those bacteria produce methane gas,' said eco-dietitian nutritionist Mary Purdy. Purdy said the most planet-friendly alternative is just eating a bunch of different grains. 'The wheat, corn and soy world is very, very familiar to us because we've been seeing it. It's been heavily marketed. When was the last time you saw a commercial for millet or buckwheat?' she asked. Diverse diets, Purdy said, incentivize biodiverse agriculture, which is more resilient to erratic weather — a hallmark of climate change — and makes healthier soil. Fruits and vegetables When it comes to produce, minimizing impact is less about choosing between foods and more about buying based on the way that food was grown. Conventionally grown produce 'very likely is using pesticides, fertilizer, and maybe more water because the soil isn't healthy,' said Purdy. Purdy said organic labels, such as Regenerative Organic Certified, indicate those foods had a smaller climate impact when they were grown. The tradeoff is that organic food has a lower yield, so it requires more land use and is often more expensive. Local and 'in season' foods also have a smaller climate impact, but not just for one of the reasons you may be thinking of: emissions from international shipping. Every day, thousands of large ships transport goods, including produce, around the world, and the fuel they use is heavily polluting. However, 'it's mostly those local emissions on trucks that are actually impactful, not the international shipping emissions,' Springmann said. Also, food grown nearby tends to be grown in a way that fits with the local climate and is less harmful to the environment. 'We're not trying to grow oranges in some place in a greenhouse,' Purdy said. Butter and oil Plants win out over animals, again. Vegetable oils are less impactful than butter or lard. Springmann also said tropical oils are healthiest in moderation, such as those from coconuts or palms, because they have a higher fat content. Plus, palm oil is associated with deforestation. As for nut butters, almonds might be a great option for limiting carbon emissions, but they require a lot of water. One study out of Tulane University found that a serving of peanuts has an emissions footprint similar to almonds but 30% less impact on water use. Don't waste food Throwing less food away might sound obvious, but roughly a third of food grown in the U.S. is wasted. Meal planning, freezing leftovers and checking the fridge before heading to the grocery store all help cut waste. 'The climate impact, the embedded water use, all of the labor and different aspects that went into producing that food, that all gets wasted if we don't eat it,' Blackstone said. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockefeller Foundation Launches U.S.-Focused Big Bets Fellowship
12 leading innovators in Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming to advance Food is Medicine solutions, drive economic investment, and increase efficiencies for greater prosperity and wellbeing for communities across the United States. NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation announced its first class of Big Bets Fellows focused on driving transformation for their communities across the United States—from Appalachia and the Midwest to the East and West Coasts. Over the course of the four-month fellowship, The Rockefeller Foundation will offer these 12 U.S. Big Bets Fellows—who are working in Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming—programming, networking, and professional development opportunities so they can better implement and scale their bold solutions for greater economic growth and healthier, more resilient food systems to help American communities thrive. "Our U.S. Big Bets Fellows represent the very best of America," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "In a time of growing division, these twelve leaders are using their tenacity, innovation, and optimism to bring us closer to one another and to get all Americans, especially those so often left behind, closer to the American Dream. As we have since our founding, The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to support American big bettors, and we are excited for all this latest group will accomplish." Communities across the United States face barriers to opportunity and wellbeing, with 60 percent of American households struggling to afford a quality of life that includes not just food and shelter, but also education, healthcare, and the chance for upward mobility. Harnessing American ingenuity to address the challenges their communities face, the 2025 U.S. Big Bets Fellows are working on bold, locally driven solutions: Alaska – Gretchen Fauske: Empower survivors of domestic and sexual violence to achieve financial independence and break cycles of insecurity, offering financial education, business grants, and access to safe banking options. California – Marina Zhavoronkova: Expand access to high-quality, federally funded construction job opportunities for communities across the United States, including for Veterans, women, and others, through workforce and educational programming. California – Rey Faustino: Leverage cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence, and work with government agencies to streamline how low-income families access critical government services, healthcare providers, and nonprofits. Georgia – Tiffany Terrell: Bring nutritious, locally grown food directly to vulnerable communities via a mobile grocery initiative, improving overall physical health and wellness, reducing food insecurity, and supporting local agriculture. Illinois – Dion Dawson: Reduce food, nutrition, and economic insecurity by logistically connecting the food system and employing local talent to deliver nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables to Chicago communities that need it most. Kentucky – Colby Hall: Expand access to meaningful employment in Eastern Kentucky by harnessing technology and entrepreneurship to reduce systemic barriers to workforce entry, such as reliable childcare and transportation. New Jersey – Catherine Wilson: Provide opportunities for low-to-moderate income residents to invest in community developed housing, generating financial returns for residents and creating a cooperative economy. New York – Melissa Bukuru: Enhance low-income workers' wellbeing and financial security by working with employers to increase employees' access to financial coaching, employee savings accounts, and other wealth-building tools. Oklahoma – Jennifer Hankins: Invest in Tulsa's innovative future, supporting the city's entrepreneurs, workforce, and infrastructure through workforce training, attracting and developing new businesses, and supporting industry needs such as the energy transition, building from Tulsa's strengths as a former oil capital of the world. Pennsylvania – Alexandre Imbot: Reinvent convenience stores as retail food pharmacies, making nutritious, fresh food more affordable and available, reducing future healthcare costs and supporting communities often characterized as "food deserts." West Virginia – Jacob Hannah: Revitalize rural Appalachian communities by leveraging local talent to transform dilapidated property into attractive investments for businesses, which then generate additional job opportunity and future prosperity. Wyoming – Paul Huberty: Strengthen Indigenous economies by disrupting status quos to increase access to capital, training, and technical and other assistance to support investments that create jobs, increase wages, and foster small business development in Wind River. Since 1913, The Rockefeller Foundation has worked with partners across political, sector, state, and community lines to deliver results for people in the United States. Over that history, The Rockefeller Foundation has made investments in public health, scientific research, economic opportunity, and more. Since 2005 alone, The Rockefeller Foundation has invested nearly $3 billion in the United States, across every state in the nation, to advance Food is Medicine initiatives, tax policies that work better for American workers and their families, and efforts to expand economic opportunities for all. The Big Bets Fellowship began in 2024, with 16 fellows who are developing scalable solutions to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. During the course of their fellowship, these leaders sharpened their theories of change, developed skills to build and navigate unlikely partnerships, and crafted compelling stories to mobilize resources and support. For example, 2024 Fellow Marcela Angel reflected on her organization's theory of change, which was using technical solutions to predict landslides, and expanded it encompass other natural events. She is now spinning off a research center from MIT to scale the solution. Valmir Ortega was inspired by a fellow class member to expand his organization's model to new markets and Carlos Mango refined his impact measurement approach to support diversified funding engagements. About The Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the wellbeing of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation. View original content: SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation Sign in to access your portfolio
