The significant role played by innovation in today’s world cannot be overemphasized. It has a unique and specialized part it is playing in the overall performance of systems and structures across the globe. However, with the rapid increase in technological evolutions, innovation imposes a greater threat to living things and the earth as a whole. It has altered its climate, causes pollution, brings about erosion, leads to disasters, among several others. This is why it becomes important to implement sustainability as an important measure during the design and development of these materials.
Sustainability in innovation involves the development of material that are friendly to the environment and living things. As the human population increases, the need to grow and supply more food increases which brings about a non-regulated manufacturing of food, thus, less sustainability to the environment. Right from the application of organic residues and mineral fertilizers to the soil for the increase of the soil nutrient which subsequently increase the emissions of greenhouse gases in the soil. Also, the so applied fertilizers end up running off into waterways or disintegrated by soil microbes which releases nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
Aside this, various machinery and devices used in the processing of agricultural produces all make use of fossil fuels which are great contributors of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Furthermore, wastage of food as a result of excessive supply or lack of proper preservative measure also affects the environment and renders it unsustainable to survive in. For example, in Canada approximately $31 billion of food are wasted every year. Scientific research revealed that food waste give rise to about 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is a greenhouse gas known for its significant contribution to climate change. In these regards, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported that almost 1.3 billion tons of food manufactured for consumption were either lost or wasted on a yearly basis.
The term sustainability of food refers to the collective responsibility imposed on all for the production, distribution, preservation, and consumption of nutritious and safe food within the society. It not only helps in the protection and enhancement of our natural environment but also improve the quality of living presently and in years to come. In today’s world, our diet has drastically been shifted from diary product to meat. The former which are of course sustainable and consumable with little or no processing have been considered outdated and no longer viewed as important. Ranging from fresh seafood, beef, bizarre vegetables and fruits, and most especially chicken, we have left our fate to the careless hand of globalization, refrigeration and factory farming. It is quite important that we take proper care of what we eat. The required amount of calorie to be consumed by an individual depends on certain factors such as lifestyle, age, sex, height, size, and overall general health. Averagely, the recommended calorie consumable for men and women in the United States, for example, is around 2,500 and 2,000 respectively (on a daily basis).
According the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the emissions globally recorded which comes from livestock only amounts to approximately 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide. Now, this percentage represent 14.5% of the total global emissions of greenhouse gases (anthropogenic) recorded every year. All these considered, the important of changing our diets to save the environment and the generations to come is now apparent. Even if the world’s focus on meat in shifted to diaries, it is still worthy to consider seasonal foods and less intensive production processes in the manufacturing of these products. According to Bee Wilson, in his book “The Way We Eat Now”: ‘From the poverty-obesity link to how supply chains push for a dietary monoculture, it is harder than ever to eat healthy’.
The world is already waking up to reality as people are changing their diets already. A survey carried out by the Vegan Society in 2019 reported that 600,000 people were found to be vegans in Britain which is an increased value from 276,000 recorded as of 2016. Also, 14% of the population in the United Kingdom referred to themselves as a “flexitarian”, according to YouGov. Various restaurants and supermarkets are now focusing much on meat-free products and other fast-food giants have started introducing plant-based items to their meat-focused menus. It is indeed an awesome development but that’s way little to what is expected if everyone should that up sustainability of the environment as a responsibility. The FAO also made notable statement on the adding of edible insects to our diets as they reportedly contain high quality protein, vitamins and amino acids for humans. Thus, edible insects have been advocated as a sustainable source of protein since it has more nutritional value with less impact on our planet than some conservative protein source.
Furthermore, an organization based in Brussels which is known as the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) was established to promote the transition of the whole world into sustainable food systems. Lastly, many measures have been put in place to regulate the consumption high nutrient feed rather than heavily processed food that lack the necessary nutrients. Farmers have been made to understand the important of self-sufficiency. To do this, we need to feed ourselves, grow our own food or better still, buy them from a locally trusted producers to ensure food security which must not be compromised.
Some companies have taken up alternative protein manufacturing, these companies include: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, Cargill, Roquette Freres Le Romain, Ingredion, Kerry Group, Dupont De Nemours and Company NOW Health Group, Tate & Lyle PLC, Axiom Foods, AMCO Proteins, Beneo GmbH, Corbion NV, Wilmar International Ltd, CHS Inc, Farbest Brands, amount several others. All of these companies carried out the development and production of proteins for edible, diaries alternative, food & beverages, natural products & dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic applications. Their portfolio include: protein hydrolysates, vegetable proteins, milk protein, whey protein, sugars & syrups, raw pea protein, hexane-free protein, protein powder, bakery products, meat substitutes, snacks and cereals among several others.
In conclusion, it has been well established the major problem faced by the world in term of what we eat is caused by globalization and shifted focus on diary products. This has caused much pain to the world in term of addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, pollution of its waterways, and the reduction of the food’s nutrients. A common and major effect of all these is climate change which has bring about many disasters such as acid rain and the likes. It is now important that the world change the way and manners which food and manufactured and consumed to avoid paying a greater price for industrially processed foods. It is going to be greater because we would have to compensate for every impact it has on health, social welfarism, and the environment. To ensure food sustainability, we must eat consume what the farmers in our region produce using the common and sustainable production methods.
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