The Human Diet and Sustainability

Frazier Thurman

Winter 2016

A study of the impact of human diet on current economics, the environment,

human health, and global social conditions.

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Introduction

This paper will focus on what many industry leaders consider is the “optimal” human diet by

way of reducing our carbon footprint, conserving and preserving natural resources, beneficially

contributing to human health, and creating safe healthy jobs that support economic viability.

I will discuss how food choice and food production affect many aspects of sustainability and life.

The optimal human diet is not a single idea on its own self sustaining. Human diet has many

impacts in the natural world and is impacted itself by many processes. This paper will attempt

to bridge the gap between health and nutrition and consequence of choice.

I will reference many sources. I will use books, scientific studies, peer reviewed journals,

personal interviews, and documentaries to support that organic, locally grown and produced,

plant based diets are optimal.

I invite you to embrace and enjoy this paper and to look with an open mind at your own

behavior and change as much or as little as you can.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I

cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”

― Edward Everett Hale

*Note, the author believes this diet and lifestyle is optimal for consumers where all categories and conditions

apply. Such diets may not be possible in all places around the world, and for all communities.

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Agriculture and Economics

Food production is one of the major industries of the world; the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations states that global food production worldwide annually is

over 100trillion US$(4). The economic impact of the industry alone is massive and has the

potential to support or suffocate many regions. The US is the top exporter of agricultural

products at 395bill$ in 2012(11). The figure below from the USDA Ag census shows how many

farms and regions in the US make over 30mil$ annually.

More than 2 million people in the US claim their primary occupation is farming (4). This

statistic doesn’t account for migrant workers, seasonal laborers, or family members related to

farmers performing farm work. North Carolina State University (5) reports that 22 million

people in the US work in some capacity related to food production, processing, and sales. At

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Figure 1: From USDA Ag Census Website

less than 2% of the total US population, these employees are working very hard to produce

approx 2000lbs of food per person in the US annually (7).

Food and Farming job security is much lower than in traditional desk jobs. Typically workers

have to follow (8) crop work and do not have guaranteed positions year round. In 2001-2002,

53% of the hired agricultural labor force lacked authorization to work in the United States (12).

Farming is a temperamental business. These numbers and available products can fluctuate

daily/weekly/monthly as determined by ecosystem health, weather, political climate, disease

and pests, and global climate change.

Observing these numbers can help us understand the importance of food, food production, and

agriculture. I’ve stated this introductory information near the beginning to help the reader

begin to imagine the repercussions and consequences of mass food production. My hope is that

as you read this paper you will become more aware of how your food decisions affects the

local, regional, and global economy. Consumption choices affect nearly all of the information

given above, especially in relation to individual energy and resource consumption. Often it is

overlooked the effort assigned to producing a single serving of food, this paper and it’s data

should help individuals grasp this concept in terms of sustainability in society, economics, and

environment.

Conventional and Organic Food Production

Farming has long been considered the job of environmentalists; a traditional picture of people

and families who steward the land, cultivate the soil, and care for animals. But as technology

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has evolved and demand for more food at lower prices has increased; the face of farming has

changed. Industrial Agriculture has taken over inducing large farms of 400+ acres of mostly

cattle, dairies, corn, and soybeans. “In 1900, the average farm size was 147 acres, compared to

441 acres today. Farming and food production utilize nearly 50% of all habitable land in the

world”(9). The top five agricultural commodities are cattle, dairy products, broilers

(chicken), corn and soybeans. U.S. farmers produce 46% of the world's soybeans, 41% of the

world's corn, 20.5% of the world's cotton, and 13% of the world's wheat (14). Corn is the top

agricultural commodity in the US and sold up to 67bill$ in 2012(11). *Note this statistic does not

include the govt. Ag subsidies for unsold commodity corn.

Currently corn is mostly grown in huge monocultures using herbicides, pesticides, and GMO or

treated seeds. Many scientists and real life industries have proven that monocultures severely

destroy native ecosystems. They remove native plant and animal species, as well as habitat, and

disrupt the natural ecosystem cycle by outcompeting for resources or displacement. Currently,

almost every day we lose about 80,000acres of tropical rainforest to industrial Agriculture

worldwide (13).

Another issue with monocultures is that typically they are run until they cannot produce

anymore, such that desertification takes place. As much as 12 million hectares are lost

worldwide to desertification each year (11). The result is land that is non-arable and desolate.

That may have once been a nourishing native prairie now a cracked desert wasteland.

Huge amounts of chemicals in forms of fertilizers, soil conditioners, and pesticides have to be

used to grow non-native crops in such giant amounts. Over the last 30 years alone, more than

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90% of arable farmland in the world has been treated with agrochemical pesticides (10).

Pesticide usage has declined, yet herbicide usage has increased significantly during the same

period. “In 2007, the U.S. agriculture sector used 877 million pounds of pesticides (12).”

When ecosystems and habitats are destroyed, soil health is negatively impacted. Soil that is

unhealthy, compacted, or has been heavily eroded from too much tillage cannot be penetrated

by these chemicals and so you end up with the problem of runoff. Runoff is any applied

products that do not penetrate the soil and that are washed or swept away by wind, water,

animals, and natural occurrences to anywhere else (18). Runoff leads to issues like ocean

eutrophication; ocean dead zones like that in the Gulf of Mexico, polluted water resources,

contaminated soils, and hazardous bio-wastes.

Organic Agriculture is limited to a few natural fertilizers and chemicals as described by the

National List under the National Organic Program (22). Due to these contentions organic farms

tend to employ more people, grow more diversity on a single farm, and grow equal amounts of

food matter per acre (23).

In accordance with Organic food handling requirements, these food products must be kept

separate from conventional products and labeled as such (22). Organic crops have been tested

in many studies and actually show them containing more nutrients than conventionally

produced crops and less likely to carry harmful toxic substances (24).

From my experience studying Horticulture at OSU and being involved in the community, I’ve

had the pleasure of meeting and exploring many local organic farms and orchards. All of them

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have diversified interests. Not even a single farm I’ve visited on those trips were monoculture

growing environments; further perpetuating that organic growers contribute more by way of

soil rejuvenation and conservation of resources than conventional growers.

The Co-Operative Experience

First Alternative Co-Op was founded in 1970 out of a small house in downtown Corvallis. It

began as a store share where members could order bulk products together that they could not

otherwise find in the city. It evolved into a South town storefront where not only members, but

the public could also shop to find natural and organic brands and produce. Since then First Alt

has opened a second store, created a board of directors and joined the Natural Cooperative

Grocers Association to combine forces and impact change throughout the region and the

country. The co-op is an interesting place where on any given day you may find OSU footballers

purchasing party pigs, townies shopping the u-grind peanut butter, or out-of-towners getting a

snack from the deli salad bar.

The co-op is a Mecca for diversity; especially in products. We carry fair trade, Rainforest alliance

certified, Vegan, Gluten free, Organic, Local, Paleo, Dairy free, Soy free, and many other natural

products; mostly determined by our board of directors, our members, and customer

comments. We have most departments a standard grocery store would have including:

Grocery, Bulk, Dairy, Chill, Meats, Deli, and Produce.

The emphasis of the co-op however is that we cooperate with our community, employees, and

members to create the vision that best suits all. First alternative is increasingly concerned with

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sustainability efforts and has many employees on the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition. We also

use solar panels and grey water recycling systems within the store. We focus on purchasing and

selling products that are ethically sourced and produced.

Perhaps the greatest thing, of which I enjoy most, about being a part of the co-op community is

the environment of ideas and creativity that are nurtured here. Co-Op members and staff share

ideas and information together in a protected space and creativity can flourish. It is here that a

lot of my food production and diet related ideas were both confirmed and challenged.

In my position of a produce stocker, I have had the absolute pleasure of working with large

scale organic farmers, local food producers, and organic wholesalers alike. The produce

department orders from a variety of these and tries its best to support local and organic

farmers. A key characteristic of produce and the store itself is that product origin is emphasized

as to be completely translucent with the customers. In produce, each sign has the origin printed

on it offering some of the back story to the public. The Produce team periodically takes field

trips to local farms where we source some of our produce. Here is where we get to see

firsthand, and subsequently share with the community, the processes we are purposefully

supporting.

The Local Food Movement

One such idea that is particularly important to food co-ops is supporting local business.

Nowadays, most people and politicians are concerned about reducing the carbon footprint that

we all have. Many people consider transportation the largest impact area. The largest impact

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area may actually be food. At a contributing 17% (16) of a person’s total carbon footprint the

kind of food, location originated and purchased from, and packaging contribute to the overall

‘foodprint’.

Locally purchased food means that it originated from the same area it was sold in. Typically a

store or community will define ‘Local’ by counties, or miles the product may have travelled. In

Oregon, we’re really lucky because we essentially live in a food paradise. At any time, I can

purchase any number of sodas, bread, beer, wine, desserts, rice, grains, fruit, vegetables,

canned goods, and even prepared foods made of solely locally grown foods. This mostly is not

true for citizens of other regions or climates. However that does not change my belief and the

science that locally grown and sold food has a lower carbon footprint than mass produced and

transported food items.

A huge dietary benefit of eating locally sourced whole foods is that the food retains more of its

original nutrition. Due to the simple fact that it did not (typically) go through a freeze and thaw

cycle, and it will (typically) be consumed closer to the date it was harvested. Local food is

fresher and more than likely more healthful for those of us that can get it.

Purchasing locally grown or produced is in effect a way to support your community and

ultimately yourself. The money spent within your community circulates and is spent more

wisely than at a global scale. If you track a dollar spent at a farmers market, or a food co-op you

may find that it is much more likely to remain in the community for longer than money spent at

large corporate food stores.

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Where you get your food is not the only determinant of its foodprint. There are other

considerations that affect the energy used to produce, transport, and sell food products.

It’s not you; it’s Meat.

..and it’s so much more than meat. The Agri-lobby has found a way to process pretty much

every food type that you may buy today; from sweeteners, to artificial flavors and colors, meat

and dairy products to food additives or preservatives (17) (20). But meat may have the best

case for the worst kind of food. Confined Animal Feeding Operations are the most commonly

used model to produce large amounts of meat and dairy without spending large money. CAFO’s

are essentially animal feedlots where there has been documented criticism of animal welfare

and treatment as well as waste disposal and pollution issues, obtuse water mismanagement

problems, and general unpleasantness (18).

Anyone familiar with CAFOs probably knows that the feed used in these conditions is less than

ideal. “Less than ideal” in this case is a gross overstatement. Most corporately managed animal

facilities use antibiotics, spent grains, and even recycled animal products to fatten up animals in

a shorter time with less expensive inputs (18).

There are more than a dozen plant based foods that supply more protein per serving than meat

along with fiber and other phytonutrients that meat does not have. Below is a table

representing various plant based foods that deliver powerful protein in a punch!

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Get back in the kitchen!

“A true key to good health is to own a pan and a spatula.” –Anonymous

Indeed, learning how to cook may have the largest impact on community health than even

exercise and nutrition education (20). The decline of a home cooked meal began around the

time of World War 2, when both

parents of a family where working

to support the war effort (25). A

new product arose out of the war

machine: “convenience foods”

Meals that were based in corn and

starch, in single serving or family

packages that could be easily

slipped in to the oven or

microwave a few minutes ahead of

diner time.

Agri-business and the government

(who was subsidizing this

development during and after

WW2) suggesting mass marketing convenience foods to the public. These foods were originally

designed for deployed war rations and are the original American TV dinner.

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Today we are facing an epidemic of unhealthy and overweight people. Check out this statistic,

“The average American consumes about 23 teaspoons of added sugars and sweeteners per day;

the American Heart Association recommends between 5 and 9 teaspoons daily for an average

adult. More than 68% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese (body mass index 25+), and 17% of

children age 2-19 are obese (12) (21)”. Diet contributes to heart disease, certain cancers, and

stroke—the three leading causes of U.S. deaths (12).

Many health problems today are diet-related and may be simply eliminated by removing

processed foods from the diet (21). If you can cook at least 90% of your meals at home

centered on whole ingredients; you will be doing yourself a huge favor. Food is nutrition,

nutrition is medicine. Therefore “Let food be thy medicine” – Hippocrates.

Perspective and Conclusions

My experience of having worked at the Co-Op in Corvallis, studying food personally, studying

agriculture and sustainability at OSU has led me to believe a few statements.

The first is that Agriculture has the largest impact on each person’s carbon footprint and the

decision is enhanced by their diet. Products we choose to buy and consume determine the

amount of energy spent and emissions produced. Organically grown and produced food should

be priority over conventional because of this foodprint and health concerns.

Second, that in order to foster a sustainable future, we must purchase and consume in a

specific way. Food should be purchased locally, or have travelled the least amount of miles and

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be minimally packaged. Local food not only provides cash flow to a community but also

negative energy consumption by way of fossil fuels.

Third; to achieve optimal health and nutrition from diet we must eat whole foods and have

meals be plant based. We can no longer ignore the science that processed foods are poisoned,

making us sick, and in many cases killing us. Those foods high in fat and sugar are not our allies.

Nutrient dense foods like who grains, vegetables, and legumes should be center at the

breakfast, lunch, and dinner table. There are many ways to eat; there are many things to eat.

But there is only a few ways to achieve optimum health through diet; a healthy diet is

composed of whole foods and is plant based.

Works Cited:

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J. Pretty, S. Robinson, S. M. Thomas, and C. Toulmin. "Food Security: The

Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People." Science 327.5967 (2010): 812-18. Web.

Jan.-Feb. 2016.

2. Goodland, Robert. "Environmental Sustainability in Agriculture: Diet Matters."

Ecological Economics 23.3 (1997): 189-200. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2016.

3. G.R.I.D. Arendal http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/food-crisis/page/3562.aspx

4. Food and agriculture Organzation of the United Nations Website

http://www.fao.org/economic/ess/ess-wca/en/

5. USDA Ag Census 2007 -2012

http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Online_Resources/Ag_Atlas_Maps

/Economics/Market_Value_of_Agricultural_Products_Sold/12-M012.php

6. North Carolina State University Agriculture Statistics

https://www.cals.ncsu.edu/CollegeRelations/AGRICU.htm

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7. "USDA ERS - U.S. Agricultural Trade." USDA ERS - U.S. Agricultural Trade. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 10 June 2016.

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http://www.agday.org/media/factsheet.php

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18. http://water.usgs.gov/owq/AFO/proceedings/afo/index.html (*note* contains 5

speeches/discussions from a USGS conference on CAFOs)

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Heart: Nutrition Education and Improving Diet Quality through Culinary Skill-based

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Scientific American 309.3 (2013): 50-55. Web. 10 June 2016.

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(2013): 146-147. Business Source Premier. Web. 10 June 2016.

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2016.

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Perspective. Victoria: CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2006. Ebook Library. Web. 10 Jun.

2016.

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24. Youngberg, Garth, and Suzanne P. Demuth. "Organic Agriculture in the United

States: A 30-year Retrospective." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems Renew.

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25. Collingham, E. M. The Taste of War: World War Two and the Battle for Food. London: Allen Lane, 2011. Print.

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