Category: Blog Posts

Author: Ashton Knatz

The term “sustainability” has become a buzzword in many different discussions going on today, but what exactly does “sustainability” mean in terms of food choices? When we discuss how your food choices can impact sustainability, we are talking about food choices that are good for your body and the environment. There are many ways to incorporate sustainability into your food purchases. Three great ways to start are by considering vegetarian and vegan options,
looking for organic items, and shopping locally.

More people are making the switch to plant-based eating as more evidence has come out that these diets are highly beneficial for human and environmental health. Research shows that plant-centric diets yield lower carbon dioxide emissions [1], as well as provide protection against heart disease and diabetes, among other diseases [2]. There are lots of vegetarian and vegan swaps you can make, such as egg substitutes, meatless patties, and more. Making even one or two sustainable choices can have a great impact. For this post, I’m going to focus on plant-based milks. There are lots of plant-based milks to choose from, including almond, soy, rice, oat, and even macadamia nut milk! Let’s take a look at the rundown of plant-based milks and see which one is the best choice in terms of carbon emissions and water use.

Image Source: https://www.statista.com/chart/22659/cows-milk-plant-milk-sustainability/

According to this graphic, the production of oat and soy milk use the least amount of water and generate the least carbon emissions, and so they have minimal impacts on the environment compared to cow’s milk. However, another component that must be considered is the packaging and transport time for these milks. If you live in New York, and your oat milk is being transported from California, then there’s a significant amount of carbon emissions still being
released from the lengthy transport. One way to alleviate the environmental costs of lengthy transport is by shopping locally. Iowa City has a great farmer’s market that is held every Saturday in the summer – if you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend you do so once the summer months arrive again!

Image Source: https://dailyiowan.com/2021/05/03/photos-iowa-city-farmers-market/

In addition to considering vegan and vegetarian food items, look for organically-grown and additive-free food items. Look for the USDA Organic seal on products, which certifies that these products are free from synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and additives. Some supermarkets are now devoting sections of their stores to organic food, and smaller grocery stores, such as New Pioneer Co-Op, are almost entirely devoted to organic, sustainable food. According to the Organic Trade Association, the organic label is the most heavily regulated and closely-monitored food system in the United States, and is backed by very strict processing regulations [3].

Image Source: https://ota.com/organic-101/organic-standards

In conclusion, some great ways to begin incorporating sustainability into your food choices are considering vegetarian and vegan options, focusing on organic food items, and shopping local whenever you can. These might seem daunting, but implementing even one change has huge benefits. Sustainability promotes better health among consumers, and making simple changes to move towards a more sustainable lifestyle is something that will benefit you and the environment. If you have any questions about the content of this post, or about food sustainability in general, please feel free to leave a comment on this post. Thank you so much for reading!

Research Bibliography:
1Springmann, M., Godfray, H. C. J., Rayner, M., & Scarborough, P. (2016). Analysis and
valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, 113(15), 4146–4151. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1523119113
2Good Nutrition. (2019). Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition
3Organic Standards | OTA. (n.d.). Ota.com. https://ota.com/organic-101/organic-standards

Author: Grace Kollman

Did you know that over 25 percent of what goes into the Iowa City Landfill is food waste? That is about 34,000 tons of food every year in Johnson County alone [1]. Food that ends up in landfills creates the harmful greenhouse gas methane. Methane is over 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide and can lead to local air pollution and climate change [2]. So what can you do about these staggering statistics? The answer is as simple as adding another trash bin to your kitchen.

Composting is the act of separating organic waste such as food scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells from other waste so that it may be recycled. Composting is an easy way for us to work against climate change by making a small change in our everyday lives. When food is composted micro-organisms break down the biodegradable material into compost that can be used as fertilizer. Beyond serving as a great source of nutrients for plants, using compost as fertilizer has benefits to its environment at large. According to the EPA, compost reduces and in some cases eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers [3]. The use of chemical fertilizer can be incredibly damaging to the environment through water pollution, air pollution, soil acidification, and mineral depletion [4]. By reducing the need for these toxic chemical fertilizers, compost aids reforestation, wetlands respiration, and habitat revitalization efforts by improving contaminated, compacted and marginal soils [5]. Compost also helps water retention in soils which allows us to stretch valuable resources further [6].

I think you get the picture: chemical fertilizers are bad and organic compost is good! Do I have you
convinced yet? If I have your head spinning from all the doom and gloom of the damage food waste disposed of improperly can do to our environment, then rest assured, because the solution is just a few clicks and a cute little trashcan away.

The first step to composting in Johnson County is requesting a yellow-topped compost bin through an online form here. The bin comes in a 25 gallon or 95 gallon size and will be delivered right to your address. Composting services cost $2 a month which will be automatically added to the Johnson County utility bill that is associated with your address. Once you have your compost bin it’s good to be aware of the kinds of things that go in it! Here is a list of all the things that are and are not considered accepted items for the compost bin. In addition to the items listed below, Johnson County also accepts yard waste in the yellow-topped compost bin.

Once you have successfully separated your compostable waste from your non compostable waste, all that’s left to do is bring your new compost bin to the curb with the rest of your waste bins whatever day the trash is picked up in your neighborhood. It really is as simple as that! Once you have incorporated this easy step into your daily routine you are on your way to a more sustainable lifestyle with every food scrap composted. Be sure to stick around the EnvironHawks blog to learn more ways you can make small differences in your life to create a better and more sustainable future!

Sources

1. Icgov.org. 2022. Organics (Food and Yard Waste) | City of Iowa City. [online] Available at:
   <https://www.icgov.org/foodwaste> [Accessed 10 February 2022].
2. Icgov.org. 2022. Organics (Food and Yard Waste)
3. US EPA. 2021. Reducing the Impact of Wasted Food by Feeding the Soil and Composting | US EPA.
   [online] Available at:
   <https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/reducing-impact-wasted-food-feeding-soil-and-comp
   osting#benefits> [Accessed 10 February 2022].
4. Hunt, J., 2022. Harmful Effects of Chemical Fertilizers. [online] Hunker. Available at:
   <https://www.hunker.com/12401292/harmful-effects-of-chemical-fertilizers> [Accessed 12 February 2022].
5. US EPA. 2021. Reducing the Impact of Wasted Food
6. US EPA. 2021. Reducing the Impact of Wasted Food