Author: Shana Murphy

On April 17^th, 2024, we (YPO’s Social Impact Network) hosted an empowering online session, that explored the critical issues of food security, waste management, and sustainability on a global scale. Kirk Haney (YPO Gold), the Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Radicle Growth, and Andrew McCue, Sustainability Consultant at Metabolic, lead the discussion, offering actionable insights for YPOers and YNGers to integrate into their daily lives and businesses.

As the YNG Food Security Champion for YPO’s Social Impact Network, I wanted to create an online event filled with interesting information, from a fresh perspective, and an interactive element (breakout rooms to formulate your personal food-related “moonshots”) to engage the audience. Ultimately, I wanted attendees to be motivated to take action and make a difference in their daily lives. To support this goal, we created a PDF with a list of action items and a roadmap so that they were left with tangible takeaways.

If this sounds interesting to you and you are a member of YPO, feel free to check out the recording.

I completed my capstone project (see ‘Bachelor Thesis’ tab on my website) with the Centre Region Council of Governments (COG) on their ‘Food Scraps Drop-off Pilot Program’.

My community partner, the COG, will be using my executive summary, report, and some other pieces in the application process to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). My work will also be used as the foundation going forward as the COG applies for grants and other funding sources. Next semester (2024) a Penn State senior will work together with the COG, building upon my findings to work towards a permanent food scraps drop-off program.

“Thank you for all your hard work on this project. Once again, I congratulate you and want you to know how much I appreciate the comprehensive and useful nature of the work you have done (Mato, COG Refuse & Recycling Administrator, 2023)”.

One of the many effects of anthropocentric climate change felt by many around the globe is the tendency for certain places to experience more extreme temperatures. This change in extreme weather patterns has caused the hottest summers on record, as well as freezing winters. Take for example the heat waves all over Europe in the last summers or the 2021 snowstorm, known as The Great Texas Freeze (NCEI, 2023). Humanity must be prepared for more such events and find innovative ways to work with nature to find solutions that make us as comfortable as possible when facing these situations. At the same time, we must continue on the path of lowering emissions and working towards a sustainable future. It is estimated that heating and cooling of spaces make up about half of all energy consumed on the earth (IRENA, n.d). Where does the energy for this come from? The majority of the energy used comes from non-renewable sources, contributing to more emissions. Conventional air conditioning units consume much energy, greatly increasing one’s energy bill, and using gases that can be harmful to the earth.

“…refrigerant vapours such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons which are greenhouse gases thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide if they leak into the atmosphere” (Peterson, 2022).

As the extreme temperatures increase, so will the demand for cooling. This REUTERS article mentions a technology that is energy efficient, sustainable, and effective at cooling down buildings in the hot months. The river Seine is being used as a source of natural air conditioning in Paris (Cimini, 2023). This so-called urban cooling system uses the cold river water to provide energy to cooling power stations. The cool water circulates through buildings in underground pipes (Cimini, 2023). More innovative solutions, that take sustainability aspects into account and the natural geography of a place, must be implemented all around the world.

Reference:

Cimini, A. (2023, September 4). Paris aims to expand urban cooling system that uses Seine River Water. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-aims-expand-urban-cooling-system-that-uses-seine-river-water-2023-09-04/

The Great Texas freeze: February 11-20, 2021. National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). (2023, February 24). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-texas-freeze-february-2021

Peterson, E. (2022, November 10). These air conditioner alternatives are cheaper – and better for the planet. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/air-conditioner-alternatives-cheaper-better-planet?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social_video&utm_term=1_1&utm_content=31946_Paris_Seine_cool&utm_campaign=social_video_2023

Power to heat and cooling: Status . Status. (n.d.). https://www.irena.org/Innovation-landscape-for-smart-electrification/Power-to-heat-and-cooling/Status

In this Bloomberg article, author Shanker calls the problem of food waste in the US to attention. She addresses the subject of food insecurity stating that according to the USDA, 33.8 million people were living in a food-insecure household in 2021 (Shanker, 2023). At the same time, there has been an overproduction of food, causing massive disparities within this sector. Shockingly over 36% of food ended up in landfills (Shanker, 2023).

Food waste is also the topic of my capstone project (Bachelor Thesis). I am working together with the Center Country Recycling and Refuse Authority (PA) to divert household food scraps from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, in an effort to reduce emissions. Thus, the food scraps drop-off pilot project was born to turn household organic waste into compost. There are 5 local locations where participants can drop off their organics. It will be my job to assess the success and long-term viability of such a drop-off program based on the data gathered from the pilot project.

During the decomposition of such organic food waste in landfills, many potent greenhouse gases (GHG) are released into the atmosphere. In particular methane, a potent GHG, accounted for almost 15% of total methane emissions in the entire US in 2021 (EPA, n.d). Although landfills have become more sophisticated and regulated, they are still not a sustainable way of dealing with waste. There is no good reason why food waste has to end up in landfills.  It can be instead used to create compost or biogas, helping to cut back on emissions.

Organizations such as GOODR are helping fight against food waste directly at the source, by engaging in food rescue and distributing it to the underserved populations.

I strongly believe that we all can and must do our part in reducing our food waste. There are many ways this can be achieved:

• Partake in composting (at home or participating in local collection programs)
• Buying less food at the same time (to keep it from spoiling)
• Rescuing food (buying from Too Good To Go…etc.)
• Looking at and understanding the meaning of ‘sell by’ and ‘best by’ dates

We should also be aware of projects, such as the app Too Good To Go, which connects restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores, with customers to buy the leftover items from that day at a fraction of the price. This is a win-win situation as it reduces food waste and costs to consumers at the same time.

Reference:

Basic information about landfills | US EPA. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). https://www.epa.gov/landfills/basic-information-about-landfills

Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority, Pennsylvania. (n.d.). https://www.centrecountyrecycles.org/

Feed more, waste less. Goodr. (n.d.). https://goodr.co/

Save Food – Help The Planet. Save Food – Help The Planet – Too Good To Go. (n.d.). https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-us

Shanker, D. (2023, April 20). The US has a food waste problem and it’s getting worse. Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-20/the-us-has-a-food-waste-problem-and-it-s-getting-worse

This World Economic Forum article talks about water scarcity and the innovative technologies that are being used to produce food for human consumption without relying on traditional methods of agriculture. The authors state that approximately 70% of the global freshwater resources are used for agricultural purposes (Burrows, 2023). This is just astounding, especially when seen in relation to the prediction made by the authors of another study (Impact of wastewater irrigation on soil attributes – ScienceDirect), concluding that “around 60% of the global population is expected to experience the physical unavailability of freshwater by the year 2025” (Singh et al., 2023).

So-called CEA (controlled environment agriculture), which includes methods such as vertical farming and incorporates technologies such as machine learning will be essential for the future (Burrows, 2023). Burrows emphasizes that traditional large-scale agriculture is needed, however the transition to growing crops suited for indoor environments such as lettuces and herbs can be greatly beneficial when done correctly. This means, analyzing the characteristics of the country that one is considering growing in, such as the weather of that region, as well as the possibilities to use renewable energies. Taking all these things into consideration will help come to a conclusion if there will be emissions saved. This is not always as straightforward to determine as one might think. There are the costs and emissions associated with transportation, raw materials needed to build the building, as well as physical structures used to grow the plants.

Agriculture is undoubtedly essential for human survival, yet the industry causes much damage to the environment and perpetuates anthropocentric climate change. Today we still have many problems with erosion, degradation of land, lower soil quality, overuse of pesticides leading to loss of biodiversity, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, as well as much water being wasted are all things that the agriculture industry have to deal with.

Growing techniques that focus on sustainability, i.e. using less water and incorporating renewable energy sources, are a great opportunity for reducing emissions as the agriculture industry is responsible for creating around 9.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide (FAO, 2018). Consumers have a voice in demanding industries to change. We have purchasing power and can promote sustainable brands or not.

 YASAI ‘grow more with less’ is one such Swiss vertical farm led by a team of young entrepreneurs. They are currently growing a variety of herbs that can be found in the leading grocery chains in Switzerland. Many benefits can certainly be seen in these new-aged growing techniques. As this industry continues to grow, there is much hope that it will become more sustainable and adopt holistic approaches.

Reference:

Burrows, J. (n.d.). Vertical farming uses 98% less water than traditional agriculture. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/06/how-vertical-farming-can-save-water-and-support-food-security/

Singh, V., & Kumar, A. (2022, November 30). Impact of wastewater irrigation on soil attributes. Advances in Chemical Pollution, Environmental Management and Protection. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468928922000065

Vertical farming uses 98% less water than traditional agriculture. World Economic Forum. (n.d.). https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/06/how-vertical-farming-can-save-water-and-support-food-security/

Yasai vertical farming: Switzerland. YASAI. (n.d.). https://www.yasai.earth/

This article written in the Economist entails the tragic details of the fight to preserve the rainforests. Specifically, what Brazil’s national park agents are doing to protect the Amazon rainforest from being exploited for its raw materials. The team of agents uses satellite images to find the locations of so-called ‘wildcatters’, this is a grueling and dangerous task. These criminals partake in deforestation, cutting the forest down with chainsaws or using slash-and-burn tactics. Sometimes they are after the timber, while other times  their intention is to get below ground to mine for gold, other precious metals and minerals.

Maia writes “The destruction of the world’s rainforests is not only a scandal; it is a colossal market failure” (Maia, p.2, 2023). This loss of biodiversity is truly a tragedy for the local region and people, but also for the entire globe. The impacts of biodiversity loss, affect us all in the long term and people tend to be too greedy and ignorant of these facts. The forest is essential in things like, carbon sequestration and the water cycle. Maia states that 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions stem from / can be traced back to deforestation (Maia, p.2, 2023). Here is a good breakdown of the drivers of deforestation (sectioned off into producers and consumers) (Ritchie, 2021). In poor nations like the Congo, the unavailability of things, such as machines and chainsaws, is a blessing for the forest (Maia, p.8, 2023). However, it is only a matter of time before these countries and its people get exploited, bringing some temporary gains, such as economic benefits and employment, but at the cost of the long-term health and wellbeing of society and the natural world.

Maia states that when looked at from a holistic standpoint, the gains and profits being made by selling these raw materials are practically cents in comparison to the cost of the true damage being done. Maia says “On average, a hectare of freshly cleared pasture sells for about $1,200. Not counting the effect on biodiversity, the social costs of Amazonian deforestation are about 30 times the benefits, estimates Dr Nepstad.” (Maia, p.2, 2023). Thus, the cost to the environment and society is not being considered. If we want to keep warming to below 1.5 or 2.0, in accordance with the Paris Agreement, then we must pay for the carbon emissions that we are causing. Maia says that many of these problems should be fixed by the governments of the world.

The concept of property rights (defining legal rights over who owns property and how that property can be used) is also introduced as being a missing piece in countries such as Brazil and Indonesia. There is little to no defined ownership, and no one feels responsible for the protection of this land. Thus, there are no stewards who protect the land. Lack of law enforcement, coupled with corruption is oftentimes a fatal hand for nature. In Brazil, it is apparent, that with every new government that comes into power, the laws regarding nature preservation change with the agendas and politics of that particular party. There are no rules that are set in stone. Without this sense of direction, any regulations are hard to enforce and lose their validity. Often times, they are undermined, becoming more of a joke to those partaking in the illegal actions.

Reference:

Maia, A. (2023). The biggest obstacle to saving rainforests is lawlessness. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/international/2023/02/27/the-biggest-obstacle-to-saving-rainforests-is-lawlessness

Ritchie, H. (2021). Carbon emissions from deforestation: Are they driven by domestic demand or international trade?. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/carbon-deforestation-trade#:~:text=Summary,deforestation%20occurs%20in%20the%20tropics.

What is the Paris Agreement?. Unfccc.int. (n.d.). https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

This article speaks about the role of decarbonization in fields such as construction. Concrete is normally a very carbon and energy intensive material to make. The production of the compound known as clinker is especially energy intensive.

“Clinker is a nodular material which is used as the binder in cement products. Cement is a binding agent that sets and hardens to adhere to building units such as stones, bricks, tiles etc.” (Hasan, n.d).

Thus, a way must be found to either eliminate this material completely or produce it in a more sustainable way. Concrete manufacturing is currently responsible for around 7% of total global carbon dioxide emissions (Gillis et al., 2023). There is a way of decarbonizing this industry. If clinker is still to be used, renewable energies must be used in order to produce it. Alternative substitutes could be used. A study was conducted to analyze the strength of using other clinker alternatives. “Combined use of calcined clay and limestone can be used at much lower levels of clinker than calcined clay alone without reduction in mechanical properties” (Joseph et al., 2023). Thus, in parts of the world where calcined clay is found, it should absolutely be used as an alternative to clinker.

Used coffee grounds are being substituted for sand in the manufacturing processes. In using coffee grounds, a sturdier concrete mixture can be created, as well as reducing the amount of coffee grounds that end up on landfills (Klein, 2023). A researcher at RMIT University in Melbourne discovered that by adding coffee grounds the mixture is 29% stronger than concrete (Klein, 2023).

The good news is that we can see that there are many theoretical ways of integrating techniques to decarbonize the industry. One of them is combining carbon capture facilities within cement plants, as well as using substitutes for traditional materials used in the production of concrete (Gillis et al., 2023). However, a major obstacle remains in the way of making other types of concrete attractive. Namely, the so-called Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), the industry standard. It is engrained into “virtually every building code on the planet” (Gillis et al., 2023). This is a huge hurdle to overcome and there must be a shift away from this standard, in order for the industry to have a chance of move towards decarbonization.

P.S. Do you know about so-called self-healing concrete?

Reference:

Gillis, N. (2023). How to decarbonize concrete and build a better future. GreenBiz. https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-decarbonize-concrete-and-build-better-future

Hasan, S. T. (n.d.). Syeda Tahsin Hasan. Civil Engineering. https://civiltoday.com/civil-engineering-materials/cement/109-difference-between-clinker-and-cement

Joseph, S., Dhandapani, Y., Geddes, D. A., Zhao, Z., Bishnoi, S., Vieira, M., Martirena, F., Castel, A., Kanavaris, F., Bansal, T., & Riding, K. A. (2023, April 26). Mechanical properties of concrete made with calcined clay: A review by Rilem TC-282 CCL – Materials and Structures. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1617/s11527-023-02118-8

Klein, A. (2023, August 22). Recycled coffee grounds can be used to make stronger concrete. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388570-recycled-coffee-grounds-can-be-used-to-make-stronger-concrete/

Self-healing concrete. GCCA. (2021, April 30). https://gccassociation.org/essential-concrete/self-healing-concrete/