3.1 How does a hamburger impact the environment?

Information for Planning & Teaching

Background Knowledge

Food Waste and Food Loss:

Food waste and food loss are both terms used to describe the loss or wastage of food, but they refer to different stages in the food supply chain.

Food loss occurs during the production, post-harvest, and processing stages of the food supply chain. It typically refers to the decrease in quantity or quality of food intended for human consumption. Food loss can happen due to various reasons such as inadequate infrastructure, improper handling, pests, diseases, and natural disasters. For example, if a farmer's crop is damaged by pests or extreme weather conditions, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of usable food, it would be considered food loss.

On the other hand, food waste occurs at the later stages of the food supply chain, specifically at the retail and consumer levels. It refers to the discarding or wastage of food that is still suitable for human consumption. Food waste often happens due to factors such as overbuying, improper storage, expiration dates, or aesthetic preferences. For instance, when individuals throw away expired or leftover food from their homes or when restaurants discard unconsumed food, it would be considered food waste.

In summary, food loss happens before the food reaches the consumer, during production and processing stages, while food waste occurs after the food reaches the consumer, at the retail and consumer levels. Both food loss and food waste contribute to global food insecurity, economic losses, and environmental problems, so efforts to reduce both are important in ensuring sustainable food systems.

If meat is so bad for the environment and for our health, Is the answer simply not eating meat ? Are there the same issues with all kinds of meat? (e.g chicken, pork?)

First, there are significant differences in the production efficiency and consequent energy use in the processing of the major classes of meat. For example, 8 kg of cereal are needed to produce 1 kg of beef meat, whereas 4 kg of cereal are needed to produce 1 kg of pork meat and only 1 kg of cereal is needed to produce 1 kg of chicken meat. Moreover, it may be possible to increase the efficiency of meat production through better rearing or improved breeding.

Second, a significant proportion of livestock continue to be grass-fed. This practice takes place in land that is often not suitable for crops without major investments. Using this type of land even to indirectly feed people can have possible adverse environmental effects. Pigs and poultry on the other hand are often fed on human food waste.

Finally, in developing countries, meat represents the most concentrated source of some vitamins and minerals, which are important, particularly for young children. Livestock also are used for ploughing and transport. They can provide a local supply of manure and can be a vital source of income. They are of huge cultural importance for many poorer communities.

Lesson Timing

Student Ideas & Experiences

Although this lesson uses the Cape Town Water Crisis as the launching phenomenon, students will most likely already have experiences relating the water scarcity and quality. We recommend using what students already know to introduce new topics as much as possible.

For example, students who are familiar with Mexico or who have family there will be aware not everyone in Mexico has access to clean and safe drinking water. Depending on their experiences, they might also know that this lack of access disproportionately affects marginalized communities, including those in rural areas and informal settlements. Although Mexico has come a long way in treating the Cholera outbreaks that were common before 2000, problems with infrastructure and water treatment still exist.

The instructor can use this background knowledge to facilitate a conversation about how water quality and availability are problems across the world. Therefore, we should learn about this issue because it can affect any one of us.

Other ideas students might come to the classroom with include water availability in California, type of irrigation methods that conserve or use excess water, and lead contamination from the pipes in Flint, Michigan. Additionally, students might have seen the movie Erin Brockovich which is about the groundwater contamination crisis in Hinkley, California, due to carcinogens polluting the water from Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

Science Practices

Teaching Cases