# How the Food You Eat Affects the Environment

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/08/how-the-food-you-eat-affects-the-environment/
- Published: 2021-08-18T12:03:35-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Food is necessary to live, and your choices in selecting your food affect your health,
budget, and the environment. It takes a tremendous amount of energy and resources
to produce the nation’s food, and Americans have come to expect readily available
supplies of cheap food.

These production practices to produce vast quantities can harm the environment. 
Today, consuming responsibly requires more than reading [ingredient](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/06/the-high-costs-of-public-housing-energy-payments/)
labels. Consumers need to know where and how their food was produced to select products
with the smallest environmental footprint. To make wise decisions, one must know
what the issues are in producing food. Here are some of the environmental impacts
of mass food production.

![How the food you eat affects the environment](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.
com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/93026932-3E42-4D50-9CF0-FEB5151DF66C.jpg?resize=780%
2C519&quality=52&ssl=1 "How the Food You Eat Affects the Environment - The Green
Living Guy")

## **Land**

Humans use half of the world’s habitable land for agriculture. People around the
globe are destroying natural habitats and ecosystems to clear land for food production.
This can result in the extinction of animal species as wildlife tries to move into
areas that aren’t habitable for them. As farmers cut down trees to make land available
to produce food, deforestation drives [global climate change](https://greenlivingguy.com/2005/05/global-warming-change-a-small-few-non-believers-say-no/).

Choosing healthy is no longer solely a matter of making healthy food choices for
your body. More people should consider the specifics of food production for the 
health of the planet. In Foreign countries, human rights abuses are occurring as
land is being cleared and native and Indigenous people are being run off the areas
they have [lived on and farmed](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/09/how-sustainability-changed-the-world-living-ethos/)
for centuries.

Also, by clearing forests, [wildlife comes in closer contact with humans](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/06/human-ocean-pathogens-microplastics-parasites-impact-wildlife/),
which attributes to the spread of viruses from animals to humans. The demand for
more cattle mostly causes this deforestation. Brazil has one of the largest cattle
industries but also produces other crops such as sugar cane.

Sugar cane is used in several products and is most commonly made into white [sugar, which is sucrose](https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/what-is-sucrose).
Sucrose is a carbohydrate that may not do much damage in small amounts, but it has
negative health effects in large amounts. Sucrose is used in many products, and 
if the [demand was reduced](https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/03/military-energy-reducing-demand-for-fuel/),
land could be saved or utilized for more healthy crops.

## **Water**

According to the [International Water Management Institute](https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/),
agriculture accounts for about 70% of global water withdrawals. Farmers use huge
amounts of fresh water to raise cattle and produce crops. [Waste from livestock pollutes](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/10/roundtable-at-united-nations-focused-on-textiles-circularity/)
rivers and streams. Without water, people won’t have a way to water crops, potentially
disrupting the food supply and could cause scarcity to many populations.

## **Chemical Pollution**

Pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides contaminate land and water and can cause
negative health effects on the human population. Today, a [dead zone is located in the Gulf of Mexico](https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/gulf-of-mexico/stories-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone/)
and covers nearly 9000 square miles. Due to chemical pollutants from food production,
this area has no sea life, fish, or vegetables.

In addition to the dead zones, the effects of some [chemicals](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/02/epa-issues-annual-report-on-chemicals-released-to-land-air-and-water-in-new-jersey/)
are causing native animals to suffer reproductive issues and deformities. Certain
pesticides can affect the nervous system in humans and affect hormones, and may 
cause cancer. Topically skin can irritate or burn when coming in contact with these
chemicals. The runoff of pesticides into the surrounding water can contaminate fresh
water and private wells.

## **Greenhouse Gas Emissions**

Scientists report that food production, including fishing, raising livestock, and
growing crops are responsible for 20-30% of global [greenhouse gas emissions](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/04/how-digital-twins-can-help-cities-achieve-net-zero-by-2035/).
Moreover, it takes a huge [amount of energy](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/09/technology-plus-environment-keeping-amazing-amounts-of-energy-off-grid-for-sustainable-future/)
to operate farming equipment and transport livestock and crops. Most companies ship
crops by sea and truck and even airlift some. Air flights are for those foods that
are extremely perishable, and people must eat fresh and immediately, like berries.
In addition, air flights cause the most transportation pollution of greenhouse gases.

Industrial [meat and dairy](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/01/how-to-go-green-in-a-big-way/)
products are devastating for the planet. The deforestation they require is vast.
Many farmers burn and slash land and trees to raise cattle. Scientists say that 
if everyone eats a plant-based diet, we would need 75% less farmland.

_**Author:** Finnegan Pierson_

![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641?
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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
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Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
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