Food Footprint Analysis

Food Footprint Analysis

Objectives: This Assignment addresses the following CCO objectives: 2. Present environmental information using effective written and/or oral communications 3. Describe, numerically and graphically, various presentations of data 6. Describe conditions that promote various ecosystems and appraise the impacts of human endeavors on them 7. Find, evaluate, use and cite variety of informational resources relevant to environmental science 9. Describe the impact human activities had on natural systems 10. Evaluate a range of cultural and social approaches to environmental problems

13. Assess the effect and importance of individual behavior on environmental issues 18. Develop informed views based on critical evaluation of information sources 19. Engage in problem solving of environmental issues

Due Date: Please see the Assignment and Syllabus for Due Dates Credit: This activity is worth _30_ points, see Rubric for details.

A FoodPrint (food footprint) is the ecological footprint of the food we eat based on the way it is raised and brought to market. It includes the land area necessary for the production of the food and in the case of livestock, the production of the feed for those animals. For seafood it includes the oceans/lakes/rivers required to produce the food items. It also includes a measure of the land necessary to absorb the wastes produced in the production of the food, the manure, carbon dioxide (CO2) from transportation, landfill space from packaging, etc. (EP@W, 2008)

Complete the activities below and submit your findings in a Word document attached to the Assignment in Blackboard. Be certain to properly cite your sources in APA (Name, Year) format with a full references list at the end of your submission.

To help you better understand this assignment, Read the article, Food’s Carbon Footprint from nutritionist Jane Richards at GreenEatz.com (http://www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-footprint.html)

Part 1: Estimate your Ecological Footprint

· Go to the Global Footprint Network’s Ecological Footprint Calculator: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/

· Complete the Quiz and find your Earth Overshoot date and the number of planets you need for your lifestyle.

· Then choose the See Details arrow to get more information.

· Answer the following questions in a brief (2-3 sentences) paragraph: 1a) How many global hectares does just your food require? Compare this to the land area available per person on the planet.

1b) Describe ways that you could reduce your Food Footprint? (Be certain to cite your sources and use academic grammar and mechanics in your response.)

Part 2: Your Personal Food Diary

· Choose a typical day in your week, one where you are working or attending school. Make a complete list of the items you eat & drink throughout that day. Create a table to help you organize your foods.

· List each food item and try to identify the actual amount of each food that you have consumed (including calories).

· List all the ingredients. Remember whole foods don’t have ingredients, and some ingredients (i.e. mayonnaise) have additional ingredients within them.

· Your food diary MUST include a minimum of 5 items and/or between 1000-2000 calories.* There are a number of widely available apps for estimating the amount and caloric content of your food. *If you are under the care of a physician and have a calorie-restricted diet please contact your instructor prior to turning in your Assignment for further instructions.