The Next Big Idea Daily We Are Eating the Earth
12 snips
Nov 13, 2025 
Michael Grunwald, a New York Times bestselling author and journalist, discusses how our food system contributes significantly to climate change and proposes methods for transformation. Amanda Little, an author and journalist focused on food and environment, explores how climate change is already affecting what we eat and emphasizes the need for resilient agriculture. Both guests advocate for a blend of traditional and innovative farming practices, leveraging technology to revolutionize sustainable food production in a warming world.
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Food Is A Major Climate Driver
- Agriculture is responsible for a third of global emissions yet receives almost no climate finance or attention.
- Michael Grunwald argues fixing food systems is as crucial as decarbonizing energy to avoid catastrophic warming.
Agriculture Is Eating Wildlands
- Two of every five acres are now farms or pastures, driving massive deforestation and biodiversity loss.
- Grunwald warns this land conversion releases carbon and destroys the forests that currently absorb a quarter of emissions.
Beef Disproportionately Harms Climate
- Ruminant meat, especially beef, uses vastly more land and emits far more greenhouse gases than chicken or pork.
- Cutting beef consumption or making beef more efficient offers disproportionate climate gains.
