Outrage + Optimism

264. What Should I Eat in a Climate Crisis?

Oct 10, 2024

Explore the complex relationship between food and climate change. The hosts discuss staggering food waste statistics and the inequities in global food systems. With over two billion facing food insecurity, they delve into cultural shifts towards plant-based diets. Personal anecdotes reveal the challenge of balancing enjoyment and responsibility in eating. They call for systemic changes, highlighting the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Finally, the potential for a sustainable food future is examined, urging listeners to rethink their eating habits.

46:43

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Quick takeaways

The global food system faces a crisis of inequality, where over two billion people experience food insecurity despite significant waste and resource abundance.

Transitioning to plant-based diets and supporting sustainable food practices are vital strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.

Deep dives

The Privilege of Discussing Food Choices

Having conversations about food choices is framed as a significant privilege, especially given the ongoing hunger issues faced by many globally. Despite some progress in reducing hunger, conflicts and extreme weather continue to exacerbate food insecurity, leaving millions unable to access sufficient nutrition. Alarmingly, one-third of produced food is wasted, illustrating a stark contrast between food abundance in some areas and scarcity in others. Such disparities underline deep-rooted issues of equity and justice within our global food systems, as many people cannot afford healthy food while food waste persists.

Intro

2min

Inequities in the Global Food System

2min

Food, Culture, and Environmental Impact

16min

Shifting Dietary Choices in a Climate Crisis

5min

Dietary Choices and Environmental Impact

12min

The Future of Plant-Based Eating

8min

SHOW NOTES:

In the penultimate episode of our How to Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis, our hosts talk about food and food systems. How can we enjoy meals while eating responsibly?

Tom, Paul and Christiana find it difficult to digest our lopsided relationship with food, in which more than two billion people face food insecurity and a third of all food goes to waste.

The conversation is free-range - the hosts reveal what shaped their own rituals around eating. They look at how humanity’s relationship with food went from trust to anxiety, from abundance to scarcity. They argue the merits of different veggie burgers.

About a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is linked to food. To limit global warming while feeding a growing population, every part of the food system - from farming to refrigeration - must become cleaner and more efficient.

NOTES AND RESOURCES

Global Nutrition Report

More than a billion people obese worldwide, research suggests

Outrage + Optimism: Our Story of Nature, From Rupture to Reconnection

Outrage + Optimism: Yuval Noah Harari on the History of Our Future

Outrage + Optimism: 2% for 1.5 with Yuval Noah Harari

Drivers of Deforestation

Outrage + Optimism: Going Beyond Meat with Ethan Brown

Outrage + Optimism: Hungry for Alternatives?

How to Grow Your Own Food

Environmental Impacts of Food Production

42% of consumers worldwide think most people will likely be eating plant-based food instead of meat in the next ten years