Food & Energy: Sustainable & Renewable Social Bearable Equitable Sustainable Economic Ecological Viable

Renewable A resource is renewable if: It can be replenished by natural processes at a rate equal to, or faster than, its rate of consumption One must consider if: Energy resources are renewable? Agricultural resources are renewable? Water resources are renewable?

Sustainability Sustainability is a much more difficult term to define and has many connotations 1987 Brundtland Commission* defined sustainability…“to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” *United Nations. 1987."Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development." General Assembly Resolution 42/187, 11 December 1987.

Sustainability Sustainable development Sustainable agriculture The 1987 Brundtland definition is often adapted for a variety of purposes Sustainable development Sustainable agriculture Sustainable communities Sustainable energy

Three Pillars of Sustainability Social Bearable Equitable Sustainable Economic Ecological Viable The three pillars of sustainability are social, Ecological and economic.

Ecological Pillar Management of human consumption Energy Water Food Materials and waste Environmental management Air/atmosphere Water (freshwater & oceans) Land use

Economic Pillar Address decoupling of environmental degradation and economic growth (avoid growth that depletes ecosystem services) Account for value of ecosystem services Recognize economic opportunity while integrating with ecological and social concerns

Social Pillar Enable peace, security and social justice to decrease poverty, to allow for equitable resource allocation and to promote human rights and gender equality Support human settlements to create self- reliant communities

Three Pillars of Sustainability Earth Life Environment Social Sustainable Economic Ecological Sustainability requires a holistic approach

Sustainability Q: Must something be renewable to be considered “sustainable?” A: YES, if a resource is renewable, if it can be replenished at a rate equal to or greater than it is being used, then it is sustainable! Q: Must something be sustainable to be considered “renewable?” A: NO, renewable resources can be exploited, resulting in environmental degradation Q: Are all renewable resources sustainable? A: NO, for example: A large hydro dam may provide renewable power, but it might drastically alter the environment and displace human populations

Renewable and Sustainable Resources Photos by B. Ballard

Renewable and Often Sustainable Photos by P. Hofmeyer

Renewable and Rarely Sustainable Irrigated & fertilized corn field [Source: Wikimedia Commons, accessed 7/18/2013] Large Hydro: Hoover Dam [Source: Wikimedia Commons, accessed 7/18/2013]

Non-renewable and Not Sustainable Slash-and-burn [Source: Wikimedia Commons, accessed 7/18/2013] Coal extraction [Source: Wikimedia Commons, accessed 7/18/2013]

Sustainability Are humans living sustainably? In order to be sustainable, the Earth’s resources must first replenish themselves equal to our consumption rate

Sustainability Continuum Wind Solar Waste biofuels Crop rotation No till No fertilization Micro hydro Low enthalpy geothermal Dedicated bioenergy crops Crop rotation Sparing use of Fertilizers/pesticides Large geothermal Large Hydro Dedicated bioenergy crops Monoculture farming Intensive pesticides Intensive herbicides Natural Gas Nuclear Coal and Oil Slash and burn agriculture Most sustainable Least sustainable

Sustainability: What can you do? Two areas in which to improve the sustainability of your lifestyle: Transportation: Reduce/eliminate fossil fuel use Diet: Eat food produced locally

Sustainable Food Consumption The mean distance for fruits and vegetables to get onto my dinner plate is 1,494 miles This is not including imported fruits and vegetables like pineapples, artichokes, kiwis, mangoes, and so on. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/pubs-and-papers/2011-06-food-fuel-and-freeways-iowa-perspective-how-far-food-travels-fuel-usage-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions.pdf Source: Leopold Center report “Food, Fuel, and Freeways: An Iowa perspective on how far food travels, fuel usage, and greenhouse gas emissions”, June 2001.

Buy local, eat local, plant a garden and support a local farmer Photos by B. Ballard