Solving Climate Challenges Locally
According to a report released by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, food production is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Large industrial farms that rely on heavy equipment and chemical inputs (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides) are incentivized to produce a surplus of the same foods (monoculture) that feed global markets. Food is then transported thousands of miles within long, complex supply chains to grocery stores or food processors to be prepared, packaged, and shipped again before it reaches the consumer.
But, that's not the end of the journey. Because of the number of times food changes hands before reaching the consumer combined with fluctuating market prices, antiquated food regulations, and human behavior, almost 40% of the food produced globally is wasted every year, along with the 45 trillion gallons of water used to produce it. On top of the climate impacts from emissions throughout the global food economy, that's like throwing all of the water that has flowed through the Colorado River in the last 9.5 years in the dump. That's a hard pill to swallow with Lake Mead at its lowest level in history
Because large corporations have pursued profit maximization in the quest to create these global interdependencies, which have become our primary lifeline, food businesses of all kinds have been impacted especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, with supply chain impacts continuing to reverberate and devastate farms, food businesses, and consumers alike.
Actions You Can Take
Buying food grown, raised, and processed in Arizona means avoiding thousands of food miles and developing a connection to the people, land, animals, and resources that bring food to your table.
Respecting the cycles of local produce can help shift our attitude from a perceived abundance of food to one that acknowledges its seasonality, helping to reduce the amount of food that is wasted.
Growing and eating native foods or climate-adapted crops develops a market for produce that is both local and low-water-use, easing the strain on our most precious resource: water.
Where Our Food Comes From Matters
Instead of racing to reinstate an unsustainable food system, we now have an opportunity to forge a new pathway toward a food system that is resilient to supply chain disruptions and climate challenges.
When we support local growers, food processors, distributors, markets, and restaurants, we are growing the entire food economy. Purchasing local food preserves local farmland and keeps dollars in circulation within communities. This means more locally produced food that is affordable and accessible to everyone.
Ultimately, supporting and localizing a sustainable food system in Arizona helps to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change, including land degradation, heat-related illnesses and deaths, and water scarcity. We can instead regenerate our neighborhoods, ecosystems, and local food economy into one that is resilient to future shocks and is sustainable for generations to come.