Sustainable farming seeks to preserve and improve the environment, ensure human health and grow food for the growing global population. There are many philosophies and methods contained within this practice, and it can be tricky to choose one definition. In general, sustainable agriculture looks to improve growing practices so that land does not degrade at […]
In 2007 Bill McKibben asked me whether 450 ppm would be a reasonable target for atmospheric CO2, if we wished to maintain a hospitable climate for future generations. 450 ppm seemed clearly too high, based on several lines of evidence, but especially based on paleoclimate data for climate change. By Dr James Hansen We were just […]
Many Australians enjoy a glass of homegrown wine, and A$2.78 billion worth is exported each year. But hotter, drier conditions under climate change means there are big changes ahead for our wine producers. As climate scientists and science communicators, we’ve been working closely with the wine industry to understand the changing conditions for producing quality wine […]
Sally Mackenzie spent her childhood summers walking through the vast fields of bright, red, ripe tomato crops: They grow best in the heat of her home state of California. Yet recent seasons prove it can get too hot for a tomato. By Allison Gacad Ensia “It just sits there, puts out these little green knobs, […]
Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many Americans’ relationships with food. To relieve some of the stress associated with shopping safely for groceries and ensure food security, many people are once again planting “victory gardens.” This tradition hearkens back to previous generations who cultivated home gardens during both World Wars. By Kristen DeAngelis, University […]
Corn stover (stalks, leaves and cobs) left behind after harvesting becomes a mulch and cover crop for soybeans on a Tennessee farm. Lance Cheung, USDA By David R. Montgomery, University of Washington; Jennifer J. Otten, University of Washington, and Sarah M. Collier, University of Washington The Conversation The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic shutdowns have […]
Indiana Senator Mike Braun joined a bipartisan group of senators, including Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to introduce the Growing Climate Solutions Act, a bill which would break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices. The bill has the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation, National […]
Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have introduced a bipartisan bill called the Growing Climate Solutions Act. According to the senators’ press release, the bill “will break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart […]
In a press release, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today announced the introduction of her Restoration of Essential Conveyance Act, a bill to authorize $800 million in federal funding “to repair critical canals in the San Joaquin Valley damaged by land sinking from overpumping of groundwater, known as subsidence, and for environmental restoration.” By Dan Bacher As I […]
What does Mother’s Day flowers have to do with cocaine? Very little, most people would think. But as an economist, I often explain to my students that the world is economically connected, often in strange ways. The flower business is one of those strange economic connections. By Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University The Conversation Mother’s Day, […]
The Coronavirus pandemic has taken Australia and the world by surprise. Coming after severe droughts in eastern Australia, concerns have been raised about Australian food security. The concerns are understandable, but they are misplaced. Despite temporary shortages of some food items in supermarkets caused by an unexpected surge in demand, Australia does not have a food security […]
Did you know that there is a 3D printed steak that you can eat? It was 3 something in the morning and I couldn’t sleep, so I scrolled through Twitter and saw this tweet about 3D-printed meat: A taste of what's to come. 🔎 Learn more about how technology is fighting food waste: https://t.co/3cUk2nUkWa pic.twitter.com/jrDQqbFJv2 […]
In its latest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change describes how agriculture, deforestation, and other human activities have altered 70% of the land on Earth’s surface. These changes are significantly adding to climate-warming emissions. They are also making forests and other natural systems, which can store key greenhouse gases, less able to do so. […]
As devastating images of the 2019 Midwest floods fade from view, an insidious and longer-term problem is emerging across its vast plains: The loss of topsoil that much of the nation’s food supply relies on. By Jim Ippolito, Colorado State University and Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Iowa State University Today, Midwest farmers are facing millions of bushels […]
Food is central to our lives – that’s a given – but our relationship with it is problematic: agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change. With the world’s population growing rapidly in the next few decades, the global demand for food is expected to increase by 70%. However, the production of this food […]