Earth-friendly Diet / A Sustainable Food Solution
The more than 2 billion pounds of pesticides sold in the United States each year are a serious threat to pollinators, amphibians, fish and other wildlife. Yet the chemical industry wants us to believe that pesticides are a necessary part of growing enough crops to feed the global population. Not true, according to a new analysis published in the journal Nature Communications. The study found that organic agriculture could meet the world's food needs.
The key to feeding the world with organic agriculture, write the authors, is cutting food waste in half and drastically reducing meat and dairy production so more crops are grown for people instead of livestock. These strategies would also have the benefit of conserving water and land, reducing pollution and habitat degradation, and curbing greenhouse gas emissions to help meet international climate targets. In other words, prioritizing organic agriculture would create a sustainable, wildlife-friendly food system.
Read more about the study in the Los Angeles Times.