How are eating habits linked to type of crops grown in that region?
Answers
Answered by
0
1. Palm Oil
Palm oil is one of the most common processed food ingredients on the planet, but there is a good chance you have never even heard of it! While it might appear to be an unassuming vegetable oil, palm oil is actually responsible for mass deforestation across Indonesia, Malaysia and now Africa as well. Palm oil can be found in around 50 percent of all consumer goods, so the demand for this oil is extremely high.
Palm oil plants thrive in tropical climates, namely rainforest environments, which sadly lose out to this agricultural commodity. Around 300 football fields of forests are cleared every hour to create palm plantations. In one year alone, Indonesia lost 8,000 square miles of rainforest to palm production and there is no sign that this rate of deforestation will slow anytime soon. Palm oil production has been especially devastating to the world’s orangutan population. Nearly 90 percent of their native habitat has been lost to palm plantations. It is estimated that the orangutan species will only be able to survive in the wild 10 more years if the state of their habitat does not improve.
Luckily, as consumers, we can help to slow the damage being done to the planet and the orangutan species by removing palm oil from our diets. This ingredient is commonly found in processed foods, the tricky part is that it is not always clearly labeled as “palm oil,” click here to learn what to look out for. For planet-friendly alternatives to all the different items palm oil shows up in, click here.
2. Coffee
You know how you can’t make it through the morning without at least three cups of coffee? Well, the bad news is neither can millions of other people across the world and sadly, this comes at a cost to the planet. In the U.S. alone, the coffee industry is worth $100 billion. Producing enough coffee beans to meet global demands requires a whole lot of space for crops which typically, means converting forest lands into plantations. It is estimated that nearly 11 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide are dedicated to coffee cultivation.
While coffee plants used to grow in harmony with surrounding rainforests, in the 1970s a hybrid plant was introduced that required full sunlight and agrochemicals to grow (Ah! Modernity.). This plant is largely responsible for the environmental concerns associated with coffee today. To put all this in context, consider the fact that the average three cup a day coffee drinker needs at least 18 coffee trees to sustain this habit. Now think about how many native forest trees and plants need to be replaced to grow 18 coffee trees for you and millions of other coffee drinkers of the world, yikes!
The good news is, there is a rather simple way to avoid deforestation in your cup of joe. First things first, get to know what all the fancy labels and stickers on the coffee you purchase mean. If your coffee is “shade-grown” that means that it was grown within the forest itself and is less likely to have caused deforestation of other native plants. Also look out for “Rainforest Alliance Certifications,” signified by a little green frog. Rainforest Alliance works closely with coffee farms, educating them on the most environmentally friendly ways to grow coffee crops, taking into account the health of soil, impact on local wildlife and management practices that actually promote carbon sequestration. To learn more about the ins and outs of planet-friendly coffee, click here.
3. Cocoa
Chocolate or cocoa, is another fan favorite, that tragically is driving deforestation across the world. The majority of cocoa plants are cultivated in West Africa, where this commodity crop sadly takes precedence over the native ecosystems. It is estimated that between 50 to 60 percent of biodiversity loss across Papua New Guinea and Madagascar can be linked back to habitat destruction for cocoa production.
Like coffee, cocoa can grow under forest cover, but the development of “efficient” hybrid plants that require full sun exposure has lead to a rapid increase in the amount of deforestation associated with cocoa.
4. Meat, Dairy, and Eggs
The trifecta of deforestation: meat, dairy, and eggs. Unlike the other items that made it onto this list, these three are not solely directly responsible for deforestation, but rather their feed is. Soy is often given a bad rap for fueling deforestation across the world.
Palm oil is one of the most common processed food ingredients on the planet, but there is a good chance you have never even heard of it! While it might appear to be an unassuming vegetable oil, palm oil is actually responsible for mass deforestation across Indonesia, Malaysia and now Africa as well. Palm oil can be found in around 50 percent of all consumer goods, so the demand for this oil is extremely high.
Palm oil plants thrive in tropical climates, namely rainforest environments, which sadly lose out to this agricultural commodity. Around 300 football fields of forests are cleared every hour to create palm plantations. In one year alone, Indonesia lost 8,000 square miles of rainforest to palm production and there is no sign that this rate of deforestation will slow anytime soon. Palm oil production has been especially devastating to the world’s orangutan population. Nearly 90 percent of their native habitat has been lost to palm plantations. It is estimated that the orangutan species will only be able to survive in the wild 10 more years if the state of their habitat does not improve.
Luckily, as consumers, we can help to slow the damage being done to the planet and the orangutan species by removing palm oil from our diets. This ingredient is commonly found in processed foods, the tricky part is that it is not always clearly labeled as “palm oil,” click here to learn what to look out for. For planet-friendly alternatives to all the different items palm oil shows up in, click here.
2. Coffee
You know how you can’t make it through the morning without at least three cups of coffee? Well, the bad news is neither can millions of other people across the world and sadly, this comes at a cost to the planet. In the U.S. alone, the coffee industry is worth $100 billion. Producing enough coffee beans to meet global demands requires a whole lot of space for crops which typically, means converting forest lands into plantations. It is estimated that nearly 11 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide are dedicated to coffee cultivation.
While coffee plants used to grow in harmony with surrounding rainforests, in the 1970s a hybrid plant was introduced that required full sunlight and agrochemicals to grow (Ah! Modernity.). This plant is largely responsible for the environmental concerns associated with coffee today. To put all this in context, consider the fact that the average three cup a day coffee drinker needs at least 18 coffee trees to sustain this habit. Now think about how many native forest trees and plants need to be replaced to grow 18 coffee trees for you and millions of other coffee drinkers of the world, yikes!
The good news is, there is a rather simple way to avoid deforestation in your cup of joe. First things first, get to know what all the fancy labels and stickers on the coffee you purchase mean. If your coffee is “shade-grown” that means that it was grown within the forest itself and is less likely to have caused deforestation of other native plants. Also look out for “Rainforest Alliance Certifications,” signified by a little green frog. Rainforest Alliance works closely with coffee farms, educating them on the most environmentally friendly ways to grow coffee crops, taking into account the health of soil, impact on local wildlife and management practices that actually promote carbon sequestration. To learn more about the ins and outs of planet-friendly coffee, click here.
3. Cocoa
Chocolate or cocoa, is another fan favorite, that tragically is driving deforestation across the world. The majority of cocoa plants are cultivated in West Africa, where this commodity crop sadly takes precedence over the native ecosystems. It is estimated that between 50 to 60 percent of biodiversity loss across Papua New Guinea and Madagascar can be linked back to habitat destruction for cocoa production.
Like coffee, cocoa can grow under forest cover, but the development of “efficient” hybrid plants that require full sun exposure has lead to a rapid increase in the amount of deforestation associated with cocoa.
4. Meat, Dairy, and Eggs
The trifecta of deforestation: meat, dairy, and eggs. Unlike the other items that made it onto this list, these three are not solely directly responsible for deforestation, but rather their feed is. Soy is often given a bad rap for fueling deforestation across the world.
Answered by
0
The variety of food produced and the cooking methods of various regions mostly associated with the characteristics of the geography of the particular region.
For example, spices are mainly grown in the regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra so the eating habits are based on the type of crops found in a particular area. As these areas have warmer climates, people of these areas usually consume very the foods which are full of spices. Because such sorts of foods increase the body heat and cause one to perspire.
Similar questions