Question

What are the environmental consequences of the increasing demand for food ? What are the steps would you suggest to reduce energy consumption ?

Answer 1

Explanation:

To meet a growing global demand for food and fodder, one can opt for increasing yields through intensification and/or for extending the land base used for agricultural cultivation. Intensification and concentrating food production in the most productive regions may appear the most efficient way to use the land. However, risks to food security may be increased, because supply chains become more vulnerable and because of pollution. Loss of crop diversity, decline of pollinators and increased vulnerability of monocultures to diseases are additional stress factors. On the other hand, regional or local self-sufficiency and the reliance on extensive farming systems would require more cultivated land at the expense of natural habitats.

It is not enough to only increase total food production. The food must also be locally available, affordable and meet quality standards. The distribution channels and trade patterns are key in this respect. As long as we can afford to import food from other parts of the world, European food security may not seem to be at immediate risk, regardless of our support to European agriculture. But the choices we make will affect trade and global food security, as well as availability of local food products, with implications for chain control, food safety and other quality concerns. Currently, the EU is by and large self-sufficient for cereals, butter and beef, but a big net-importer of fodder for domestic livestock production.

Food security can also be tackled from the consumption perspective, for example by looking at the efficiency gains from changing diets. Livestock production is more than six times as inefficient as crop production in terms of protein output, and hence meat diets are associated with higher land take and nutrient losses (PBL 2011. The protein puzzle. The consumption and production of meat, dairy and fish in the European union).

Efficiency gains can also be achieved through waste reduction in households and in the distribution chain. Based on data from Eurostat and national data, it has been estimated that around 89 million tonnes or 181 kg per person of food waste was generated in the EU‑27 in 2006, of which 42–43 % was from households, 39 % from manufacturing and the rest from other sources including retailers, wholesale and the food service sector (but excluding agricultural waste). A recent study showed that in the United Kingdom an estimated 137 kg/person or 25 % of food purchased by households ends up as waste.

Answer 2

: Required Answer

$\implies$Industrialization demands for more energy and to fulfil these demands fossil fuels are used as they are readily available. Due to their harsh usage, it has an impact on the environment. Too much exploitation of fossil fuels has led to greenhouse effect resulting in global warming.

$\implies$But there are few possibilities of reducing this by reducing the usage of fossil fuels and opting for alternate sources of energy. Reduce the unnecessary usage of electricity and water. Opt for public transportation and lessen using own vehicles. These are a few small steps that can be implemented to reduce energy consumption.