Sustainable chemistry and food systems lessons-the same procedure as every year? (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38330114/)

These scientists wanted to understand how the food we eat every day affects the environment. They were especially interested in a video called "Dinner for One" that is shown on TV every New Year's Eve in some countries. In the video, a butler named James serves food to his boss, Miss Sophie, who is celebrating her 90th birthday. The interesting thing is that even though the same food is served every year, it is not good for the environment to always have the same food.

So, the scientists decided to do a study to find out how our food choices affect the environment. They looked at different types of food like soup, fish, chicken, and fruit, just like in the video. They wanted to see how much energy and resources are needed to produce each type of food.

They found that some types of food, like fruits and vegetables, are better for the environment because they need less energy and water to grow. But other types of food, like meat, need a lot of resources and can cause pollution.

The scientists also discovered that if we always eat the same food every year, it can be harmful to the environment. This is because growing the same food all the time can use up the soil's nutrients and harm the ecosystem.

So, the scientists concluded that it's important for us to have a variety of food in our diets and to choose foods that are good for the environment. They hope that by understanding how our food choices affect the environment, we can make better decisions and have a healthier planet.

Zuin Zeidler VG. Sustainable chemistry and food systems lessons-the same procedure as every year? Science. 2024 Feb 9;383(6683):eado2352. doi: 10.1126/science.ado2352. Epub 2024 Feb 8.