Finding Your Food Footprint

Name ______Date ______Period _____ Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) 7

Finding your Food Footprint Sustainability in the Food Supply

With issues such as global warming and pollution plaguing our planet, topics of sustainability have become very important in recent years. Sustainability is the process of using the world’s resources wisely in order to be able to sustain, or support, the billions of people on this planet forever. The following project will help you explore some topics related to what you can do as one person to make more sustainable food choices each day.

Part 1: Food Miles & Your Food Footprint Directions: Randomly select a food from the mystery basket. Use the country of origin sticker at the starting point to calculate how far that food travels from that country or state to your plate here on Long Island.

Food Item Starting Point Ending Point Total Miles Predicted Travel Country of Origin Town/State/Country You’re In Traveled Method

Domestic Calculator: http://maps.randmcnally.com/mileage_calculator International Miles Calculator: http://www.foodmiles.com/

Part 2: Sustainability Basics- Why Should I “Go Green?” You may not see the issue with using modern technology to get the foods you want, when you want them. Maybe you like eating strawberries in January. What are the problems associated with our food traveling halfway around the world? Scan the QR code above to access a video that explains the four elements of sustainability, or the “care instructions” for the earth.

Sustainable ______. Currently, our food system is unsustainable. What does that mean?

The Four Elements of Sustainability Examples Consequences 1.______1. ______1. ______2.______2. ______2.______3.______3. ______4.______4. ______3.______5. ______

E. Teixeira January 2016 1 __ 4.______

Part 3: Food Systems The process of growing, manufacturing, and transporting a food gets quite complicated if the food is “processed” in any way. For this project, think of the word “processed” as any food that is not grown and eaten as-is. For example, even a natural product like milk is processed since it is pasteurized and packaged before being sold. Let’s take a look at how a food product makes its way from the farm to your table.

Food Product: ______

What can I do to avoid all these steps and miles? Brainstorm some ideas that could help you to reduce your individual food footprint. If you get stuck, you can use the following website to get some more ideas! http://www.foodmiles.com/

Reducing your food footprint can be as simple as:  ______o ______o ______

 ______

 ______Part 4: How did That Get Here? Almost any fresh meal you choose to eat could be made with local alternatives. Working in groups, you will explore how many food miles can be saved by choosing products grown and/or made by local farmers. You may use your iPad to help you calculate the total miles for each item as well as the grand total.

E. Teixeira January 2016 2 Use the chart below to record the components of your meal from your food cards. Record the miles it has traveled, then add up the totals for each item and the final grand total for how far your meal has been transported!

Meal Ingredients Miles Traveled to Your Plate

Total Miles Traveled: ______

Overall Comparisons Meal Local Non-Local Roast Chicken

Spaghetti

Hamburger

Part 5: Commodity Food Chain Analysis Let’s look at what the food system looks like for an actual food product you might eat every day. You will analyze this product from several different perspectives to see its farm to table path and its value in terms of sustainability and overall nutrition.

Step 1: Decide on Jobs

E. Teixeira January 2016 3 You will each receive a job from the chart below. Each group member will work separately but simultaneously then share your findings.

Job Title Job Description Sources Group Member A. Dietician Evaluate the nutritive value of Fooducate App this food. ______

B. Reporter Use the company’s website and Food Company’s other research to determine 3-5 Website and other steps that get this food from the Internet Sources ______farm in the country of origin to your table. C. Statistician Working with the recorder, Food Company’s calculate the mileage your food Website and other has traveled, the transportation Internet Sources ______involved, and the process that was involved in getting it to your table. D. Critic Evaluate the food overall. Is it Fooducate App sustainable? Suggest an alternative for this food that ______might be better in terms of sustainability. E. Editor Evaluates the food company’s Food Company’s website for evidence of concern Website and other ______for sustainability. Internet Sources

Step 2: Research & Record

Food Product: ______

Manufacturing Company: ______

Commodity Food Chain Analysis for ______

A. Nutrition Analysis Source: Fooducate App

Nutrition

E. Teixeira January 2016 4 Overall Product Grade

Nutrient Composition Calories Fat Sugars Sodium Protein Micronutrients

Explanations for 1. Nutrition Grade 2. 3.

B. Reporter Source: Company’s Website ______

Start (Point of Origin) End (Your Table)

C. Statistician

D. Critic Use the Fooducate App to suggest two alternative products to your selected food.

Food Item Alternative Why it is a better or more sustainable choice

E. Editor Write a 1 paragraph overall evaluation for your selected food. Use the company’s website to identify evidence that they are considering the sustainability of their product; include at least two details in your paragraph. Evidence #1:

Evidence #2:

E. Teixeira January 2016 5