_________

references

alexander, p., brown, c., arneth, a., dias, c., finnigan, j., moran, d., & rounsevell, m. d. a. (2017). could consumption of insects, cultured meat or imitation meat reduce global agricultural land use? global food security, 15, 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2017.04.001

meat-ing demand: is in vitro meat a pragmatic, problematic, or paradoxical …: @ esf libraries. (n.d.). retrieved february 7, 2019, from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=054d4f6b-31a3-431a-9f25-244bf6e498f2%40sdc-v-sessmgr05

penn, j. (2018). “cultured meat”: lab-grown beef and regulating the future meat market. ucla journal of environmental law & policy, (1), 104.

this incredibly successful restaurant was created to give family farmers back the pride and confidence they deserve in order to overcome the corporate pressures exerted over them, while maintaining their unwavering commitment to sustainability, which is imbued into every single crumb that founding farmers serves. the restaurants are now owned by more than 47,000 family farmers, members of the ndfu, a number which is inscribed on all of the forks in the restaurants to remind guests just how much went into the meals that they are enjoying.

from farm to fork, founding farmers is committed to sustainability. i sat down with their very own erin chalkley, construction & development project manager and leed green associate, to discuss how they maintain their position as a leader in environmentally-responsible restauranteering.

the farm

the farmers restaurant group is committed to sourcing produce from family owned farms. erin explained to me that reason farmers restaurant group continues to source their produce directly from local farmers is to ensure that profits remain in the hands of the families, communities, and farmers themselves.

additionally, family farms are more likely to want to run sustainably. erin explained, “family farmers have the incentive to run their farm in a sustainable way because they need it, their farm is the value, the land is the value.” she continued to tell me that farms are incentivized to use much more intensive farming practices involving the use of harmful chemicals when on a corporate structure. however, a family farm would see the value in organic farming and more sustainable practices, like using cover crops — which deposit nitrogen into the soil — and other methods to avoid the use of harmful chemicals. when avoiding intensive agricultural practices, including the use of chemicals, farmers ensure that their land will retain its value and continue to thrive.

the restaurant

founding farmers is d.c.’s first leed gold certified restaurant and a member of the green restaurant association (gra) with a green restaurant certification. leed certification means the building and facility are built and run sustainably, while the gra manages operational aspects of the restaurant. both certifications are important because they tell guests that the restaurant is actually following through with its commitment to sustainability.

furthermore, being a sustainable restaurant is not as costly as people think. since day one, founding farmers built sustainability into their total operating costs, and because of this, sustainability itself has never been an issue for any of their price points or impacted the guests’ experience. their biggest cost of creating a sustainable restaurant was construction in order to acquire leed certification. however, when a restaurant is smart about its investments, it pays off in the long run, like how decreasing energy consumption will decrease energy bills.

surprisingly, when you walk into the restaurant, the lengths gone to create this sustainable experience are not obvious, despite everything in the restaurant, right down to the faucets, being carefully selected to be the most sustainable option. the subtle details which make the restaurant sustainable are tucked away so guests can have the best experience. this is partially because the restaurant knows it will get nowhere by pushing their sustainable agenda down their guests’ throats, who come in for their iconic chicken and waffles, not a lecture. erin described the choice to avoid putting sustainability at the forefront of the restaurants messaging by explaining “we really try and make it so we’ve already made the hardest decisions for our guests before they come in so that way they don’t have to make them themselves.” she continued to explain that the restaurant owners already know they are responsible and only wants to give the guests a great experience, which means not explaining every little decision. nevertheless, individuals who do care and are conscious of the sustainable choices made in the restaurant will notice the filtered water in a glass bottle that is served in glass cups without ice, they will notice when the waiter pushes their homemade scratch sodas made from freshly pureed fruit, and they will notice the upcycled decor within the restaurant.

the food

founding farmers does an unbelievable job at appealing to the masses by putting their own spin on classic, american comfort foods. with menu items ranging from skillet cornbread to homemade pastas, there is something for everyone. compared to other top-rated d.c. restaurants, you definitely get more bacon for your buck because of their all-american portions that are still modestly priced.

because the restaurant was explicitly structured from the very beginning, they actually do not accumulate much waste. as erin put it “the best impact we make is preventing the waste from coming in here in the first place, waste reduction as opposed to how do we handle the waste after the fact.” regardless, the kitchen still has ways to prevent food waste. founding farmers cooks everything from scratch, right down to the bread and dressings, which significantly reduces food waste. additionally, the restaurants run on a tightly controlled production schedule to avoid any major food waste due to spoilage. nearly eliminating waste with methods like these help the restaurant save money.

room for more?

founding farmers will continue working towards their mission of finding more ways to bring people closer to their food and farmers. at the end of our conversation, erin reflected on ways in which other restaurants could follow in their tracks in becoming more sustainable, which could translate into higher profits.she left me with this word of advice: “turn sustainability into dollar signs.” since in reality, our world runs on money, it is important to learn how to make a business case for sustainability, like how decreasing waste means saving money, to see a bigger impact overall. it is motivating for the founding farmers team that other companies see their success and try to emulate it, knowing that sustainability is part of their equation to success.

want to learn more?

https://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/about/story/

https://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/about/story/sustainability/

http://ndfu.org  

it’s no secret meat isn’t the most eco-friendly food to pile on your plate. globally, the meat industry emits an estimated 18% of total greenhouse gas emissions, and is considered a leading contributor to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. additionally, animal agriculture accounts for more land use than any other food source, and ushers overuse of hormones, and antibiotics, which leach into our water and food systems.

and although many of us are already aware of the unsustainability of meat, humans still have quite the appetite for meat, which has climbed in recent years, and is projected to peak in 2018.

…which governments have subsidized

the global explosion of enthusiastic meat consumption has to do with a variety of factors, including increases in disposable income, and the heavy subsidization of the industry in many parts of the world, including the united states.

and while it’s often easy to point at meat as a source of environmental and health issues, it is worth noting that meat can be a valuable source of energy, protein, amino acids, and essential micronutrients, including iron and b12, all of which are important in preventing many global malnutrition-related conditions, including protein-energy deficits and anemia.

still, it’s hard to justify pouring billions into a food source that is contributing so greatly to climate change when there are an estimated 815 million hungry people on earth.

we can’t address global food insecurity without creating a more sustainable food system. and one of the biggest areas of opportunity for improvement lies in our ability to cut down on meat production.

how we shift our funding towards a sustainable, food secure future:

many high and low-tech alternatives exist as promising solutions, but many remain underappreciated or underfunded. by redirecting global animal agriculture subsidies, there is great opportunity for impact.

which next begs the question, where do these funds go? we can begin to subsidize more eco-friendly alternatives, but considering the global diversity in palates, cultures, landscapes, and infrastructures, we need more than a one-size-fits all approach.

it’s overly optimistic to expect steak-lovers to willingly swap beans for beef, and plain unrealistic to suggest high-tech meat startups are the solution in countries that lack the proper infrastructure.

so, here are 5 animal agriculture-free, protein alternatives to shift our animal agriculture funding into:

1. subsidize research and production of meat made from plants:

meat, technically speaking, is a composition of water, proteins, amino acids, minerals, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and small amounts of carbohydrates. all of these building blocks can be found or fostered in plants.

several protein-alternative startups are building brands on this principle. by piecing together building blocks of meat from plant-foods, and processing them together with new technology, they are able to create meat alternatives that smell, taste, feel, and cook just like meat.

by offering “meat made from plants” to appease the carnivore palate, companies like beyond meat and impossible foods are a wiser way to channel animal subsidy dollars, and offer an appealing, yet sustainable meat choice for meat-lovers in many parts of the world. subsidizing such technologies (as leonardo dicaprio already has) could ensure products continue to improve and decrease in price, giving meat-lovers a meat with lesser harm to the environment.

2. subsidize research and production of lab-grown meat

for those looking for another alternative that comes from animals rather than plants, several start up companies are working to bring lab-grown meat to market. companies like mosa meat and just foods, are pioneering lab-grown meat.

mosa meat products, for example, are made from small samples of muscle stem cells taken from real animals. known as “myosatellite” cells, these cells serve the specific function of creating new muscle tissue upon injury. cells are next placed in a medium of nutrients and growth factors, cultivating their growth. strands of cells are then layered together to create real meat – the only difference being that theirs is grown outside – rather than inside – the animal.

rather than devote land, water, and feed grains to grow and butcher livestock, lab-grown meat requires far fewer resources, and emits far fewer greenhouse gases.  

by shifting government funds from land and feed-requiring meats to lab-grown meat, die-hard carnivores can rest assured their steaks aren’t soon to be replaced with tofu. subsidizing these technologies can ensure their affordability and continual improvement.

3. subsidize edible insect agriculture

insects hold great promise as a sustainable source of animal protein. requiring far less land, water, and producing far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than most mammalian protein sources, insects are a highly nutritious food source that is often overlooked. while edible insect nutrient profiles vary by species, many are micronutrient rich in vitamins and minerals including zinc, calcium, and iron, which are often lacking from diets of malnourished people.

some are even energy dense, which could combat protein and energy deficiencies. additionally, insects have low technological and monetary start-up costs, and are a viable option in developing countries where resources are limited. insects are a wise and low-cost subsidy option which could address hunger far and wide.

4. subsidize algae production

algae is another fast-growing, high quality, and underappreciated source of protein. importantly, algae is one of the few plant-based sources of b12, which is essential for proper neurological function and prevention of anemia. furthermore, there are a lot of algae strains around the world, and cultivating algae does not require arable land, and can be done in many water environments including marshes, swamps, hot springs, and even under ice, and can also be grown in a lab, offering a promising, scalable option in many parts of the world.

5. subsidize organic – or any – produce alternatives

fruits, vegetables, and legumes (besides soy) are drastically under-supported by government entities compared to staple grains and animal feed. although developed nations often tout fruits and vegetables as essential to a healthful diet, many channel far more funding into meat, animal, and grains like corn and wheat.

by subsidizing fruits and vegetables, people will be better-able to afford these nutrient-dense food choices, and have a better chance at avoiding micronutrient deficiencies. and although not a large source of protein per se, most plant-foods have at least some traces of protein, all of which add up and can contribute to protein and energy intake.

how to move forward:

there are many more sustainable ways to direct worldwide subsidies currently supporting animal agriculture. to solve global hunger, we need a global, cooperative approach to create sustainable food choices with minimal environmental impacts. if developed and developing countries refocus their protein investments, this vision is possible.

and while politically-willed hypotheticals sometimes seem like far-off solutions, there are still things we as citizens can do to nurture these changes. from selecting to spending our dollars on sustainable protein alternatives, educating ourselves and others on the reality of our global food system, and showing up with our political voice in support of institutional change, together we can empower a more food secure future.

cliff’s notes:

it’s dusk on a tuesday night at kalu yala, an eco-town in the panamanian jungle. at the sound of a double-blown conch, interns, staff, and visitors, sipping cocktails out of mugs and mason jars, abruptly abandon their conversations and form a cafeteria line for the evening meal: “plasagna.”

the dish, plantain lasagna, is a delicacy in the jungle town and educational institute. it consists of layers of thinly sliced plantains, tomato sauce, vegetables and cheese, or a cheese-less option for the numerous vegans here.

but this isn’t your average cafeteria line.

kalu yala, striving to be the world’s most sustainable modern town, embraces that title in the kitchen through its farm-to-table menu and culinary program.

local

since kalu yala is not yet a fully farm-to-table operation, the focus is on eating locally. esteban gast, the director of the kalu yala institute, said more than 80 percent of their food once came from less than five miles away, encompassing the kalu yala farm and the local community in san miguel. however, executive chef brigitte desvaux said this number has likely gone down to a more realistic 30 percent as the town’s population has grown. but looking forward, plans to grow the farm include developing substitutes for commonly used products and protein sources.

“the name of the game where we are now is import substitution,” gast said. “we are a business, and in terms of both the business program and us as a business that functions. so we buy peanut butter, can we buy peanut butter here? can we make sunscreen here? can we make coconut water here? those are the questions that we are obsessed with, because that is how we become sustainable, that’s how we start businesses, and that is how we become successful.”

peanut butter is a controversial topic, desvaux said. interns can often be spotted eating peanut butter from the jar, and it makes a great snack because it’s protein-rich and it doesn’t go bad. but it comes from across the world and doesn’t quite match their standards of sustainability, she said.

“what is the purpose that we’re bringing (things like peanut butter) in: for convenience, protein, for a quick snack, for ease on the kitchen crew? so looking at those things and thinking, ‘ok, before we eliminate it, let’s find a substitute to replace it with.’”

the kitchen’s head chef, pulum, has been developing “bean butter,” a peanut butter substitute made from white beans, that desvaux said has the same flavor and protein but is produced on-site in a much more sustainable manner. on the other hand, it doesn’t contain preservatives so it must be made much more frequently. they’re looking into natural ways to preserve it, such as by adding citrus juice or freezing it, she said.

alternative

kalu yala is a place where alternative diets thrive. sarah diamond, an intern in the culinary program, said most of the foods they learn to make are vegan and gluten free. some of the meals served in the kitchen contain eggs, cheese, and occasionally meat, but there are always vegan and gluten free options served alongside them.

“we’ve done so much with alternatives,” diamond said. “i think that showing people that like, vegan for example, is just as good and often times a lot better, that’s such a great way to make a difference. eating is, when you’re talking strictly about environmental impact, that’s a humongous thing for someone to change their diet.”

the meat and eggs mostly come from the chickens that roam around the town like pets. (one intern found that a certain chicken likes to leave eggs in her bed.) last semester, interns had the opportunity to participate in a chicken slaughtering to better understand where their meat was coming from.

“i knew that i wanted to do it because i think that even if you don’t eat meat, living in a society that is so meat-heavy,” diamond said, “i just think it’s an important thing to know what it’s like to actually kill something, if you live in a world that kills animals.”

this upcoming semester, all chicken meat and hopefully eggs will come from the kalu yala farm, desvaux said. the culinary staff purchases pork and beef from two farmers in san miguel, but interns and staff also are investigating alternative animal protein sources to introduce on the farm, such as iguanas, rabbits, and tilapia. the fish hopefully will be ready to harvest by august or september, desvaux said, and likely will serve as a weekly protein to replace pork or beef.

“there’s so much deforestation happening throughout panama because of cattle, so we’re really looking into alternative protein to set that example,” she said. “the three (main) proteins are not the only ones that are available. there are other animals that we can raise humanely and sustainably and introduce into our diets. it doesn’t mean that i necessarily want to eliminate (pork or beef) fully, more so that i want to make sure we’re consuming it in an environmentally friendly way.”

integrity

another big aspect of sustainable eating is reducing waste from food. leftovers from meals often are reincorporated later and lingering food scraps are composted. culinary director karri selby said she also emphasizes using 100 percent of each ingredient to minimize waste and maintaining its integrity to pay respect to the farmer by not cooking away all of its nutrients.

while the vision of a fully farm-to-table operation is founded on sustainability, interns and staff recognize that there may need to be some exceptions.

“there are other things like coffee, and we drink a lot of coffee, that we get from boquete, which is in panama, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to grow coffee here,” a biology intern explained. “boquete is in a higher climate, it’s colder there. they can grow coffee better there, and by supporting them we are supporting a community in panama. if we tried to grow coffee here, it would be a lot of resources, a lot of our time, and not really supporting the areas around us as well. it’s a balance of doing things ourselves but also supporting the communities around us.”

even if not every ingredient comes from their farm, kalu yala’s kitchen will keep serving delicious and sustainable fuel for innovators – 300 of them this summer semester.

“i feel really lucky that i get to be the one that is in their life for such a short period of time but hopefully they walk away from this experience having a bigger appreciation and love for food and what it takes,” selby said. “yesterday that lasagna, i mean, that is a labor of love, and you have to make like eight of them because we’re feeding so many people, so when you see people that are really excited and happy, you know, just for the food, for some people that’s the highlight of their day.”

———

culinary intern liv rushin’s almond feta cheese

ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups almond meal
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbs olive oil
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

directions:

1. chop garlic into thin slices.
2. juice two lemons (or any citrus fruit; at kalu yala they used sour oranges).
3. combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix on regular power until smooth.
4. taste, add any more ingredients as you wish.
5. optional: remove cheese from food processor and wrap in cheesecloth and place in a bowl.

refrigerate, or enjoy right away. makes a delicious, creamy spread on toast and also is great on pasta!

mit’s open agriculture initiative is drawing on the very societal changes that have distanced average citizens from traditional agriculture to close the gap in knowledge and control what we eat. as the principal investigator of the project, caleb harper, explains in his ted talk, the concept has two main components. the first is the “food computer,” an indoor controlled environment used to grow produce using a specific “climate recipe” of specifications tailored to each plant. these recipes come from the second – perhaps even more revolutionary – part of the project: an open-source platform where farming information and instructions can be shared online across the entire user community.

it’s still in its conceptual stages, but openag provides a glimpse of a potential future of food – one that takes advantage of the rapid changes that characterize our modern world. here’s what it brings to the table:

networking and data science can take food to a new level

mit’s media lab is a place, harper himself pointed out, “historically known not for anything about biology, but everything about digital life.” though it’s an untraditional source for a proposed solution to the global food crisis – something that raises a few eyebrows in the horticultural community – openag’s strong computer-based foundation is what sets it apart.

modern advances in computing power are so rapid they are often modeled as exponential. in the past 10 years, american social media usage has increased almost tenfold, according to pew research. the constant sharing of our experiences and ideas, using that increasingly affordable and powerful computer networking, is a telltale characteristic of today’s younger generations.

the idea of the climate recipe applies these patterns to food production. a food computer can manipulate variables such as humidity, temperature, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels, and monitor each plant’s response to an extent not possible in outdoor farms. this yields a precise formula for how to obtain larger, tastier crops. with the correct equipment in place, this climate recipe can be shared and improved upon globally, allowing a dialogue between trained experts, students, and civilians about the food we all eat.

urbanization and population growth are at an all time high

according to the un’s 2014 world urbanization prospects report, 54 percent of the global population lives in urban areas, up from 30 percent in 1950. this figure is expected to increase to 66 percent by 2050. when openag states a mission to “create more farmers” they’re not talking about opposing this global trend by transplanting people back to rural areas – they hope to bring farms into cities.

one of openag’s food computers could bring a small-scale farm of sorts into the home, apartment, or classroom, with no outdoor space required. taking this a step further, openag has proposed larger models: the mid-sized “food server” could supply a restaurant, and the even bigger “food data center” could provide a distributor with supply locally, reducing costly transport.

feeding urban populations is a spatial problem

the efficiency of modern urban life comes with its own set of sustainability challenges, and when it comes to food, transportation is huge. an analysis by the natural resources defense council found that food transported into the state of california alone results in almost 250 thousand tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, and an often-cited statistic from iowa state university states that food travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to table.

it’s true that figures like these are estimates calculated from limited samples – but the important takeaway is that our food travels quite far to reach us and harms the environment on the way. if average people could grow almost any type of produce in a box in their own homes, the size of this issue could be significantly reduced.

taking food production indoors also could lift considerable weight from the environment when it comes to habitat loss. according to the world wildlife fund, about 50 percent of the habitable land on earth has been converted into farms, or 38 percent of its overall land area. indoor farming technologies such as those posited by openag and others already in action, such as urban farming company aerofarms, allow a more efficient use of space. additionally, vertical farming — the ability to expand farming in all directions of 3d space, not just along the ground — is gaining popularity for indoor farming operations.

what’s next?

with its technology foundation set, openag’s next challenge is to make the jump to the general market. according to its website, version 2 of the food computer is currently in production, though none of openag’s members were able to comment on when they believe their proposed cheaper, more user-friendly version will be available, or what exactly it will cost.

but it is possible for a determined individual to build and run a food computer today. until it’s available commercially, instructions for so-called “nerd farmers” to build their own are available online. this growing community has expanded to six continents, and visitors to the project’s forum number in the thousands.