Author: Howard Creel

Food and Farming

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

The pandemic overthrew the normal operation of the food service industry. Throughout the lockdown, our family decided to (and had the means to) support our local restaurants by ordering more takeout than we normally would. We would typically order takeout and pick it up curbside, but others – some 45.6 million Americans in 2020 – used delivery apps for their meals. As we emerge from the pandemic, the food service industry is finding a new normal, with a significant number of customers preferring to continue to use delivery services for their food.

What is the climate impact of all the packaging that is an inevitable component of a takeout meal? Well, it depends on what you order. An Australian study published in 2021` summarized the climate impact of five typical takeout foods, listed in order from most to least emissions associated with the packaging of the food:

• Hamburgers packaged in foam clamshell boxes – 0.29 kg CO2e
• Thai food in a polypropylene container – 0.23 kg CO2e
• Pizza in a cardboard box – 0.20 kg CO2e
• Indian food in a black flat container with a clear lid – 0.18 kg CO2e
• Chinese food in a paper container – 0.16 kg CO2e

It takes considerable energy and raw materials (paper and plastic) to produce packaging. Because they are viewed as single-use, they are mostly thoughtlessly discarded or irrationally accumulated (how many bags of plastic food containers do you have stashed). The packages are not easily recyclable (often excluded from recycling streams) and often end up in the landfill (or illegally dumped). [My county’s composting site accepts pizza used boxes, so we have that going for us]. Studies have shown that realistic recycling processes for takeout packaging could have a big impact: an estimated 33% reduction in their global warming potential.

Want to take action? Research! Choose your local restaurants based on their ability to deliver your food with the least amount of packaging. When you place your order, request that your food be put in the fewest number of containers if possible (and ask that the do not include plastic utensils and sauces packaged in plastic packets). When deciding which bin they go in, know if the packages can actually be recycled: it may be better to place clean containers (with no food debris) in the trash than in the recycling stream. And of course, order only what you need and compost the leftovers!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 33: Thoughtfully Opt for Meat Alternatives

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Food and Farming

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Take a moment and reflect on your feelings about pre-packaged meal kits and groceries that are delivered to your door. Before reading Action 31, I was inclined to feel that they had a high climate impact. Individual food portions packaged in plastic and driven to my door; seems like a high emissions way of putting food on my table.

Nope. Quite the opposite. Within certain constraints, we should be utilizing and encouraging the use of these types of options for your meals. “On average, the emissions of delivered meal kits can be 33 percent lower than a typical ‘grocery meal'”. If you read Day 30, you know that food waste ending up in landfills leading to methane production has a heavy climate impact, and the individual consumer is the biggest source of food waste.

Because of the way they are prepared and delivered, meal kits drastically reduce and potentially eliminate the consumer food waste and as long as the company controls waste in the preparation process (which is good business practice), the overall climate impact is reduced. A meal kit results in an average of 6.1 kg of carbon dioxide per meal compared to 8.1 kg for a typical grocery meal.

But you don’t like the packaging that your food comes in? It is a consideration (and we will discuss take-out food packaging in Action 32) and you can make smart choices and look for companies that share your values. The best meal kit would be locally sourced and delivered in recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging. You might find a local option (like The MN Table, for instance) or a bigger company that delivers nationwide.

Some companies are concerned about the packaging and try to differentiate themselves with sustainable packaging: check out Sunbasket which features a use for every part of the packaging including the 100% recyclable paper insulation, denim insulation, ice packs, and compostable fiber trays and sleeves. Overall, it is likely that a meal kit service will make a difference if you do not have the time to shop and prepare your meals with an eye to reduce food waste and compost what is left over.

What about grocery delivery? Done right, it can have an impact. What is needed in grocery deliveries organized by geography rather than by time (i.e. first ordered, first delivered). Well organized delivery routes can save 80-90% of the emissions from all of us getting separately in our cars to go to the grocery store. The more companies get sophisticated in efficiently planning the deliveries, and the more we request that they do so, the more likely the use of grocery delivery services will have a measurable impact on climate change mitigation.

Your voice can add power to systemic change and technology advances that “encourage less packaging and prioritize the reduction of negative environmental impacts”. Be aware of how grocery deliveries are prioritized and talk with your retailers about how they are planning to maximize the climate benefits of their services.

For individuals who might not like the idea of using delivered meal kits, prudently plan your grocery trips to reduce emissions, reduce food waste and compost (as discussed), source your food locally (including meal kits) and be thoughtful on how use food packaging.

Our local MN counties are sponsoring a Plastic-Free Challenge during the month of February to help individuals, families, communities, and companies jump-start developing lasting low-waste habits. Participants select actions from a number of categories, up to five daily actions and five one-time actions, and publicly track their progress. There are already close to 1300 participants! A useful and inspiring community event!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 32: Research More Than the Takeout Menu

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Food and Farming

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Ever since Washington County, MN established food scrap collection sites, I have found it very satisfying to collect our food scraps into the little container that sits on the side of our sink, and routinely taking them to be composted. To be honest, I am not sure I would want to operate a backyard compost operation, but I am enthusiastically embracing my role in keeping food scraps out of the landfill. My county offers the rich humus that results for folks to come and claim in repayment.

Knowing the devastating impact of methane produced by organic material in landfills and released into the atmosphere, I urge you to consider participating in any composting program you have access to, even if you have to drive the food to the site. Methane release from a landfill is far more a threat to the climate than carbon dioxide from your tailpipe as you drop your scraps off. Maybe your community has a curbside pickup option (check it out!).

Methane traps about 100 times more heat compared to carbon dioxide per molecule. The good news is that it is broken down faster than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Still, averaged over 100 years, methane is 28X more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. That is why controlling methane emissions is a critical focus in the fight to mitigate the effects of global warming.

“… only 4.1 percent of our food waste in the United States was composted in 2018”

Heidi Roop

My county accepts damn near everything (including those used pizza boxes that you never quite know whether you should put in the recycling bin), including:

• Fruit and vegetables,
• Meat, fish, and bones 
• Dairy products
• Eggs and eggshells
• Bread, pasta, beans, and rice
• Nuts and shells
• Coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags
• Animal and pet food
• Paper towels, napkins and tissues
• Pizza delivery boxes
• Paper egg cartons
• Dirty paper bags
• Certified compostable paper and plastic cups, plates, bowls, utensils, and containers (Look for the BPI logo to ensure it is compostable)

We have a nice stainless steel container on the counter, lined with EcoSafe® Compostable Bags that are BPI Certified that “ensures that items can be cycled back into the soil safely at a commercial composting facility”. I store the filled bags in a bucket in the garage and take them to the compost collection site every week. It is very satisfying. And in the spring, I can fill buckets with the “rich brown-black humus” that results and use it in the garden. It is all very satisfying and as Heidi says, “composting can be a low lift but high climate impact action!”

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 31: Shop for Your Meals Mindfully

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Food and Farming

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Food waste from consumers has a significant climate cost, representing close to 10% of total direct human-produced greenhouse gas emissions. Contrary to a widely-held belief, most of the food waste in this country – around 133 billion pounds – does not come from grocery stores and restaurants, rather from you and me as consumers. As Heidi states, “the upside of this is that we can clearly be part of the solution!”

Discarded food represents 24% of municipal solid waste in landfills. Because of the rapid chemical degradation process, food breaking down the anaerobic conditions in landfills is a significant source of methane, which is a greenhouse gas more powerful than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. The EPA estimates that 58% of fugitive methane emissions released from landfills come from food waste.

“It is estimated that 40 percent of food in the United States is thrown away!”

Heidi Roop

And the immediate issue is that this waste is taking place while food insecurity and a lack of access to affordable nutritious food is an issue disproportionately affecting disadvantaged populations across the country.

With simple planning, you can reduce your food waste, i.e. through better meal planning, improving food storage practice, and better use of leftovers. Weigh the waste food that you put into your trash can and track it over time as you implement your changes. Overall the goal will be to feed yourself and your family with a minimum of food waste.

Reducing consumption and thoughtful food management will have a big impact. What is left over should be composted. Stay tuned for Action 30!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 30: Compost

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Food and Farming

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

This one is pretty straight forward:

“Shifting our diet to one heavier in plants, rather than meat and dairy products, offers a meaningful opportunity for both mitigating and adapting to climate change”

Heidi Roop

The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land shows the significant benefit of a dietary shift away from meat in general and beef and dairy in particular. The emissions associated with a wholesale move to a plant-based diet is has the same emissions impact of taking 2,141 coal plants offline. In the graphic from Our World in Data the impact is stark: a globally adopted plant-based diet “would reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture by 75%”.

How can we as individuals get started? As is the theme of this series, by committing, taking a single action, building on it, and advocating for it with others. Heidi suggests implementing one meatless meal a week. Or cut your consumption by a percentage, say reducing dairy and meat from your grocery list by 25%. Having smaller portions overall with more vegetables, fruit, grains, and legumes will also have a positive impact on your health!

A widespread implementation of a plant-based diet would have a major impact on how we adapt to on-going climate change as well. Shifting how we better use land that is currently used for grazing cattle will result in better soil health, and reduced run-off and fertilizer use, which are all major benefits in addition to the reduction in emissions. With this dietary change the US could “free up nearly 500 million acres of land for other used by 2050”. Land that could be better employed to reduce the impact of climate change on humans and society.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 29: Cut Down on Your Food Waste

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Travel and Work

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Many companies and governments are making a convenient claim to be “net-zero by 2050” or some other year. To be net-zero, the greenhouse gases emitted by a company must be offset by the same amount removed from the atmosphere. To make a real impact, a company must set realistic, science-based, data-driven targets, make investments in technology and processes, and track, verify, and document the progress made against the targets.

We should be naturally skeptical of and scrutinize the claims that a company makes. There is often a focus on Scope 1 emissions, which are those that can be controlled directly by the company. A company might have a plan for Scope 2 emissions associated with the the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling for their operations. Scope 3 emissions, the indirect emissions associated with the company’s supply chains, are important because they can account for over 80% of the company’s emissions and may be the toughest to tackle.

As part of their plan, a company may choose to use carbon offsets which are an economic strategy where a company offsets their emissions by “supporting projects that reduce, avoid, or remove emissions elsewhere”. Essentially, a company can decide to do nothing themselves, but rather pay another entity to plant a tree or sequester greenhouse gases on their behalf. The use of carbon offsets is controversial and confused by both a lack of regulatory oversight and the difficulty in tracking the effectiveness and real climate impact.

“A healthy dose of skepticism and a keen eye for detail are needed when looking at a company’s (or a government’s) climate commitments”

Heidi Roop

When researching a company, you should pay particular attention to the commitments made to address Scope 3 emissions and whether they rely heavily on offsets which may be used as a smokescreen to mask a lack of commitment to actually reducing emissions. Another tactic to be aware of is a reliance on carbon capture and storage technologies which, although promising, are far from being deployed at scale. When considering a company’s climate claims, overuse of terms like offsets, climate-neutral, and carbon capture should motivate you to dig deeper. Check out the net-zero plan for ExxonMobil to sharpen your skepticism skills.

As we have been discussing, your action starts with knowledge and research on how the companies and governments you care about are setting climate goals and how they are approaching addressing those goals. The power you have is in the dollars you choose to spend, whether you choose to raise your voice, and how you cast your votes and influence your elected officials. Savvy use of social media is important too: call out the companies you research if you find their plans lacking, highlight any weakness or lack of commitment you find, and call on them to take positive action for real change.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 28: Eat Your Broccoli, and Pass on the Meat

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Travel and Work

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

It’s an election year so get ready for “something something jobs something” and other useless rhetoric. If climate comes up at all, I will be surprised as it is one of many proverbial “third rails” for candidates. From Republicans, I expect to hear some variation of Senator Barrasso’s remarks that the “Green New Deal is a Socialist Scheme that Would Destroy Jobs & Reduce Quality of Life“. I suspect the Democrats will be less rhetorical, but will deliberately dampen the message of urgent climate action to appeal to moderates. Buckle up and get ready for the vitriol.

New technology and innovation creates and sustains jobs. It is estimated that the transition to renewable energy will more than double the energy sector jobs from 2020 to 2050. The nuances are important because the “value chains in renewables and sustainable technologies are found to be more labour intensive than extractive fossil fuels. The results indicate that a global energy transition will have positive impacts on future stability and growth of economies around the world”. This means that rather than working in coal mines and oil fields with shrinking workforces, renewable energy technology will result in the growth of a variety of good, quality new jobs.

The impact on the energy sector is obvious. However, the impacts of a changing climate will affect other industries, some negatively. A study showed that the expected >1.5°C increase in temperature will result in a loss of 136 million jobs in industries such as construction and agriculture because “exposure to extreme heat can cause occupational illnesses, increase risk of injury, and lower productivity through natural defense mechanisms such as slowing down, taking more frequent and longer breaks, or limiting working hours”. Quote from here.

The inevitability of the debilitating effect of heat on human health itself should be a driver of action. Optimistic World Resources Institute envisions that “that bold climate action could deliver at least $26 trillion in economic benefits through 2030”. The WRI acknowledges that “we can eliminate extreme poverty, prevent dangerous climate change, and improve the lives and livelihoods of millions—but only if we set out to do so decisively now“.

“Ambitious climate action across key economic systems—energy, cities, food and land use, water and industry—can lead to higher productivity, more resilient economies and greater social inclusion”

World Resources Institute

Parents with high school students exploring college decisions and career prospects should expose them to the new energy economy and in emerging opportunities in climate adaptation. Happy with your career? We have discussed a number of actions you can take where you work now. Considering a job change? You can become a leader and have a fulfilling career in any number of new and exciting careers in the emerging clean energy economy. As Heidi states, “something you care about is at risk from climate change”, and you are in a position to make a difference.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 27: Use Caution with Corporate Climate Commitments

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Travel and Work

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Humans have been dealing with the weather for millennia. Early on vegetation was adapted in structures to provide protection: good insulation during the winter, and heat management in the summer. Modern green roofs are deliberately planted and maintained for the same purpose. In addition to reducing the heating and cooling loads (and lower greenhouse gas emissions), green roofs help abate storm run-off, provide habitat and clean the air.

Cool roofs, in comparison, use modern technology to manage the heat from the sun to minimize the amount that enters the building through the roof. There are two effects: reflecting the solar radiation (reflectivity) and allowing the roof to emit the stored heat rapidly and efficiently (emissivity). You can find more at the US Department of Energy Cool Roof site, including good advice on how to consider a retrofit for your house.

We will discuss the urban heat island effect later, but cities are particularly concerned about solar loading in buildings and the potential for disastrous health effects of excessive heat. New York City is taking on the issue with their NYC °CoolRoofs Program, which encourages and helps offset the costs of applying reflective coatings to building rooftops. The program is focused on addressing energy inequity by giving non-profits, community centers, and low-income housing the service free of charge. It also serves as a jobs and training program for disadvantaged workers. Read more about it, including the advantages.

The results are impressive for a passive approach: Cool roofs reduce carbon emissions in New York City at a rate of 0.5 lbs. per square foot of rooftop coated. In its first full year, NYC °CoolRoofs coated 1 million square feet rooftop, a reduction of 227 metric tons of carbon.

“Cool roofs can reduce the internal temperature of a building by up to 30%”

Heid Roop

The time to take action on your house is when your roof needs replacing, and you should consider the benefits of cool roof technology. [Lest you thing you think you will need a white roof, you can choose shingles with 3M™ Cool Roofing Granules in a variety of colors]. Cool roof coatings are an option for your workplace, if you work in a typical commercial building, and can be applied to the existing roof at anytime.

While a cool roof is a great idea to help manage the heat load of any building, explore the possibility of a green roof – imagine having a cool garden on the roof of your building where you can escape the busy city heat island!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 26: Consider Climate as Part of Your Career

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Travel and Work

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

Let’s do the numbers of the climate impact of buildings:

• 39% of total global energy-related emissions come from buildings
• 11% of the 39% comes from building construction
• 28% of the 39% comes from building operation
• 29% of all US emissions come from building (when you include energy generation)
• 61% of all electricity used to power buildings came from fossil fuels

For over 200 years, we have built buildings in the US according to the design practices and understanding of energy efficiency of the time. If they are in use today, they require energy for operation. For a given building, how efficient it is depends on when it was built or if forward-looking owners have retrofitted it with energy saving technologies. It is only recently that we have been deliberately designing and building buildings that meet standards of energy efficiency and emissions reductions, i.e. the LEED rating system.

In addition to better design of greener buildings, technology and new materials are increasingly being used or in development that are more sustainable with a lower climate impact. Seen in new construction and retrofits, the energy efficiency of buildings can be optimized with simple-to-implement solutions through the installation of high efficiency electrical components and “smart” thermostats, and retrofits for more insulation and the use of light control films for windows.

Some more forward-looking cities are adopting construction policies to make buildings more climate friendly. Heidi discusses New York City which will work to phase out fossil fuel combustion in new construction and has a requirement that commercial and residential buildings be all electric by 2027. The US Government is taking a leading role in technology development through a variety of programs including the Green Proving Ground where new energy efficient technologies are deployed and evaluated in Federal buildings.

It is also increasingly important to retrofit buildings to be more resilient in the face of a changing climate, which is intensifying and prolonging weather related events that can damage and destroy infrastructure. This may include changing the climate control systems and insulation to deal with wider temperature swings to major renovations that account for the increased likelihood of frequent flooding with higher water levels.

For your workplace, advocating for improved electrical components and controls, and lighting, insulation, and window films to increase energy efficiency should be well received as it is usually a good investment for any business. The next step for you as an advocate is to help the company evaluate the built environment for potential risks resulting from climate change.

As for your own home, we will be exploring some actions to take in later posts. A good place to start may be with your utility: for instance, Xcel Energy in MN offers a Home Energy Audit, described as “the quickest, simplest way to assess your home’s energy efficiency and set you on the path to lower energy bills and a more comfortable, more efficient home”. As always, decisive action starts first with awareness and education.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 25: Go Green and Cool With Rooftops

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Travel and Work

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

It is my wish that you work for a company that is taking this crisis seriously and working to contribute to mitigating the causes of climate change and helping their workforce and communities adapt to the changes already underway. If not, or if you feel your workplace is not doing enough, consider becoming a climate champion. Collaborating with like-minded colleagues, you can help your company and your coworkers navigate the complexity of climate-friendly business policies and practices and advocate for the company weighing in on larger issues like national climate policies and climate financing, for instance.

An excellent place to start is Project Drawdown’s Climate Solutions at Work Guide, which is employee focused  and has two main objectives:

1. “Democratize climate action so that all employees can contribute. You don’t need to have ‘sustainability’ or ‘climate’ in your job title to take powerful climate action. Every job can be a climate job“.
2. “Elevate business climate leadership by looking beyond ‘net zero’. A new drawdown-aligned business framework can help companies leverage their social, political, financial, and employee power in pursuit of a stable climate and just future for all.”

I am fortunate to have a large group of colleagues in my workplace that share my passion and drive to take action and work for meaningful change in addressing climate change. I continue to have hope that my company can make a difference, and I committed to leading where I can.

If you feel the same, I hope you can realize that you are not alone, you have support, and you have resources that you can use to take action. It might start with discussions around sustainable practices with a like-minded individual that leads to a productive collaboration to take on one or more challenges in the workplace.

It is my belief that successful companies in the future will be differentiated by how they address this real challenge. If you are not already, you can simple steps to be the first to champion the change!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 24: Reduce the Climate Footprint of the Buildings Around You

Back to 100 Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com