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Vegan leather isn’t as sustainable as you think

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Monday, June 3, 2024

If you’re shopping for leather shoes, belts and clothes, you might be finding more and more products labeled as “vegan.”Some brands are marketing these items as a more sustainable choice over traditional animal-based leather, but it’s not as clear-cut as you might think. It may not be made from animals, but “vegan leather” is often a rebranding of “pleather,” or plastic leather, a synthetic, fossil-fuel-based textile.We looked at how pleather stacks up against animal leather. Here’s what you need to know:Most faux leather is made out of either polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride — also known as PVC — both of which are types of plastic.If you’re buying pleather, you should steer clear of PVC, said Huantian Cao, professor and chair of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, who has researched sustainable textiles and design.“The entire life cycle of this material has a very bad environmental impact,” Cao said. Production, use and disposal of PVC can release toxic chlorine-based chemicals, and the plastic is one of the world’s largest sources of dioxin, a harmful pollutant that persists in the environment and can accumulate in the food chain.Pleather manufacturers are working to eliminate the use of PVC, Cao said. Polyurethane is a better alternative, he said, but it’s still plastic and made from petrochemicals, a nonrenewable resource. Producing this type of pleather also involves chemicals, he added.Recycling pleather is complicated and not widely done, Cao said.Throwing out your pleather once you don’t want to wear it anymore can be a problem. “It is synthetic,” said Sonali Diddi, an associate professor in the department of design and merchandising at Colorado State University who researches sustainable clothing production and consumption. “It’s never going to biodegrade.”Where does leather come from?Traditional leather comes from the hides of livestock, namely cattle, that are primarily raised for meat and dairy. Hides that aren’t turned into leather typically end up burned or in landfills.“As long as we human beings eat meat, there will be skin, and we need to find some application for that,” Cao said. “Many people may think or feel bad that we kill animals just to have leather and make shoes, and that is essentially not the real case.”One estimate from the Leather and Hide Council of America, a trade organization, suggests that about 40 percent of hides worldwide are landfilled, said Kevin Latner, the group’s vice president. As these hides decompose, they could release about 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, he said. This amount is similar to the emissions of more than 9 million gasoline-powered cars being driven for a year.“To collect the animal skin from the meat industry and convert them to leather goods is a way to maximize the using of the resource,” Cao said.Leather products can be shredded into scraps, but recycled leather can have limited applications, he added.And, he noted, traditional leather tanning often uses heavy metals, most notably chromium, and the resulting waste is a health hazard and could pollute waterways if facilities don’t have proper safeguards in place. Groups such as the Leather Working Group and Oeko-Tex offer sustainability certifications for leather.When it comes to shopping, many experts say the most sustainable choice is the product you’re going to keep and use for as long as possible.Animal-based leather is “time tested,” Diddi said.“We still see leather products in pretty good condition even if they’re 100, 150 years old,” she said. “If you’re thinking about sustainability, durability, hand-me-downs, I would say genuine leather would be the way to go.”Depending on how it’s made and used, pleather can be less durable than genuine leather, she said. The synthetic material can peel, chip or crack with frequent use.Alternatives to faux and real leatherCompanies are experimenting with plant-based alternatives to leather, including materials made from mushroom or cactus, as well as fruits such as pineapple.These textiles could be more sustainable than pleather because they’re plant-based and they don’t require tanning like animal leather, Diddi said.But research into these materials is ongoing and products are not widely available yet, meaning it’s too soon to know what the actual impacts of plant-based leathers are.“They are still at the very, very early stage,” Cao said.

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If you’re shopping for leather shoes, belts and clothes, you might be finding more and more products labeled as “vegan.”

Some brands are marketing these items as a more sustainable choice over traditional animal-based leather, but it’s not as clear-cut as you might think. It may not be made from animals, but “vegan leather” is often a rebranding of “pleather,” or plastic leather, a synthetic, fossil-fuel-based textile.

We looked at how pleather stacks up against animal leather. Here’s what you need to know:

Most faux leather is made out of either polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride — also known as PVC — both of which are types of plastic.

If you’re buying pleather, you should steer clear of PVC, said Huantian Cao, professor and chair of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, who has researched sustainable textiles and design.

“The entire life cycle of this material has a very bad environmental impact,” Cao said. Production, use and disposal of PVC can release toxic chlorine-based chemicals, and the plastic is one of the world’s largest sources of dioxin, a harmful pollutant that persists in the environment and can accumulate in the food chain.

Pleather manufacturers are working to eliminate the use of PVC, Cao said. Polyurethane is a better alternative, he said, but it’s still plastic and made from petrochemicals, a nonrenewable resource. Producing this type of pleather also involves chemicals, he added.

Recycling pleather is complicated and not widely done, Cao said.

Throwing out your pleather once you don’t want to wear it anymore can be a problem. “It is synthetic,” said Sonali Diddi, an associate professor in the department of design and merchandising at Colorado State University who researches sustainable clothing production and consumption. “It’s never going to biodegrade.”

Where does leather come from?

Traditional leather comes from the hides of livestock, namely cattle, that are primarily raised for meat and dairy. Hides that aren’t turned into leather typically end up burned or in landfills.

“As long as we human beings eat meat, there will be skin, and we need to find some application for that,” Cao said. “Many people may think or feel bad that we kill animals just to have leather and make shoes, and that is essentially not the real case.”

One estimate from the Leather and Hide Council of America, a trade organization, suggests that about 40 percent of hides worldwide are landfilled, said Kevin Latner, the group’s vice president. As these hides decompose, they could release about 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, he said. This amount is similar to the emissions of more than 9 million gasoline-powered cars being driven for a year.

“To collect the animal skin from the meat industry and convert them to leather goods is a way to maximize the using of the resource,” Cao said.

Leather products can be shredded into scraps, but recycled leather can have limited applications, he added.

And, he noted, traditional leather tanning often uses heavy metals, most notably chromium, and the resulting waste is a health hazard and could pollute waterways if facilities don’t have proper safeguards in place. Groups such as the Leather Working Group and Oeko-Tex offer sustainability certifications for leather.

When it comes to shopping, many experts say the most sustainable choice is the product you’re going to keep and use for as long as possible.

Animal-based leather is “time tested,” Diddi said.

“We still see leather products in pretty good condition even if they’re 100, 150 years old,” she said. “If you’re thinking about sustainability, durability, hand-me-downs, I would say genuine leather would be the way to go.”

Depending on how it’s made and used, pleather can be less durable than genuine leather, she said. The synthetic material can peel, chip or crack with frequent use.

Alternatives to faux and real leather

Companies are experimenting with plant-based alternatives to leather, including materials made from mushroom or cactus, as well as fruits such as pineapple.

These textiles could be more sustainable than pleather because they’re plant-based and they don’t require tanning like animal leather, Diddi said.

But research into these materials is ongoing and products are not widely available yet, meaning it’s too soon to know what the actual impacts of plant-based leathers are.

“They are still at the very, very early stage,” Cao said.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

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Why Melbourne’s e-scooter ban is a wrong turn away from safe, sustainable transport

Shared e-scooters have safety features that private e-scooters lack, but accident data don’t distinguish between them, nor tell us about the economic and environmental harms of other transport modes.

Melbourne City Council voted to break its contracts with operators of shared e‑scooter schemes this week, citing safety concerns. It seems these concerns have usurped the long-term transport and environmental gains from moving towards sustainable transport. A year ago, the city reported emissions had been cut by 400 tonnes since trials of these e‑scooters began. Shared e‑scooters only became available to Melburnians in early 2022. But electric scooters have existed for more than a century. They were very popular on public streets in the United States after motorised scooters first appeared in 1915. However, their use for criminal getaways soon marred their reputation. The opportunity for a lower-emission, more equitable form of transport was lost, until now. It could be lost again because of knee-jerk reactions to concerns about their safety. In fact, shared e‑scooters have safety features that individually owned ones often lack. Shared e‑escooters cause fewer serious injuries than bicycles or motorcycles, according to New Zealand accident compensation data. In Australia, while there has been a rise in numbers treated in hospitals for e‑scooter injuries, no distinction is made between shared and private e‑scooters. Private e-scooters greatly outnumber shared ones Today, an estimated 15,000 shared e‑scooters are in use across Australia and New Zealand. No official figures are available for private e‑scooters, but there are likely to be many more of them. Segway, a globally dominant maker of e‑scooters, reported it had sold 8.5 million private versus 1.5 million shared e‑scooters by 2022. In the United Kingdom, an estimated 360,000 private e‑scooters were bought in 2020. New Zealand Statistics reports roughly 400,000 e‑scooters were imported from 2018 to 2023. One can assume, then, that private e‑scooters similarly outnumber shared e‑scooters in Australia. And the distinction between rental and private e‑scooters is an important one in the debate about safety. Media reports on shared e‑scooters in Melbourne have concentrated on two key subjects: launching trials and safety. Recent coverage refers to significant incidents and injuries. This creates a perception that e‑scooters are much less safe than other transport modes. Regulated shared e-scooters are safer The first thing to note is these reports don’t distinguish between shared and private e‑scooters. This matters because the shared e‑scooter market is highly regulated in Australia. Their operators are required to: provide helmets for riders apply speed limiters so they don’t exceed safe speeds geo-fence e‑scooters to limit where they can travel use pedestrian-detection technology. In contrast, private e‑scooters are not registered. They have different quality specifications and can have larger motors, often exceeding regulated engine outputs that vary from state to state. Importantly, private e‑scooters lack the advanced technologies used on shared e‑scooters to monitor rider use. There is little to no regulation or quality control over the private e‑scooters Australians can buy. Some models seen on the streets can exceed the legal speed limit. All that’s stopping them speeding is rider responsibility and police oversight. Hospitals records of e‑scooter injuries do not distinguish between private or shared e‑scooter riders. That’s also true of injury reporting and statistics, due to the way authorities collect crash statistics. Yet reported injury statistics for New Zealand indicate that the rate of serious injury while using a shared e‑scooter points is lower than for other modes of transport. Far more people suffered soft tissue injuries from rollerskating and skateboarding (5,344) than from riding e‑scooters (1,119), for instance. Nine times as many bike riders incurred a head injury or concussion (681) compared to e‑scooter riders (76). Better infrastructure is also vital for e‑scooter safety. A 2020 International Transport Federation (ITF) report found 80% of e‑scooter crashes occurred at intersections, and 70% during the day. The findings are not surprising when scant attention has been paid to delivering safe e‑scooter infrastructure. In Melbourne, for example, some lanes available for e‑scooter riding end abruptly. E-scooters cut emissions and congestion The most important issue arising from the City of Melbourne’s ban is the role e‑scooters (and e‑bikes) can play in shrinking cities’ huge carbon footprints. In addition, e‑scooters can: reduce traffic congestion improve access to public transport provide more efficient transport for shorter trips remove the need for car parking improve air quality. The City of Melbourne pointed solely at the safety concern to justify its ban. The city instead needs more proactive policies to integrate shared e‑scooters into the its mobility mix. This would have delivered all the public good of this transport mode. Governance is a neglected issue Much of the research on e‑scooters in cities focuses on sustainability and safety. Governance (policies, rules and regulations) is largely overlooked. Operating governance structures are established following a traditional operator licensing pathway. This approach is now being questioned. What has been lacking is broad engagement with all stakeholders, including the public. The focus should be on balancing the benefits and burdens of shared e‑scooters. E‑scooters are a particularly valuable form of transport for young people and those on low incomes or with a disability. The social justice they provide has been neglected. Predictably, then, the focus has been on the burdens, including safety. Another problem is the widely varied approaches around Australia to regulating e‑scooters. There isn’t even a consistent definition of e‑scooters. It appears governance decisions, which include ending operator licences, aren’t using reliable evidence to avoid knee-jerk reactions. For widespread sustainable and safe e‑scooter use, there needs to be: better governance and rider safety education more consistent and specific recording of e‑scooter incident and injury data an appreciation that riders are vulnerable road users who deserve safe infrastructure. A comprehensive, inclusive assessment of benefits and burdens is needed. We may then establish more clearly the sustainability and equity benefits, manage the safety concerns and arrive at more consistent policies and definitions across Australia. Mark Stevenson receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council. Ferdinand Balfoort receives funding from Charles Darwin University, Australia. He is a Senior Researcher at the Mobility Research Partnership Pty Ltd, a not for profit

Sustainable
Education
Social Justice

Here's how a chef and mixologist husband-and-wife team are aiming towards a "sustainable future"

The culinary couple discuss zero-landfill bar programs, sustainability and the wide world of fish cookery

Southern food can be mean something immensely different from person to person. For chef-restauranteur Sammy Wiggins and his wife, mixologist Kassady Wiggins, their focus is pulled towards the coasts. The authors of a new cookbook "Salt & Shore: Recipes from the Coastal South" and owners of the restaurant Joyce in Los Angeles, the duo is passionate about highlighting the best that the coastal south has to offer, as well as prioritizing zero-waste cocktails and highlighting sustainability. As they told me, "We wanted to create a culinary narrative that respects the past and looks forward to a sustainable future." With far-reaching intentions as well as unique ingredient usage, dishes intended for communal and convivial enjoyment and great recipes for cooks who aren't especially well versed in the realm of fish, Monsour and Wiggins are excellent advocates not just for food and cooking at large, but also environmental rights, sustainability, fighting overfishing and the wonder of working with a spouse. You can purchase Salt & Shore: Recipes from the Coastal South here.  Salt & Shore: Recipes From The Coastal South by Sammy Monsour and Kassady Wiggins (Weldon Owen / Simon & Schuster) The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. I love how this book embodies precisely how it's labeled: the perfect mix of "salt and shore," both entirely Southern yet totally coastal-based. Can you explain a bit about the development of the book?  The development of "Salt and Shore" was a deeply collaborative and immersive experience. We aimed to capture the essence of Southern coastal cuisine by blending our personal experiences, various regional histories and contemporary culinary techniques. We hope while flipping through the pages, readers get a sense of our shared love for the ocean and the bounty it provides.  How would you define the ethos of “Salt and Shore?”  The ethos of “Salt and Shore” is about honoring the rich culinary traditions and history of the Southern coast while embracing sustainability and innovation. It’s a celebration of the diverse ingredients from the shorelines, the vibrant communities and the time-honored practices of Southern hospitality. We wanted to create a culinary narrative that respects the past and looks forward to a sustainable future. Is "coastal southern" your general approach, from the cookbook to your restaurants to home cooking?  Yes, "coastal southern" is a central theme in our cookbook, restaurants and home cooking. It’s a cuisine that’s deeply rooted in the traditions of the South but is also heavily influenced by the coastal environment. This approach allows us to highlight fresh, locally sourced seafood and seasonal produce; creating dishes and drinks that are both comforting and contemporary. A central theme you’ll see throughout the cookbook is also recognizing the huge and ever-evolving impact other food cultures have had on “coastal southern” cuisine and (of course) in our very own home.  How do you think your backgrounds influenced your current food perspective, both personally and professionally? Our backgrounds have significantly shaped our food perspective. Growing up in the South, we were both influenced by the region's rich culinary heritage and the importance of community and hospitality. Sammy’s Lebanese roots inspire flavors and techniques in the kitchen, while Kassady’s African American heritage fuels her commitment to social justice and sustainability. Professionally, our experiences in various kitchen/restaurant settings and our commitment to sustainability have driven us to create dishes and drinks that are not only delicious but also mindful of their environmental impact. Sammy Monsour and Kassady Wiggins (Photo courtesy of Ziv Sade and Sammy Monsour) I am so interested by the section in the book about algae and microalgae in drinks. I also saw chlorella in the Pawleys Island Palmer. Can you elaborate a bit on that?  Incorporating algae and microalgae into drinks is part of our commitment to sustainability and innovation. Chlorella in the Pawleys Island Palmer, for example, adds a unique flavor and a boost of nutrients. In the Blue Bayou, blue spirulina adds a depth of flavor unattainable by any other means. These ingredients not only offer health benefits but also reflect our connection to the ocean and our desire to use diverse, sustainable ingredients in creative ways. "Fish Camp ''is so fun. I love the name of the chapters/categories and the convivial, social nature of those fish fries. Can you speak a bit to that? The "Fish Camp" section is inspired by the traditional fish fries and social gatherings that are a staple in Southern culture. It’s about bringing people together to enjoy simple, delicious food in a convivial atmosphere. The name and the concept are meant to evoke a sense of nostalgia and community, celebrating the joy of shared, easy-going meals and good company. I also enjoyed the "stock market" section, with such deeply flavorful, almost home-y dishes, from perloo to gumbo. I wonder if ostensibly more involved, storied dishes like that  are sometimes intimidating for cooks? What are some tips you can give for people looking to cook those dishes? While dishes like perloo and gumbo might seem intimidating, they are all about layering flavors and taking your time. Our tips for home cooks include starting with high-quality ingredients, following the steps carefully and not being afraid to make the recipe your own. These dishes are meant to be comforting and home-y, so don’t stress about perfection—enjoy the process and the results. We want these dishes to taste (and feel) good to you at every step, much more than we want them to be “perfect.”  What do you think are some of the best ways for the most fish-averse cooks to get into the realm of fish cookery? For those new to fish cookery, we recommend starting with some of the more iconic, approachable dishes from our "Hand Held" and "Fish Camp" chapters. These recipes are designed to be fun, social and relatively easy to prepare. Dishes like blackened fish tacos, our various fish “burgers,’ or our numerous styles of fish fry are great entry points. They offer familiar flavors and straightforward techniques that build confidence. Plus, they capture the convivial spirit of coastal Southern cuisine, making the cooking experience enjoyable and rewarding. How do you recommend reducing food waste for home cooks? Reducing food waste at home involves planning meals, using leftovers creatively and composting scraps. We also encourage home cooks to embrace the whole ingredient, such as using fish bones for stock or vegetable peels for broths. Being mindful of portions and storage can also help minimize waste. There are quite a few tips on this in the “Libations” chapter—as syrups and ice are an easy way to mitigate a lot of what we think of as food waste. You're both advocates for environmental rights and sustainability in the kitchens. Can you speak a bit to that?  Our advocacy for environmental rights and sustainability is a core part of our culinary philosophy. In our professional kitchens (and home kitchen), we have always prioritized sourcing sustainably, minimizing waste and educating our team and customers about the importance of protecting our natural resources. We believe that every small effort counts towards a larger impact on the environment. How can home cooks help mitigate environmental damages? Home cooks can mitigate environmental damage by supporting local farmers and fishers, choosing sustainable ingredients and trying to reduce waste. Simple actions like composting, using reusable bags and containers and being mindful of water and energy use in the kitchen can make a significant difference. Charleston Perloo (Photo courtesy of Ziv Sade and Sammy Monsour) Is there a standout recipe for the both of you in the book?  A standout recipe for us is the Charleston Perloo, which also graces the cover of the book. This dish is a quintessential example of Southern coastal cuisine, combining rice, seafood and a rich, flavorful broth. It’s a celebration of the Lowcountry's bounty and culinary traditions. The perloo embodies the heart and soul of "Salt and Shore," blending simplicity with depth and history. It’s a dish that’s both comforting and elegant, perfect for showcasing the vibrant flavors and communal spirit of Southern coastal cooking. The pecan salsa matcha with the grilled tilefish sounds stupendous! How did that component come together?  The pecan salsa macha is inspired by traditional Mexican salsa macha, which is known for its rich, nutty and spicy flavors. We wanted to bring a Southern twist to this classic by incorporating pecans, a staple in Southern cuisine. The combination of toasted nuts, dried chilies and aromatic spices creates a complex, robust sauce that perfectly complements the grilled tilefish. This dish exemplifies our approach of blending diverse culinary traditions to create something uniquely Southern and coastal, while paying homage to the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine. I love fish in all iterations, but do you think there's a certain cooking methodology that lets the favor of the fish shine most? Raw? Grilled? Fried?  Each cooking method brings out different qualities in each species or variety of seafood. Raw preparations like ceviche highlight the freshness and natural flavors, while grilling adds a smoky depth. Frying offers a crispy texture that many enjoy. The best method depends on the type of seafood and the desired flavor profile, but ultimately, the simplest methods often let the seafood shine the most. As with many a seafood cookbook, there are no desserts. Did you contemplate adding any or did you want to steer clear since there would (most likely) not be any actual fish in those dishes?  Instead of focusing on desserts, we dedicated an entire chapter to cocktails. We believe that a thoughtful libation sets the tone for the meal and it’s a Southern tradition to welcome guests with a cocktail. This approach aligns perfectly with Kassady’s specialty and her way of expressing creativity. By emphasizing pre-dinner drinks, we provide a unique and engaging start to the culinary experience. While many cookbooks end with dessert, we chose to highlight the importance of the welcome libation, ensuring that every meal begins with a touch of Southern hospitality and sets the tone for the rest of the meal. Can you speak a bit to the current state of overfishing?  Overfishing remains a significant global challenge, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of those who depend on them. However, it's important to recognize and celebrate the progress made in the United States. Thanks to the science-based regulatory framework provided by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, we've been able to recover our overfished stocks and are now global leaders in wild fisheries management. This act ensures that our fisheries are managed sustainably, balancing environmental, economic and social objectives. It’s a testament to what can be achieved with robust regulations and dedicated conservation efforts and it offers a hopeful model for addressing overfishing worldwide. Tell me a bit about your new LA restaurant, Joyce? The menu is amazing  Joyce is a celebration of elevated Southern coastal cuisine with a modern twist. The menu features a zero-landfill cocktail program, sustainably sourced seafood, locally grown produce and inventive dishes that honor tradition while pushing culinary boundaries. It’s a place where guests can enjoy the flavors of the coast in a welcoming, vibrant setting.   Want more great food writing and recipes? Subscribe to Salon Food's newsletter, The Bite. Could you explain what exactly a zero-landfill bar program is? Does it also offer non-alcoholic drinks?  A zero-landfill bar program means that we aim to produce no waste that ends up in landfills. This involves composting organic waste, recycling materials and using sustainable, reusable, or biodegradable products. We’ve developed creative ways to mitigate waste, finding secondary uses for produce that’s past its prime—whether bent, broken, bruised, blemished, or overly ripe. It also involves a lot of communication and cross-utilization with the kitchen. We try to mirror flavors on both sides of the menu. Take, for example, our Mother of Pearl Martini—we roast the top shells of oysters and make a vodka infusion with them and we make an in-house vermouth with past-its-prime white wine, ogo algae (that you can also find on our Ogo Ceaser salad) and lemon peels that have been expressed for another cocktail garnish.  Other ways in which we “close the loop” are through syrups, infusions, shrubs, tinctures and bitters. Additionally, we offer a range of non-alcoholic drinks crafted with the same care and creativity as our cocktails, ensuring that all guests have delicious, eco-friendly options. This program reflects our commitment to sustainability and innovation, making every aspect of our bar as environmentally friendly as possible. Could you both speak to the notion of working so closely with a spouse, both in terms of the book and the day-to-day in the restaurant?  Working closely with each other over the past eight years has been rewarding. It allows us to share our passion for food and sustainability, collaborate creatively and support one another. While it comes with its challenges, the key is communication, respect and finding a balance between our professional and personal lives. Sea Scallops (Photo courtesy of Ziv Sade and Sammy Monsour) What is a formative cooking memory?  Sammy here. One of my most formative cooking memories is growing up with my Taita, my Lebanese grandmother, who was an amazing cook. She would prepare elaborate feasts featuring freshly made pita bread, stews, hand pies, rice dishes and pastries, all from our homeland where she was born and raised. Helping her make hand pies and spending time with her in the kitchen are some of my earliest, fondest memories. My family celebrates her life and legacy through her treasured recipes, which I cook often at home. It's also Kassady's favorite cuisine for me to cook for her at home. This connection to my Lebanese heritage through cooking allows me to honor my family's traditions and care for my loved ones, keeping Taita's spirit alive in every dish. Both of our families talk about food before anything when getting together; everything is planned around food. Formative cooking memories for us involve helping our families prepare large, communal meals during holidays. These experiences instilled in us the importance of food in bringing people together and the joy of sharing a meal with loved ones. They also taught us the value of hard work, patience and the love that goes into cooking and ultimately nourishing one another. Why do you cook?  We cook because it’s our way of expressing creativity, nourishing loved ones, connecting with others and honoring our heritage. It’s a form of art and a means of storytelling that allows us to share our passion for food and sustainability with the world. Cooking brings us joy and fulfillment and it’s our way of making a positive impact. What are your top three favorite ingredients to work with?  Asking us to choose a favorite child? Broadly, our favorite ingredients to work with are unique spices, grass-fed butter, fresh seafood and seasonal produce. These elements allow us to create dishes that are vibrant, flavorful and reflective of the diverse culinary traditions we cherish. How do the two of you handle menu development, linking the bar program and the food menu so intrinsically?  When developing our menus, we start with the seasonal and sustainable ingredients available to us, ensuring that both the food and beverage components highlight the best of what each season has to offer. We brainstorm dishes and cocktails that complement these ingredients while creating a harmonious and cohesive dining experience. Linking the bar program with the food menu involves crafting flavor profiles that enhance and balance each other, ensuring that every bite and sip is part of a unified culinary journey. Our aspiration is to create food and beverages that are delicious, beautiful, crave-worthy and soul-satisfying. We believe that every element, from the welcome cocktail to the final dish, should contribute to an unforgettable dining experience. This holistic approach allows  us to express our creativity fully and ensures that our guests enjoy a seamless and delightful blend of flavors and aesthetics. Read more about this topic

Sustainable
Conservation
Energy

How sustainable is your weekly grocery shop? These small changes can have big benefits

"The last thing we want to do is take the pleasure away from eating"

You might think eating more sustainably requires drastic changes, such as shifting to a vegan diet. While a plant-based diet is undeniably good for the Earth, our new research shows modest changes to your eating habits can also have significant environmental benefits. We assessed how food products on Australian supermarket shelves stack up against key environmental indicators, such as carbon emissions and water use. We found swapping the most environmentally harmful foods for more sustainable options within the same food group, such as switching from beef burgers to chicken burgers, can significantly reduce carbon emissions – by up to 96% in some instances. The last thing we want to do is take the pleasure away from eating. Instead, we want to help consumers make realistic dietary changes that also help ensure a sustainable future. So read on to find out which simple food swaps can best achieve this.   Informing sustainable diets The environmental impact of foods can be estimated using an approach known as a life-cycle assessment. This involves identifying the "inputs" required along the food supply chain, such as fertiliser, energy, water and land, and tracking them from farm to fork. From this we can calculate a product's "footprint" – or environmental impact per kilogram of product – and compare it to other foods. Most studies of environmental footprints focus on the raw ingredients that make up food products (such as beef, wheat or rice) rather than the packaged products people see on shelves (such as beef sausages, pasta or rice crackers). Of the studies that do focus on packaged foods, most only consider a fraction of the products available to consumers. What's more, a lot of research considers only the carbon emissions of food products, excluding other important measures such as water use. And some studies use global average environmental footprints, which vary significantly between countries. Our research set out to overcome these limitations. We aligned environmental footprints with the products people find on supermarket shelves, and covered a huge range of food and beverage products available in Australia. We also included many environmental indicators, to allow a more complete picture of the sustainability of different foods.     What we did Key to our research was the FoodSwitch database, which compiles food labelling and ingredient data from images of packaged food and beverages. It covers more than 90% of the Australian packaged food market. We combined the database with a mathematical method that sums the environmental impact of ingredients, to quantify the footprint of the product as a whole. From this, we estimated the environmental footprint of 63,926 food products available in Australian supermarkets. We then simulated the potential benefits of making "realistic" switches between products – that is, switches within the same food category.   Our findings The results show how making a small dietary change can have big environmental consequences. For a shopping basket composed of items from eight food groups, we simulate the benefits of swapping from high-impact towards medium- or low-impact food products. Our analysis assumes a starting point from the most environmentally harmful products in each food group – for example, sweet biscuits, cheese and beef burger patties. A shift to the medium-impact foods for all eight items – such as a muffin, yoghurt and sliced meat – can lead to at least a 62% reduction in environmental impact. Shifts towards the most sustainable choice for all items – bread, soy milk or raw poultry – can achieve a minimum 77% reduction. This analysis ends at the supermarket shelves and does not include additional food processing by the consumer. For example, raw meat will usually be cooked before human consumption, which will expand its environmental footprint to varying degrees, depending on the method used. See the below info-graphic for more detail. The full results are available in our study. What next? Many people are looking for ways to live more sustainably. Insufficient or complex information can fuel confusion and anxiety in consumers, leading to inaction or paralysis. Consumers need more information and support to choose more sustainable foods. Supermarkets and retailers also have an important role to play – for example, by giving sustainable products prominent shelf placement. Attractive pricing is also crucial – particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis when it can be difficult to prioritise sustainability over cost. Government interventions, such as information campaigns and taxing high-impact products, can also help. Food labelling is also important. The European Union is leading the way with measures such as the eco-score, which integrates 14 environmental indicators into a single score from A to E. Apps such as ecoSwitch can also empower consumers. The diets of people in developed nations such as Australia exert a high toll on our planet. More sustainable food choices are vital to achieving a sustainable future for humanity. We hope our research helps kick-start positive change. Michalis Hadjikakou, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Built Environment, Deakin University; Carla Archibald, Research Fellow, Conservation Science, Deakin University; Özge Geyik, Visitor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, and Pankti Shah, PhD student, Deakin University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Sustainable
Conservation
Energy

Maya Biosphere Reserve: A Model for Sustainable Land Management

In the lush jungle of northern Guatemala — in the largest protected area in Central America — 30 leaders from Colombia’s Amazon basin region are swapping strategies with local ethnic Maya farmers on how to live off this dense forest without destroying it. Under the soaring, leafy mahogany and cedar trees in the Maya Biosphere […] The post Maya Biosphere Reserve: A Model for Sustainable Land Management appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

In the lush jungle of northern Guatemala — in the largest protected area in Central America — 30 leaders from Colombia’s Amazon basin region are swapping strategies with local ethnic Maya farmers on how to live off this dense forest without destroying it. Under the soaring, leafy mahogany and cedar trees in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the visiting group discusses ways to ensure the rain forest remains healthy, while studying the reserve-type model Guatemala has been developing since 1994. Guatemala’s vast sustainability project aims to achieve a balance in which communities reforest, cut down trees for timber in a controlled way, grow grains and vegetables, collect ornamental plants, and even develop low-impact tourism. “That ensures that our communities are getting the economic resources that are also invested here for conservation,” said Sergio Balan, regional director of the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), in the village of Melchor de Mencos, near the border with Belize. The Maya Biosphere Reserve sprawls over 2.1 million hectares (5.2 million acres) and borders Mexico and Belize.  Every year, its flora and fauna are threatened by fires, deforestation for agricultural and livestock purposes, and even drug traffickers. Hundreds of archaeological sites are located in this territory, such as the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, one of the main tourist sites in Guatemala and the site hosting the visitors from the Forest Development and Biodiversity Centers of the Colombian Amazon. In the reserve and near Tikal, there is also the pre-Hispanic park of Uaxactun, where both groups participated in a Mayan ceremony with a fire stoked with candles and tree resin.  The Colombian leaders, whose visit lasted a week, highlighted the achievements in reducing deforestation in the Colombian Amazon between 2021 and 2023, by 61 percent, according to data from Colombia’s environment ministry. Farmer to farmer There are currently 16 active concessions that help conserve nearly 619,000 hectares of forest, CONAP says. Controlled logging permits, meanwhile, let private companies work for 25- or 30-year periods. Concessions and reserves “not only provide employment, but also training for different jobs,” says Erwin Maas, a Guatemalan tourist guide who is also familiar with forestry. CONAP estimates that the concessions, a kind of activity grant, create about 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in the reserve. Along one part of the path, visitors find a row of cut logs that are stacked to be taken to the sawmill. The wood comes from trees selected for felling in a controlled process that will allow the forest to regenerate. Nearby, the sound of birds and monkeys fluttering through the branches, mixes with group’s chatter.  “One of the great ideas we took away is the form of organization they have had (in Guatemala) to really last over time,” says Aristides Oime, president of a Colombian farm group, Asojuntas de Cartagena del Chaira. “From farmer to farmer, we see how we can really improve,” he said. “We want to show how we truly believe that deforestation is not the way, the real route is environmental conservation.” The coordinator of the Colombia-based NGO Heart of the Amazon, Luz Rodriguez, believes that though there are differences with the Guatemalan communities, they learned lessons about how other people control land sustainably. The post Maya Biosphere Reserve: A Model for Sustainable Land Management appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Sustainable
Forests
Health

Flying high to enable sustainable delivery, remote care

Drone company founders with MIT Advanced Study Program roots seek to bring aerial delivery to the mainstream.

Five years ago, what began as three nervous Norwegians spotting each other across a study room has evolved into a drone company enabling sustainable deliveries, elder care, and more against a backdrop of unforgiving conditions.Lars Erik Fagernæs, Herman Øie Kolden, and Bernhard Paus Græsdal all attended the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, but their paths first crossed in the MIT Professional Education Advanced Study Program lounge in 2019, while they were apprehensive about their impending English exam. From there, they each pursued different tracks of study through the Advanced Study Program: Fagernæs studied computer science, Kolden took applied physics classes, and Græsdal, robotics. Months later, when the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the trio’s professional trajectories intertwined.At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Fagernæs, Kolden, and Græsdal launched Aviant — a drone delivery service company. Aviant flew blood samples across Norway’s vast countryside to assist remote hospitals in diagnosing Covid. Today, their drones are delivering groceries, over-the-counter medicines, and takeout food to populations outside city centers. Capitalizing on momentumThe pandemic waned, but the need for medical sample delivery did not. Remote hospitals still require reliable and rapid sample transportation, which Aviant continues to supply through its commercial contracts. In 2021, instead of sticking with commercial-only deliveries, the Aviant founders decided to use their momentum to reach for the largest market within autonomous transportation: last-mile delivery.“Yes, you need a higher volume for the business case to make sense,” explains Fagernæs of the expansion. “Yes, it is a lot more risky, but if you make it, it’s such a big opportunity.” The Norwegian government and various venture capital firms backing Aviant agree that this risk was worth their investment. Aviant has secured millions in funding to explore the consumer market through its newest offering, Kyte. To scale operations, work still needs to be done to ingratiate drone delivery to the general population. Emphasizing the environmental benefits of aerial versus traditional road deliveries, the founders say, may be the most compelling factors that propel drones to the mainstream.So far, Aviant has flown more than 30,000 kilometers, saving 4,440 kilograms of carbon dioxide that would have been emitted through traditional transportation methods. “It doesn’t make sense to use a two- to four-ton vehicle to transport one kilogram or two kilograms of sushi or medicine,” Fagernæs reasons. “You also have cars eroding the roads, you have a lot of car accidents. Not only do you remove the cars from roads by flying [deliveries] with drones, it’s also a lot more energy efficient.”Aviant’s competitors — among them Alphabet — are spurring Fagernæs and Kolden to further improve their nicknamed “Viking drones.” Designed to sustain Norway’s harsh winter conditions and high winds, Aviant drones are well-adapted to service remote areas across Europe and the United States, a market they hope to break into soon.The unmatched MIT work ethicFagernæs and Kolden owe much to MIT: It’s where they met and hatched their company. After his time with the Advanced Study Program, Græsdal decided to return to MIT to pursue his doctorate. The professors and mentors they engaged with across the Institute were instrumental in getting Aviant off the ground.Fagernæs recalls the beginning stages of discovering the drones’ theoretical flying limit; however, he quickly ran into the hurdle that neither he nor his peers had experience deriving such data. At that moment, there was perhaps no better place on Earth to be. “We figured, OK, we’re at MIT, we might as well just ask someone.” Fagernæs started knocking on doors and was eventually pointed in the direction of Professor Mark Drela’s office. “I remember meeting Mark. Very, very humble guy, just talking to me like ‘Lars, yes, this, I will help you out, read this book, look at this paper.’” It was only when Fagernæs met back up with Kolden and Græsdal that he realized he had asked elementary questions to one of the leading experts in aeronautical engineering, and he truly appreciated Drela’s patience and helpfulness. The trio also credit Professor Russ Tedrake as being an inspiration to their current careers.Additionally, the work ethic of their fellow Beavers inspires them to work hard to this day. “I was finishing an assignment, and I think I left the Strata Student Center at 5:30 [in the morning] and it was half-full,” Kolden remembers. “And that has really stuck with me. And even when we run Aviant now, we know that in order to succeed, you have to work really, really hard.”“I’m impressed with how much Aviant has accomplished in such a short time,” says Drela. “Introducing drones to a wider population is going to make large improvements in high-value and time-critical payload delivery, and at much lower costs than the current alternatives. I’m looking forward to seeing how Aviant grows in the next few years.” “For the betterment of humankind”Drones are the future, and Kolden is proud that Aviant’s electric drones are setting a sustainable precedent. “We had the choice to use gasoline drones. It was very tempting, because they can fly 10 times farther if you just use gasoline. But we just came from MIT, we worked on climate-related problems. We just couldn’t look ourselves in the mirror if we used gasoline-driven drones. So, we chose to go for the electric path, and that’s now paid off.”In the age of automation and perceived diminishing human connections, Kolden did have a moment of doubt about whether drones were part of the dilemma. “Are we creating a dystopian society where my grandfather is just meeting a robot, saying, ‘Here is your food,’ and then flying off again?” Kolden asked himself. After deep conversations with industry experts, and considering the low birth rate and aging population in Norway, he now concludes that drones are part of the solution. “Drones are going to help out a lot and actually make it possible to take care of all people and give them food and medicine when there simply aren’t enough people to do it.”Fagernæs also takes to heart the section of the MIT mission where students are urged to “work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind.” He says, “When we started the company, it was all about using drones to help out society. We started to fly during the Covid pandemic to improve the logistics of the health-care sector in Norway, where people weren’t being diagnosed for Covid because of lacking logistics.”“The story of the success of Lars Erik, Herman, and Aviant makes us proud of what we do at MIT Professional Education.” says Executive Director Bhaskar Pant. “Share MIT knowledge that leads people to be innovative, entrepreneurial, and above all pursue the MIT mission of working toward the betterment of humankind. Kyte is a shining example of that.”

Sustainable
Business
CO2

Suggested Viewing

Market Gardening In The Last Frontier

The path to successful bio-intensive market gardening in the Last Frontier involves an enthusiasm to work in partnership with nature; to steward the soil and the multitude of organisms it contains and supports. As Alaskans contemplate the reality that a staggering 95% of food found in the grocery stores is imported, Emily Garrity and her Twitter Creek Garden operation are chipping away at this food insecurity and providing a roadmap for others to emulate. Aspiring to provide alternatives to the destructive standards of commercial agriculture, life-long Alaskan, Emily Garrity, shares her hard-won secrets in this biopic short film.

Sustainable
Business
Agriculture

Wake Up People!

Environmental activists have been camping in Sodros for more than four months with the purpose of stopping the trees from being cut down. In the past few days Chinese company CRBC workers have been showing up at the site accompanied by the police and gendarmerie forces. The activists have been requesting to see the permits and the documentation for the work they are planning to conduct from the CRBC workers. The CRBC workers haven’t shown any of the permits. Also, the work has begun without a construction board being clearly visible, which is mandatory by law.

Sustainable
Social Justice
Nature

Sashiko as Cultural Sustainability

When we talk about Sustainability, we tend to focus on the sustainable solutions based on physical resources. However, very frequently we overlook a key part for creating a successful sustainable society: Cultural Sustainability.

Culture
Sustainable
Solutions

Small Footprints: Crafting an Eco-Lodge in Wild Alaska

In 2008, a sustainable development project began in the middle of the Kenai Fjords of Alaska, 3 hours by boat from the nearest port of civilization. Told from the points of view of crew members, project coordinators and the Native Alaskan corporation that owns the land itself, the film is both a celebration of and a blueprint for sustainable construction, as well as an exciting battle against time and the elements deep within wild Alaska.

Sustainable
Business
Documentary

Alegria - A Humanitarian Expedition

Alegria - A Humanitarian Expedition tells the story of an epic solo expedition across the Himalaya that changed the life of thousands of people in need. Supporting leprosy patients and mentally destitute women in India, Christoph von Toggenburg cycled 3200km on the world’s highest tracks pulling a 40kg trailer packed with survival gear. With little air to breathe and facing temperatures between -15°C to +45°C he crossed mountain passes higher than 5500m mastering a total of 50’000m, Christoph fell altitude sick and was hit by rock fall. Crossing Nepal during the Maoist unrests, conflict stricken Kashmir, Christoph encountered wonderful hospitality, found new friends, and saw some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. He became film-maker, actor, fund-and awareness-raiser in one person capturing this epic adventure entirely by himself.

Social Justice
Mountains
Sustainable

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