Location: California
Contribution of food loss to greenhouse gas assessment of high-value agricultural produce: California production, U.S. consumption
Food loss (wasted and spoiled food) increases the burden on resources and environmental impacts throughout the entire food chain. This study describes and deploys a model and identifies data sources for estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with food loss from farm production, delivery and refrigeration, retail sale, household consumption, and waste management in the United States using four California-grown high-value produce as case studies. The ratios of food wasted to food produced
What contributes more to life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of farm produce: Production, transportation, packaging, or food loss?
The food production and supply systems are some of the biggest contributors to climate change, and food loss from the entire food chain aggravates the problem. We developed a model to estimate the GHG emissions from the entire food cycle (production, packaging, transportation, refrigeration, and waste management), and applied it to cherries, onions, and plums, the first time these produce have been assessed comprehensively in the United States. We pulled into the analysis 6 additional fruits and
Use of alternative water sources in irrigation: potential scales, costs, and environmental impacts in California
Under the risk of drought, unreliable water supplies, and growing water demand, there is a growing need worldwide to explore alternative water sources to meet the demand for irrigation in agriculture and other outdoor activities. This paper estimates stocks, production capacities, economic costs, energy implications, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with recycled water, desalinated brackish and seawater, and stormwater in California, the largest US state and the most significant fresh
Dealing with Water Scarcity and Salinity: Adoption of Water Efficient Technologies and Management Practices by California Avocado Growers
The irrigated agriculture sector has been facing an increased scarcity of good quality water worldwide. Consequently, the sustainability of water intensive crops, such as avocado, is threatened when water becomes scarce and expensive, or when growers must use saline water supplies that reduce crop yields. A variety of irrigation technologies and water management practices are now recommended to help growers through times of limited water supplies and elevated salinity levels. To examine how growers
Economic analysis of irrigation and fertilization management of avocados
The effect of integrated applications of various irrigation and fertilization rates on productivity (yield and size) and returns of the 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) have been analyzed from 1987 to 1991 in western Riverside County. Eighteen treatment combinations comprised of three irrigation levels [80%, 100%, and 120% crop water use (ETc)], three N fertilizer levels (0.16, 0.7, and 1.4 kg/tree per year), and Zn (0 and 0.2 kg/tree per year) were included in the analysis, Using a partial