Table A1.
Availability of Foods with Sustainability Properties in the Food Environment.
| Sustainability Dimension | Sustainability Attribute of Foods and Beverages Found in the Food Environment |
|---|---|
| Ecological Dimension |
Production quality: The food environment contains food that supports production systems that cultivate for nutritional quality (crop quality). Biodiversity, agrobiodiversity, and ecosystem services: The food environment contains food that supports conservation and maintenance of biodiversity and agrobiodiversity as well as associated ecosystem services. Sustainable agriculture: The food environment contains food that supports sustainable agricultural practices and sustainable intensification that limit pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer use. Local and seasonal foods: The food environment contains food that are in season and are local. Clean energy: The food environment contains food produced through the use of clean energy and green or sustainable technologies Soil, land, and water conservation and protection: The food environment contains food produced and/or procured in ways that prevent contamination of soil, land, and water resources such as protecting watersheds from pollutants. Low GHGE and climate resilience: The food environment contains food produced and/or procured using methods with relatively low GHGE; cultivated in agricultural systems that manage for climate change/climate resilience. |
| Economic Dimension |
Distribution, supply chains, and transport: The food environment contains food that supports direct sales between producers and consumers. Food loss and waste: The food environment minimizes loss of food waste across the food system from farm through fork. Food packaging: The food environment contains food that has minimum food packaging and/or encourages recycling. Food system livelihoods: The food environment contains food of which the production promotes livelihoods to support stakeholders in the food system from on farm and throughout food value chains. Farmers’ markets and local food systems: The food environment includes farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), food cooperatives, and food hubs. Food storage and preparation: The food environment contains food of which the production and preparation avoids resource-intensive food storage of cold chain items and high-energy preparation such as the use of a microwave. |
| Human Health Dimension |
Food safety: The food environment contains food that is safe and prevents foodborne illness, contamination, negative health influence of agriculture and diseases linked to chemicals and pesticide use. Plant-based and nutrient-dense foods: The food environment contains food that is plant-based and nutrient dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. |
| Socio-Cultural and Political Dimension |
Equity issues: The food environment contains food of which the production supports equity in the food system including on-farm, in market, trade, distribution, food service, and policy sectors. Labor: The food environment contains food that supports safe labor conditions and standards for workers in the food system. Animal welfare: The food environment contains food that supports healthy, comfortable, well nourished, and safe conditions for animals raised for livestock. |
GHGE: Greenhouse gas emissions.