CARBON FOOTPRINTS at GINGER ROOT (Part 1) WEEK 12sustainability.psu.edu/.../06/...Carbon-footprints-at-Ginger-Root-Part-1-2016-Ver-1.3.pdf2 – Carbon Footprints at Ginger Root, Part

NAME _____________________________________ LAB DAY: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

CARBON FOOTPRINTS at GINGER ROOT (Part 1)1 WEEK 12 Asking Questions

Have you ever eaten at Ginger Root in Union South? For this week and next, Union South will be the site of your laboratory investigations. This week, you will find answers to questions such as:

1. Which ingredients are used to prepare meals at Ginger Root?

2. Where do these ingredients come from?

3. How do we measure the carbon footprint of a menu item?

More generally, in this laboratory investigation we will assess the environmental, societal, and economic benefits of a meal, such as the popular dish “Sesame Chicken” shown to the right.

Today’s investigation has 4 parts:

1. Work up an appetite 2. Plan your meal at Ginger Root 3. Calculate your meal’s CO2 costs just for

transportation 4. Order your meal and eat it!

Meet either in a room in Union South or our usual 3rd floor teaching lab in WID. Check with your TA.

1 This laboratory activity was developed by Tom Bryan (graduate student, Nelson Institute) and Dr. Cathy Middlecamp, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Expertise was provided by Carl Korz, associate director of dining services and Scott Kesling assistant manager at Union South restaurants. Funding was provided by the Office of Sustainability.

2 – Carbon Footprints at Ginger Root, Part 1 (WEEK 12)

Preparing to Investigate Work up an appetite

To get you thinking about food and where it comes from, let’s begin with a hamburger. We are not interested in just any hamburger. Rather, we have in mind one that is served at Union South.

Hamburgers don’t just miraculously appear at Union South. Similarly, the wax paper and wax-coated paperboard ‘boat’ under the burger does not miraculously disappear after you throw it away.

The beef, the bun, and the condiments travel along a food supply chain. So do the wax paper and paperboard “boat.” Their journey continues as trash too. In contrast, the burger stops being a burger during digestion (although in theory, we could follow it to the toilet and beyond; we’re not going there). Throughout the supply chain, energy is used and waste is generated. Where? Make some predictions! The activities in this section are designed to help you imagine each step in the supply chain of the hamburger. Every step along a food supply chain can use energy and/or create waste and therefore contribute to the carbon footprint of a meal. Materials Needed

1. Calculator 2. Kitchen balances 3. An appetite


Pre-lab Survey Name ______________________ TA ________________ Lab day: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

(circle one) Here is your survey question for this week’s lab. Mooo! You will watch a short film in lab, “The Hidden Cost of Hamburgers,” produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting, a non-profit news organization2. Let’s do a survey to find out if this value is true for our class. How many burgers do YOU eat, on average, in a week? Circle your choice.

A. None, I’m a vegetarian.

B. Essentially none, I eat very few hamburgers.

C. One hamburger per week

D. Two hamburgers per week

E. Three hamburgers per week

F. More than three hamburgers per week

G. I prefer not to disclose this information.

(Turn in this sheet at the start of lab) 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut3URdEzlKQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut3URdEzlKQ



Making Predictions Work up an appetite

Below is a sketch of a corn-fed cow raised for beef. Solid arrows represent inputs & outputs of carbon-containing materials. Dotted arrows represent inputs that don’t contain carbon but use energy, create waste, and therefore have carbon footprints. Box #1: In general, what does a cow need to live and grow?

One entry is already added for you in box #1. Box #2: Of your answers in box #1, which contain carbon? Box #3a: Shelter and care for a cow requires energy and therefore has a carbon footprint.

Provide examples in Box #3a. Box #3b: Do these items have a carbon footprint? Explain. Box #4abc: What happens to the carbon that the cow eats?

4a.

2.

3b. water, air

3a.

4b.

1. Shelter and care,

4c.


Making Predictions Work up an appetite Here is a sketch of a corn plant grown for a cow. Assume this is a non-organic, conventionally-raised plant. Solid and dotted lines represent the same inputs & outputs as on the previous page.

Box #1: In general, what does a corn plant need to live and grow? One entry is already added for you in box #1. Box #2: Of your answers in Box #1, which contain carbon? Box #3a: Corn doesn’t need shelter like a cow, but it does need care. Caring for corn requires

energy and therefore has a carbon footprint. Provide examples in Box #3a. Box #3b: Pesticides are often applied to corn fields. Do these a carbon footprint? Explain.

Do pesticides have other environmental impacts? Box #4a: What happens to the carbon that the corn “eats” via photosynthesis? Tell what

happens to the carbon that stays in the plant. Box #4b: What happens to the carbon that the corn “eats” via photosynthesis? Name the

process by which carbon leaves the plant. Also give the chemical formula.

4b. 2.

3b. pesticides

4a.

1. Land,

3a.


Making Predictions

Work up an appetite

Part II Teammates: __________________________________________ Part I: Individual work At Union South, consider a hamburger and the paper liner on which it is served. Suppose somebody eats this hamburger and tosses out the paper. Consider the entire supply chain (and waste chain) of the hamburger and paper liner, predict 10 ways in which energy was used or in which waste was generated. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Part II: Team work Split into teams of 4-5 people. Your TA will assign your team to one of the categories listed on the next two pages. For the category to which you are assigned:

1. Consider the entire supply chain (and waste chain) of your category. Then predict 10 ways in which energy was used or waste would be generated. Hint: Use the PTPTDTRC&W model if you get stuck.

2. Use the markers and the giant post-it notes provided to create a diagram of your category’s journey from “farm to fork.” Show each instance in which energy was used or waste was created along this journey.


Wax-Paper Liner:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10.

Plastic packaging (for ground beef, condiments, buns): 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Fresh and processed condiments:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10.


Buns:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Animal Feed:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Ground Beef:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence Plan your meal at Ginger Root Now that you have thought about a hamburger, let’s move to a real meal. Data Sheet #1 will assist you in selecting your meal. The menus at Ginger Root periodically change, so you may receive an updated data sheet from your TA. You can go get your meal (no charge!) when Ginger Root opens at 5:00 pm.


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence Plan your meal at Ginger Root DATA SHEET #1

Vegetables (circle up to three)

Protein (circle one)

Sauce (circle one)

Rice (circle one)

Size

Small Large

Packaging (circle one)

Here To Go

Tell us the reasons for your food choices (check as many as apply)

It

tastes good!

It’s healthy

It has a lower carbon

footprint

It has lower

calories

It doesn’t contain

meat

Can’t live without it!

Other reason. Please

explain.

Vegetables

Protein

Sauce

Rice

Before eating: Mass of bowl + food: ________ grams

Mass of empty bowl: 260 grams

Mass of food: ________ grams

After eating: Mass of bowl + food: ________ grams

Mass of empty bowl: 260 grams 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑓𝑓 𝑤𝑤𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑓𝑓

× 100 = %𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤

Mass of food waste: ________ grams % food wasted = ____________



Gathering and Analyzing Evidence

On Data Sheets #2a & 2b, you will estimate CO2e for transportation, one piece of your meal’s carbon footprint puzzle. At the end of this write-up, you will find a large table containing the likely sources of ingredients used to cook meals at Ginger Root. Some ingredients cannot be traced back to their origin. Possible reasons include:

1. There’s more than one place of origin, depending on the season. 2. Records of sources do not exist3

Because of the gaps in the information, your carbon footprint is an estimate. The accuracy of this carbon footprint is limited by the steps we include in the supply chain. In this case, we stop at the manufacturer. Beyond the manufacturer, data are very difficult to obtain. Here are shipping emissions estimates from the U.S. EPA.4 That awkward looking unit is grams CO2 emitted per gram of stuff (food or goods) transported a mile.

Mode of transport g CO2 per gram-mile

Air cargo 0.00168 Truck 0.000327 Train 0.0000278

Sea freight 0.0000529 Use these values in Data Sheets #2a & 2b to estimate the grams of CO2 emitted by your meal. Your calculations on Data Sheets #2a and #2b assume that

o All non-perishable ingredients are shipped by train from manufacturer to distributor, and then by truck from distributor to Union South.

o All perishable ingredients are shipped by truck only (freshness is paramount when shipping perishables, trucks provide more direct, faster transport).

3 2009 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Traceability in the Food Supply Chain: “Fifty-nine percent (70 of 118) of food facilities in our traceability exercise did not provide all of the required contact information about their sources, recipients, and transporters.” Page iii 4 United States Environmental Protection Agency: Office of Air and Radiation. Optional emissions from commuting, business travel and product transport. EPA430-R-08-006. May 2008.

Why are we doing this? • to estimate CO2e when transporting a meal from manufacturer to Union South • to recognize estimates and assumptions in carbon footprint calculations


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence DATA SHEET #2a Perishables Estimate CO2e for transporting your meal Fill out the first column with your meal’s ingredients. Then, use the table at the end of this write-up to fill out the rest of the table. Some ingredients may be missing. Don’t fret too much. Just know that without sourcing info, no carbon footprint can be calculated for that ingredient. Therefore, missing information makes your meal’s carbon footprint an: (circle one) Underestimate Overestimate

Perishable food items in your meal

Ingredient Ingredient

mass (grams)

Manufacturer

Distance from Manufacturer to Distributor

(miles)

Distributor

Distance from Distributor to Union South

(miles) Vegetable #1

___________

Vegetable #2

___________

Vegetable #3

___________

Protein

___________

TOTAL PERISHABLE


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence DATA SHEET #2a Perishables (continued) Estimate CO2e for transporting your meal Fill in the blanks with your meal’s data from the table on the previous page. Total grams of perishables in meal = __________

Truck emission factor: __________ grams CO2 / gram-mile From manufacturer to distributor (by truck):

From distributor to Union South (by truck):

Total emissions for getting just the perishable ingredients to campus =

Union South Manufacturer Distributor ____ miles by truck

______ miles by truck

_______ grams CO2

_____ grams CO2


______ miles by truck

_______ grams CO2


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence DATA SHEET #2b Non-perishables Estimate CO2e for transporting your meal Fill out this table the same way as Data Sheet #2a.

5 If you did not use a napkin, leave this row blank. No napkin, no footprint. 6 No sourcing data available for to-go containers. If you used one, leave this row blank.

Non-perishable food items in your meal

Ingredient Ingredient

mass (grams)

Manufacturer

Distance from Manufacturer to Distributor

(miles)

Distributor

Distance from Distributor to Union South

(miles)

______ Rice

Sauce (List ingredients

below)

Non-food

Napkin5

Bowl6

_______Fork

TOTAL NON-PERISHABLES


Gathering and Analyzing Evidence Estimate CO2e for transporting your meal DATA SHEET #2b Non-perishables (continued) Fill in the blanks with your meal’s data from the table on the previous page.

Total grams of non-perishables in meal = __________

Train emission factor: __________ grams CO2 / gram-mile Truck emission factor: __________ grams CO2 / gram-mile From manufacturer to distributor (by train):

From distributor to Union South (by truck):

Total emissions for getting just the non-perishable ingredients to campus =

GRAND TOTAL emissions for getting ALL ingredients to campus =


______ miles by train

_______ grams CO2

_____ grams CO2 Union South Manufacturer Distributor ____ miles

by truck ______ miles

by train

_______ grams CO2

_____ grams CO2


Interpreting Evidence

1. List 4 factors that determine the CO2 emissions produced by transporting a food item. The first and last are done for you. Factor #1 – the mass of the item

Factor #2 –

Factor #3 –

Factor #4 – the refrigeration/freezing required (or not) during transport

2. If an item is reusable, this affects the calculation of CO2 emissions. For example, metal eating utensils are washed and reused. List two factors that determine the CO2 emissions for reusable metal utensils that are different from your answer in #1.

Factor #1 –

Factor #2 –

3. You have calculated the CO2 emission from transporting your food from distributer to Union South. This is only one piece of the puzzle. Name two other processes that emit CO2 after the food arrives at Union South. Process #1 –

Process #2 –


Reflecting on the Investigation “The carbon footprint, as I have defined it, is the climate change metric that we need to be looking at. The problem is that it is also impossible to measure.” How Bad Are Bananas, page 8

22 CO g _________ =

mile-gramCO grams ______C____

miles ___B____ mealin food grams __A__ ××

1. In today’s investigation, you estimated (not measured) the transportation emissions for your meal. A, B and C in the equation all are estimates. Explain why. A is done for you.

A The serving size (grams food in meal) was not weighed for your meal; rather, Ginger Root provided recipes from which average serving sizes were calculated. B C

2. “What is eaten by the great majority of North Americans comes from a global everywhere, yet from nowhere that they know in particular” – “Coming in to the Foodshed,” page 2

Does this quotation apply to your meal at Ginger Root? Examine the table and then argue both ways.

Rice The quotation applies because:

Rice It doesn’t apply because:

Sesame oil The quotation applies because: Sesame oil It doesn’t apply because:

Ingredient Serving

Size (g)

Manufacturer Manufacturer Location

Miles from Manufacturer to Distributor

Distributor Distributor Location

Miles from Distributor

to Union South

white rice 130 Producer's Rice Mill Stuttgart, AR 710 Martin

Bros. Cedar

Falls, IA 190

sesame oil 3.2 Roland

(Product of Thailand)

New York, NY 940 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190


3. This question relates to your earlier work (Making Predictions) with the cow and the corn plant.

a. Increases or decreases? Fill in the blanks. Consider each scenario separately, assuming that is the only action taken by the cow.

The cow exhales. This ______________________ the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.

The cow farts and belches. This ______________________ the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.

The cow gains 1 kilogram of muscle. This ______________________ the amount GHGs in the atmosphere.

b. Increases or decreases? Fill in the blanks and consider each scenario separately,

assuming that is the only action taken by the corn plant.

The corn plant gets fertilized. This ______________________ the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.

The corn plant gets watered. This ______________________ the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.

The corn plant grows a new leaf. This ______________________ the amount GHGs in the atmosphere.

4. “A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period” (Wikipedia). In other words, a carbon sink absorbs more carbon that it releases. Trees are a good example of carbon sinks. Trees can store carbon (sequester it) for decades.

a. Cows are part of the Land Animal Reservoir, as you saw in the Carbon Cycle Game.

We consider trees as a carbon sink but not cows. Propose a reason why.

b. Corn is part of the Land Plant Reservoir, as you saw in the Carbon Cycle Game.

We consider trees as a carbon sink but not corn. Propose a reason why.


Ingredient Serving

Size (g)


Miles from Manufacture

r to Distributor7

Distributor

Distributor Location


to Union South

VEGETABLE

broccoli 45 Varies seasonally

Assume Fresno, CA8 2000 V.

Marchese Milwaukee,

WI 80

onion 50 Varies seasonally

Assume Fresno, CA 2000 V.

Marchese Milwaukee,

WI 80

bean sprouts 45 Varies

seasonally Assume

Fresno, CA 2000 V. Marchese

Milwaukee, WI 80

baby corn 65 Varies seasonally


Marchese Milwaukee,

WI 80

mushrooms 50 Varies seasonally


Marchese Milwaukee,

WI 80

snap peas 50 Varies seasonally


Marchese Milwaukee,

WI 80

bamboo shoots 65 Varies

seasonally Assume

Fresno, CA 2000 V. Marchese

Milwaukee, WI 80

PROTEIN marinated

beef 100 Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc

Dakota Dunes, SD 220 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

marinated chicken 100 George's Springdale,

AR 540 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

tempura fried chicken 150 Pierces Dallas, TX 820 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

tofu 100 House Foods Garden Grove, CA 1800 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

roasted pork 100 Hormel Austin, MN 100 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

scallops 33 Northern Wind Inc (product of

China) Bedford, MA 1130 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

shrimp 67 AquaStar

(Farm raised in Honduras)

Seattle, WA 1930 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

RICE

white rice 130 Producer's Rice Mill Stuttgart, AR 710 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

brown rice 70 Uncle Bens Houston, TX 1140 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

fried rice 140 Left over white rice from last

day

Made in house 710 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls,

IA 190

7 All distances estimated using Google Maps. 8 Tracing produce is challenging. Producers change seasonally, sometimes even daily. We use Fresno County, CA as the source of all produce. Fresno County is the most agriculturally active county in California.


Ingredient Serving

Size (g)

Manufacturer

Manufacturer Location

Miles from Manufactur

er to Distributor



to Union South

SAUCES Sesame sauce

chicken broth 20 College Inn Pittsburgh, PA 610 Martin

Bros. Cedar Falls, IA 190

white sugar 16 Imperial Savannah LP

Sugar Land, Texas 1080 Martin


corn starch 4.8 ACH Food Companies

Memphis, TN 640 Martin


sesame oil 3.2 Roland (Product of Thailand)

New York, NY 940 Martin


soy sauce 6.4 Kikkoman Foods Inc.

Walworth, WI 220 Martin


sambal olek chili paste 4.8 Huy Fong

Foods Rosemead, CA 1970 Martin


rice wine vinegar 3.2 Roland New York,

NY 940 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

garlic, minced 0.8 I Love Produce, LLC Kelton, PA 870 Martin


ginger, minced 0.8 Wholesale Produce Supply LLC

Minneapolis, MN 270 Martin


Mongolian sauce

soy sauce 20 Kikkoman Foods Inc.

Walworth, WI 220 Martin


water 20

brown sugar 10 United Sugars Corporation



white sugar 5 Imperial Savannah LP



corn starch 3.75 ACH Food Companies

Memphis, TN 640 Martin


crushed red pepper 1.25 McCormick

& Co INC. Hunt Valley, MD 850 Martin


Thai Red curry sauce

coconut milk 50.6 Roland (Product of Thailand)



thai red curry paste 13.0

Simply Asia Foods, Inc (Product of Thailand)

Union City, CA 2100 Martin


white sugar 4.2 Imperial Savannah LP




brown sugar 2.1 United Sugars Corporation



fish sauce 2.1 Roland (Product of Thailand)



garlic, minced 1.0 I Love Produce, LLC Kelton, PA 870 Martin


Ingredient Serving Size (g) Manufacturer Manufacturer

Location




to Union South

Stir fry sauce

soy sauce 42.5 Kikkoman Foods Inc. Walworth, WI 220 Martin


garlic, minced 2.7 I Love

Produce, LLC Kelton, PA 870 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

chili paste 4.0 Huy Fong Foods

Rosemead, CA 1970 Martin





Szechuan sauce

Chicken broth 24.6 College Inn Pittsburgh,

PA 610 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190



sambal oelek chili paste

7.9 Huy Fong Foods



rice wine vinegar 7.9 Roland New York, NY 940 Martin







Cedar Falls, IA 190

ginger, minced 2.0

Wholesale Produce Supply LLC



Spicy garlic sauce

lime juice 27.1 Mott's Inc Stamford, CT 970 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190






brown sugar 4.5 United Sugars

Corporation Minneapolis, MN 220 Martin





Cedar Falls, IA 190

sambal oelek chili paste

3.4 Huy Fong Foods



corn starch 3.4 ACH Food Companies Memphis, TN 640 Martin


fish sauce 2.8 Roland (Product of Thailand)

New York, NY 940 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

crushed red pepper 0.8 McCormick &

Co INC. Hunt Valley, MD 850 Martin


ginger, minced 0.8

Wholesale Produce Supply LLC



olive oil 0.1 Columbus Vegetable Oils

Des Plaines, IL 130 Martin Bros.

Cedar Falls, IA 190

Ingredient Serving

Size (grams)





to Union South

GF Stir Fry Sauce

gluten free soy sauce 21.2 Kikkoman

Sales, USA San Francisco, CA 2100 Martin




Cedar Falls, IA 190




sambal oelek chili paste 8.6 Huy Fong

Foods Rosemead, CA 1970 Martin


Non food items

Napkins 0.5g Georgia Pacific Atlanta, GA 900 Martin


Metal fork 15g Winco (Made in Thailand)

Lodi, New Jersey 930

Kavanaugh Restaurant Supply

Madison, WI 3.4

Plastic fork 4g

Solo Cup Company (Made in China)

Lake Forest, IL 280 Martin


Plastic, reuseable bowl

260g Town Food Service Equipment

Brooklyn, NY 940 Kavanaugh Restaurant Supply

Madison, WI 3.4

Documents

CARBON FOOTPRINTS at GINGER ROOT (Part 1) WEEK 12sustainability.psu.edu/.../06/...Carbon-footprints-at-Ginger-Root-Part-1-2016-Ver-1.3.pdf2 – Carbon Footprints at Ginger Root, Part