
Questions - Knowledge Check
Question 1 - Short Answer on types of impacts from food system activities
One of the skills involved in building life-cycle analyses is the ability to conceptualize all the different impacts on natural systems related to the different functions of production, transport, and consumption of a product. The activities give below in each question form a part of the functioning of food systems. Identify an impact or impacts on the natural system (e.g. soil erosion, air pollution, water pollution) that would most likely result from these activities, based on the material in this module and previous modules. Then check your answers by clicking on "click for answer" as a review.
Transporting food by ship and truck:
Click for answer.
greenhouse gas emissions from burning fuel, other air pollution from burning fuel
Applying manure to soils:
Click for answer.
water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus drainage and runoff if over-applied, and no measures in place to retain nutrients in soils (cover crops, riparian barriers that keep nutrients out of waterways). Greenhouse gases, especially N2O, will be emitted if manures are applied on waterlogged soils, and methane as a greenhouse gas is associated with the animal production (especially cows) used to produce the manure.
Applying fertilizer to soils:
Click for answer.
greenhouse gases because of fertilizer manufacturing, greenhouse gas due to denitrification and N20 emission, water pollution if over-applied as in the case of manure above.
Tillage of soils:
Click for answer.
if practiced irresponsibly, soil erosion; siltation of waterways; greenhouse gas emission from mechanized tillage with tractors; emission of carbon as carbon dioxide that was once part of organic matter in soils.
Pesticide and herbicide application:
Click for answer.
toxicity to organisms in the environment, e.g. honey bees, other beneficial insects and water pollution; evolving resistance of pests and weeds, greenhouse gas emissions from manufacture, transport to farms, and application with tractors
Question 2 - Short Answer
As preparation for doing your own life-cycle analysis, make a list of all of the energy needs you can think of that go into both manufacturing and operating a car. You may want to also refer to the NCAT/ATTRA required reading to review an example life cycle analysis:
Click for answer.
mining and refining metal ore to make steel, refining oil and synthetic production of plastics and paint, energy for water supply to all manner of production processes, burning gasoline or diesel in the engine for running the car, etc.