Abstract
In recent decades, global agriculture has been dominated by conventional practices associated with negative impacts such as the loss of biodiversity, changes in land use, habitat degradation and pollution. Faced with the urgent need of a sustainable shift, the organic scheme has emerged as an alternative to minimize agriculture's environmental footprint, requiring an assessment of the real impacts of both production methods. By means of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the aim of this research is to evaluate the environmental impacts of conventional and organic apples with a cradle to grave approach. Apples grown in Washington state and consumed in Mexico City are considered as a case study and analyzed through seventeen impact categories. The results highlight five main findings. First, pesticides are identified as the main source of toxicity in the conventional model, underlining the relevance of biological pest control. Although the organic model does use authorized pesticides, these did not represent a significant impact. Second, the use of cardboard boxes for packaging implies changes in agricultural land occupation, as well as the use of plastic bags that impacts climate change, calling for no-waste or reduced packaging. Third, transportation is a key contributor to fossil depletion and climate change, noting the importance local production. Fourth, the final disposal of apples residues in landfills has implications for eutrophication, bringing out the importance of composting residues. Fifth, conventional apple production has a higher environmental footprint in most impact categories when compared to organic production for both surface-based and mass-based functional units. As such, this study recommends the production and consumption of local and in-season organic apples to reduce the negative environmental impacts and the effects on human health.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.