Nikhil Guddati - Ice Cream and the Environment
Nikhil Guddati - Ice Cream and the Environment
Ice cream. Pure joy. Utter bliss. Unparalleled happiness. Environmental destruction. Humanity’s one
sweet, sticky, gooey pleasure might not be as sweet as it seems, and it might not even remain our one true
pleasure for long. The production of ice cream continues to corrupt the environment, and at the same time,
the environment may mark an end to ice cream. Ice cream, no matter how pleasurable it is, harms the
environment through an excess amount of emissions, furthering climate change. However, at the same
time, an increase in climate change may mark an end to ice cream. Ice cream is creating its own
kryptonite.
One way in which ice cream destroys the environment is from the extraction of palm oil, an essential
ingredient in ice cream. In fact, the World Wildlife Magazine writes that palm oil is essential in giving
ice cream its smooth and creamy texture, yet its extraction threatens rainforests and biodiversity. 85%
of the palm oil used is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia’s rainforests, and extracting the oil releases
greenhouse gases from the soil while tearing down the forests. Moreover, this specifically harms
endangered species in these forests such as orangutans, rhinos, tigers, and elephants. Another major
environmental impact of the production of ice cream comes through the cows that are used. For example,
41% of Ben and Jerry’s carbon footprint comes from cows because of energy consumption and waste
production, leading to each pint of ice cream creating 2 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. In total, this
had led Ben and Jerry’s, in 2013, to produce 136,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions.
Because of ice cream’s continued damage of the environment, it is only continuing to hurt itself.
Continued climate change puts certain flavors at risk. For example, as Food and Wine writes, climate
change could cause cocoa production to drop by 50% by 2050 and the number of regions suitable for
growing coffee could shrink by 65%-100% by 2080. Moreover, the production of nuts could drop
dramatically as well, decreasing the quantity and increasing the price of ice cream consisting of nuts,
chocolate, and coffee. All of our favorite flavors, from chocolate to chunky monkey to cookie dough to
coffee to pistachio to peanut butter could soon be gone.
This is because, as Ben and Jerry’s explains, cocoa, nuts, and coffee have all adapted to very different
environments, and now, they each need their own specific humidity, temperature, and precipitation levels.
Climate change only threatens this production.
environments, and now, they each need their own specific humidity, temperature, and precipitation levels.
Climate change only threatens this production.
What can we do: Unless emissions drastically decrease, this problem will continue to persist, but there
are small steps we can take regarding ice cream. If we want to stop our most beloved treat from
self-destructing, there are two main things we can do.
are small steps we can take regarding ice cream. If we want to stop our most beloved treat from
self-destructing, there are two main things we can do.
Stop eating ice cream (this is not reasonable since, ice cream is too good, so move on to Option 2
Promote and buy from sustainable ice cream brands and have less of this treat.
For example, Green Matters explains that many ice cream brands are sustainable through their use of
eco-friendly practices and their aim to reduce emissions; for example, they extract palm oil sustainably.
Moreover, many ice cream brands, aware of their impact, partner with climate change activist groups to
promote healthy practice. When buying ice cream, we can be more aware of our consumption and the
brands we support.
Food for Thought:
How does other food that you eat affect the environment and how can you reduce this impact?
How often do you see people drop the cones and spoons from ice cream, and what effect do you think
this has?
What other seemingly insignificant day-to-day activities that can harm the environment?
https://www.greenmatters.com/food/2017/06/30/23mw7w/ice-cream-recs
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