Concerns ranging from inflation impacts at the grocery store to utilizing local peaches as a marketing tactic, and the steady consumption of affordable bananas, have led the Brock University biological sciences professor and UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability to express frustration over the disconnect between food prices and their actual production costs.

Expenses related to equipment, essential inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and fuel, transportation costs, and farmers’ wages are not factored into consumer perceptions of price.

Vasseur, a member of Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, emphasizes, “Consumers often overlook these underlying costs when they opt for cheaper store alternatives, unwittingly undermining the livelihoods of farmers. What future can we expect for them?”

Agriculture also has significant environmental costs. Practices that damage our food sources have adverse effects on soil quality and availability.

The impact of soil health on our ecosystem

“Ineffective farming methods can lead to the erosion and contamination of soil,” remarks James Campbell, a research associate at the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

“A decline in soil quality increases the reliance on fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. Such practices can result in polluted soils with heavy metals and microplastics, ultimately harming marine ecosystems through runoff,” Campbell explains.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, approximately one-third of Earth’s soil is degraded due to agricultural practices, and projections show that over 90% could be compromised by 2050. This trend jeopardizes not just food production but the entire planet’s capacity to sustain life.

Soil functions as a carbon reservoir, which is critical for regulating global temperatures. When soil is compromised, previously stored carbon is released, significantly contributing to climate change.

Moreover, soil and land degradation affect vital resources like water. The UN estimates that half of the global population is impacted by shifts in land use, resulting in losses of about US$40 trillion in ecosystem services, nearly half of the world’s GDP in 2021. Land degradation is also the predominant driver of biodiversity loss on land.

Interactions between soil and ocean health

Land exploitation and soil degradation have also detrimental effects on the oceans. The carbon dioxide (CO2) released from agricultural activities, such as tilling and deforestation for food production, must be absorbed, typically by the Earth’s other major carbon sink: the oceans. When CO2 dissolves in seawater, it creates carbonic acid, leading to increased ocean acidity.

This acidification can severely impact aquatic ecosystems, often referred to as the “osteoporosis of the sea,” as it reduces the carbonate levels necessary for organisms like shellfish, coral, and crustaceans to form their shells and structures.

Vasseur indicates, “This situation can lead to softening of lobster shells, making them more vulnerable to parasites and other threats.”

Consequences of biodiversity decline

While one might assume that dwindling lobster populations due to parasites won’t adversely affect humanity, given the variety of fish and crustaceans available, the truth is that the decline of any species threatens the sustainability of its entire ecosystem and, ultimately, the planet’s health, Vasseur clarifies.

As ocean temperatures rise and waters acidify, species like lobster and even cod, which prefer the North Atlantic’s cooler temperatures, are forced to migrate northward in search of suitable habitats.

“This migration results in changes among species in regions formerly inhabited by cod, favoring bottom feeders and those accustomed to warmer waters or lower oxygen levels,” Vasseur explains. “Invasive species, such as the green crab now on the Atlantic coastline, also outcompete some native, more sensitive species.”

This shift not only alters our oceans’ ecosystems but also impacts our economic viability. Healthy ecosystems are vital for human survival, and many are currently vulnerable due to human activities.

A 2020 UN report on biodiversity and ecosystem services indicated that around 25% of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine vertebrates, invertebrates, and plant species are facing extinction risk, with many expected to vanish within decades.

The role of individual actions in shaping the future

The forecast looks grim, but we have the power to change directions by becoming more mindful of how our daily choices—from our grocery selections to waste—affect the environment, Vasseur emphasizes.

“We need to reflect on the moral implications of our choices. Ethics are often overlooked. People tend to focus on immediate benefits, forgetting about the repercussions for future generations,” she states. “Everything is interconnected. Every action has consequences.”

This article was first published in the April 2024 edition of up7op magazine.