Climate Solutions Lunchtime Series: Food and Agriculture Solutions
In partnership with MBOLD, an initiative of GREATER MSP, and Project Drawdown
Online event, noon
With Dana Gunders (ReFED), Marcus Kar (Youth Farm), and Steven Rosenzweig (General Mills Soil Scientist). Moderated by Jonathan Foley (Project Drawdown).
Food and agriculture are major contributors to climate change, but the ways we grow and eat food have the potential to be vital solutions as well. During this session, we will do a deep dive into what the science tells us and how you can help. We will kick off with the big picture from Project Drawdown, then look at the role of regenerative agriculture in improving how we grow food, opportunities to cut your carbon footprint by keeping good food from going to waste, and homegrown solutions catalyzed by community, youth engagement, education and land access.
Register for this online event here.
View the full Climate Solutions Lunchtime Series here.
Dana Gunders is Executive Director of ReFED, a nonprofit focused on advancing data-driven solutions to U.S. food waste. She has dedicated her career to helping industry, policymakers, and consumers identify and activate solutions to reduce food waste. Her landmark 2012 report Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40% of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill sounded a clarion call about the consequences of food waste, and since then, she has continued to bring the issue to a wider audience through testimony before Congress, her Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook, and appearances in media such as HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and PBS Newshour. When not worrying about it professionally, she spends far too much time convincing her two young kids to eat broccoli stalks and not throw food on the floor.
Steven Rosenzweig is a Senior Agricultural Scientist at General Mills, where he leads research and outreach programs across North America to support farmers in implementing regenerative agriculture, and to better understand how regenerative systems impact the environment and farm economics. Steve started at General Mills in 2017 after receiving his PhD in Soil and Crop Sciences from Colorado State University.
Marcus Kar uses a unique blend of art and music to help grow a healthy North Minneapolis community by providing access to locally grown produce throughout the area. Kar’s aim as Program Director for Youth Farm is to work with Northside youth to implement a village concept. By fostering new relationships between youth and food, Kar achieves a youth led food movement through connection and collaboration with diverse organizations, artists, and individuals working in the MN Food Fight (Food Justice), focused on building a healthier North Minneapolis, and recognizing the historical narratives and current exploitation within the food system.
Dr. Jonathan Foley is a renowned climate scientist, sustainability expert, educator, and public speaker. He is also executive director of Project Drawdown — the world’s leading resource for climate solutions. His work focuses on finding solutions to sustain the climate, ecosystems, and natural resources we all depend on. Foley’s work has led him to become a trusted advisor to governments, foundations, non-profits, and business leaders around the world. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific articles, including many highly cited works in Nature and Science. Originally from Maine, Foley enjoys nature photography, hiking, kayaking, and exploring new places.
