25
also contain water and decomposed soil organic matter adheres water molecules,
providing a water source to soil microorganisms that facilitate organic matter
decomposition, and nutrient and water availability for plant production. Around the
world, the soil plays vast and critically dynamic roles, including food, fuel, and fiber
production; water and air, contaminant filtering and conversion; a complex and
diverse biological habitat; and a building and structure platform (Brady and
Weil 2008).
Societal organic waste materials include food, landscape, animal manure, and
biosolids, which are comprised of many macro- and micronutrient sources. The
natural microbial cycling of soil organic matter improves nitrogen levels in soil,
which is often the limiting factor in non-legume plant systems. Furthermore, cycling
of organic material can also effectively decrease soil nitrogen leaching potential
(Hepperly et al. 2009). However, unlike carbon, nitrogen is not easily accessible
from the atmosphere by plants; consequently, nitrogen is synthetically produced in
mass quantities (Finn et al. 2015; Fortier et al. 2010). Carbon and nitrogen are vital
components of soil microbial functions and associated plant nutrient availabilities
(Albaladejo et al. 2008). Increasing soil organic material has been shown to increase
soil biota, facilitating plant nutrient uptake and more diverse and resilient soil and
plant systems (Brady and Weil 2008).
In many industrialized countries, macronutrients are often supplied to the crop
via synthetic fertilizer application (Creegan 2017). Synthetic fertilizers typically
provide a more immediate nutrient source to the plant (Kallestad et al. 2008).
However, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers have been shown to potentially leach out of
the soil system (Omer et al. 2018). Although synthetic fertilizers supply essential
nutrients to the crop, synthetic fertilizer use can pose deleterious effects to aquatic
ecosystems (Creegan 2017). Eutrophication of surface water is due to the prolific
growth of algal blooms following increased levels of aquatic nutrient source from
landscape and agricultural runoff, and other sources (Sharpley et al. 2003). Algal
blooms deplete the water of oxygen, often resulting in high rates of aquatic life
mortality. Globally, the high-volume use of synthetic fertilizers may have potentially harmful effects and may not be sustainable or economically feasible in the
long-term for non-industrialized countries.
3.2.2 Environmental Factors and Food Production as Related
to Organic Materials
In 2015, organic waste, including paper and paperboard, yard trimmings, and food
products, accounted for the largest single waste stream – over 50% of all thrown
away waste – in the USA (US Environmental Protection Agency 2018). Organic
waste materials are often landfilled or incinerated, posing harmful effects to local
and global watersheds and air quality. The phrase “organic waste-to-resource” challenges the predilections of today’s world for landfilling and incinerating “waste” by
cultivating a more approach. All ecosystems utilize materials; there is no waste in
3 SDG 2 Zero Hunger
also contain water and decomposed soil organic matter adheres water molecules,
providing a water source to soil microorganisms that facilitate organic matter
decomposition, and nutrient and water availability for plant production. Around the
world, the soil plays vast and critically dynamic roles, including food, fuel, and fiber
production; water and air, contaminant filtering and conversion; a complex and
diverse biological habitat; and a building and structure platform (Brady and
Weil 2008).
Societal organic waste materials include food, landscape, animal manure, and
biosolids, which are comprised of many macro- and micronutrient sources. The
natural microbial cycling of soil organic matter improves nitrogen levels in soil,
which is often the limiting factor in non-legume plant systems. Furthermore, cycling
of organic material can also effectively decrease soil nitrogen leaching potential
(Hepperly et al. 2009). However, unlike carbon, nitrogen is not easily accessible
from the atmosphere by plants; consequently, nitrogen is synthetically produced in
mass quantities (Finn et al. 2015; Fortier et al. 2010). Carbon and nitrogen are vital
components of soil microbial functions and associated plant nutrient availabilities
(Albaladejo et al. 2008). Increasing soil organic material has been shown to increase
soil biota, facilitating plant nutrient uptake and more diverse and resilient soil and
plant systems (Brady and Weil 2008).
In many industrialized countries, macronutrients are often supplied to the crop
via synthetic fertilizer application (Creegan 2017). Synthetic fertilizers typically
provide a more immediate nutrient source to the plant (Kallestad et al. 2008).
However, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers have been shown to potentially leach out of
the soil system (Omer et al. 2018). Although synthetic fertilizers supply essential
nutrients to the crop, synthetic fertilizer use can pose deleterious effects to aquatic
ecosystems (Creegan 2017). Eutrophication of surface water is due to the prolific
growth of algal blooms following increased levels of aquatic nutrient source from
landscape and agricultural runoff, and other sources (Sharpley et al. 2003). Algal
blooms deplete the water of oxygen, often resulting in high rates of aquatic life
mortality. Globally, the high-volume use of synthetic fertilizers may have potentially harmful effects and may not be sustainable or economically feasible in the
long-term for non-industrialized countries.
3.2.2 Environmental Factors and Food Production as Related
to Organic Materials
In 2015, organic waste, including paper and paperboard, yard trimmings, and food
products, accounted for the largest single waste stream – over 50% of all thrown
away waste – in the USA (US Environmental Protection Agency 2018). Organic
waste materials are often landfilled or incinerated, posing harmful effects to local
and global watersheds and air quality. The phrase “organic waste-to-resource” challenges the predilections of today’s world for landfilling and incinerating “waste” by
cultivating a more approach. All ecosystems utilize materials; there is no waste in
3 SDG 2 Zero Hunger