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Evaluating the Sustainability of a Small-Scale Low-Input Organic Vegetable Supply System in the United Kingdom

Author

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  • Mads V. Markussen

    (Center for BioProcess Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark DTU, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark)

  • Michal Kulak

    (Life Cycle Assessment group, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope Reckenholzstrasse 191, CH-8046 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Laurence G. Smith

    (The Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 0HR, UK)

  • Thomas Nemecek

    (Life Cycle Assessment group, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope Reckenholzstrasse 191, CH-8046 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Hanne Østergård

    (Center for BioProcess Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark DTU, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark)

Abstract

Resource use and environmental impacts of a small-scale low-input organic vegetable supply system in the United Kingdom were assessed by emergy accounting and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The system consisted of a farm with high crop diversity and a related box-scheme distribution system. We compared empirical data from this case system with two modeled organic food supply systems representing high- and low-yielding practices for organic vegetable production. Further, these systems were embedded in a supermarket distribution system and they provided the same amount of comparable vegetables at the consumers’ door as the case system. The on-farm resource use measured in solar equivalent Joules (seJ) was similar for the case system and the high-yielding model system and higher for the low-yielding model system. The distribution phase of the case system was at least three times as resource efficient as the models and had substantially less environmental impacts when assessed using LCA. The three systems ranked differently for emissions with the high-yielding model system being the worst for terrestrial ecotoxicity and the case system the worst for global warming potential. As a consequence of being embedded in an industrial economy, about 90% of resources (seJ) were used for supporting labor and service.

Suggested Citation

  • Mads V. Markussen & Michal Kulak & Laurence G. Smith & Thomas Nemecek & Hanne Østergård, 2014. "Evaluating the Sustainability of a Small-Scale Low-Input Organic Vegetable Supply System in the United Kingdom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-33, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:4:p:1913-1945:d:34878
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mona Seymour & Alisha Utter, 2021. "Veganic farming in the United States: farmer perceptions, motivations, and experiences," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(4), pages 1139-1159, December.
    2. Riccardo Accorsi & Lorenzo Versari & Riccardo Manzini, 2015. "Glass vs. Plastic: Life Cycle Assessment of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Bottles across Global Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-23, March.
    3. Claudio Cordoba Correoso & Feni Agostinho & James Rodrigo Smaniotto & Mari Carissimi Boff & Pedro Boff, 2022. "Sustainability Assessment of Family Agricultural Properties: The Importance of Homeopathy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-22, May.
    4. Tian, Xu & Sarkis, Joseph, 2020. "Expanding green supply chain performance measurement through emergy accounting and analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    5. Wright, Christina & Østergård, Hanne, 2015. "Scales of renewability exemplified by a case study of three Danish pig production systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 315(C), pages 28-36.
    6. Burek, Jasmina & Nutter, Darin W., 2020. "Environmental implications of perishables storage and retailing☆," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    7. Susanne Kummer & Rebecka Milestad, 2020. "The Diversity of Organic Box Schemes in Europe—An Exploratory Study in Four Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-24, March.
    8. Morel, Kevin & San Cristobal, Magali & Léger, François Gilbert, 2017. "Small can be beautiful for organic market gardens: an exploration of the economic viability of French microfarms using MERLIN," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 39-49.

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