The Earth is an Agroecosystem
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2M ago
Agroecosystems, ecosystems that have been modified by human beings for agricultural purposes, have become a topic of study as we focus on shifting agricultural practices towards sustainability. When you picture an agroecosystem what do you see? You might think of rolling fields of grain or a small backyard garden, but would you think of the Santa Fe National Forest or the California grasslands? I would argue that the Earth itself is an agroecosystem. Source: Person Hiking Through Lush Vegetation | License: Public Domain | Flickr Human beings currently manage an approximate 97% of land to some ..read more
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Got Milk?
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2M ago
Plant-Based Milk’s Rise to Popularity Over the past decade, plant-based milk seems to be getting more and more popular. I remember when oat milk raised in popularity a couple of years ago, there was a shortage at Starbucks. It was close to impossible to find oat milk anywhere. There were other plant-based milk options at the time, but oat milk was the one that stuck out. People have made the switch from dairy milk to plant-based milk for many reasons: taste, sustainability, and health reasons. Almond milk is by far the most popular milk alternative. Plant-based milk’s popularity was at an all ..read more
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Small Creatures with a Big Impact
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2M ago
As a child I personally hated bees,especially when they were buzzing around the raspa truck. As a reasonably educated adult I love bees and everything they can provide. Whether that be beeswax, honey, or royal jelly. However, today we will be focusing on an important job all bees and fellow wild friends provide, Pollination! Pollination is essential to our everyday lives from the food that you eat to the soap in your bathroom, yet we hardly give credit where credit is due. Before we dive in on their importance let’s first define and understand what a pollinator is. According to the National P ..read more
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Parallels to the Past: A Comparison of the Dust Bowl Era Soil Health to Modern Day Farming Practices and Soil Health
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2M ago
One of the most notable events in U.S history, the Dust Bowl, has common contributing factors to modern day farming practices. The Dust Bowl caused violent dust storms and high wind gusts that plagued the Midwest and Southwestern United States. People in the affected areas endured these storms for six long years, from 1930-1936. The big question about the strange event is; how did this happen? To answer the question, we must go back to World War 1. During World War 1, the demand and price for wheat and other valuable crops such as corn skyrocketed. This demand for such large amounts of produce ..read more
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Tree Forests to Food Forests
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2M ago
Forest farming is the cultivation of high-value crops under the protection of a managed tree canopy (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2023). Forest farming is an agroforestry practice. Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2023). Some of the crops that can be grown in forest farms are moss, fruit, nuts, herbs, and any plant or fungus that needs shade can grow in a forest farming system (Davis, 2007). There are forest farms all over the world. The ..read more
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Mushrooms: A Climate-Resilient Crop!
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2y ago
Climate change poses significant threats to farming in the Southwest. Changes in climate such as scarcity of water, longer periods of drought, and warmer temperatures leave farmers wondering how they will adapt to the changing conditions. Mushrooms are a climate-resilient crop as they have low ecological footprints and don’t require much time, space, or resources to grow. They are nutritious in the kitchen and have numerous beneficial uses. Mushroom farming in New Mexico is emerging, and these farmers play an important role in leading methods of sustainable farming.  The first time I ..read more
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A Slice of Eden – Backyard Agroforestry
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2y ago
The aim of this article will be to exemplify a few different takes on the residential agroforestry system that could be applied well to a house’s ¼ acre landscape area. A backyard food forest (or front yard for that matter) would be able to meet both the local food producing needs of a household while also providing a nice landscaping alternative. Residential food forests provide the capacity for many more people to get involved in growing their own food and learning about the intricate systems that we as humans can cultivate to work in symmetry with nature. Explaining the Concept of a Food Fo ..read more
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The Future of Agriculture: Hydroponics & Aquaponics in New Mexico 
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2y ago
If I told you that 70% of our freshwater usage – as a globe – goes towards agriculture, would you believe me? In New Mexico alone, 76% of water is used for irrigated agriculture while livestock accounts for 1.05% of total water withdrawals. Obviously, the number of resources that go into traditional agriculture is taxing to our environment. Current research shows that by 2050, we need to increase food production by about 70% to meet the needs of a global population of 9.8 billion people. To meet these growing demands, we must find sustainable alternative ..read more
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Vegan Chicken that Tastes Better than Real Chicken
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2y ago
Vegan Chicken ReviewI tried four different brands of vegan “chicken” and am going to share my findings of each brand’s taste, cost and any sustainability efforts done by the companies. This is for anyone who is a vegan, always on the go or if you’re wanting to transition into/try out vegan food! Why does it matter? Here are a few analogies to showcase just how much a non meat diet can impact the environment in a positive way: “It takes approximately 1,847 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef” and “518 gallons for one pound of chicken”, and by going meatless just one day per week, you wo ..read more
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So You Want to Compost, But You Don’t Have a Yard?
ABQ Stew
by UNM Sustainability Studies Program
2y ago
By now you probably have heard about composting as it has picked up momentum in the sphere of sustainability. But when most of us think of composting we likely have a monolithic image in our minds – a big heap of brown dirt in the corner of a yard or field, sprinkled occasionally with fresh household waste, probably a bit smelly and best given some room to breathe. While there are many misconceptions to this (there are several alternative methods that are smaller-scale and more aesthetically pleasing and low-impact, and properly mixed and aerated it doesn’t actually smell much), it’s a harsh r ..read more
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