Photo courtesy of: Environmental and Plant Biology
Sep 17, 2012
From staff reports
Art Trese, associate professor of environmental and plant biology, will present "Sustainability: Alternative Agriculture," an analysis of our current agricultural system and how we can all work to improve it at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the Baker University Center Front Room. His talk is part of the fall semester Science Café series.
Trese's research is focused on the sustainability of foods, ranging from local to global economies. Since childhood, he said he has been curious about discovering ways to optimize agriculture production and distribution to ensure a balance of resources.
"Sustainability really has to be about developing a more equitable system," Trese said. "It can't just be sustainable for just a few."
Food is not only essential for our very survival, but increasingly it has permeated our culture from Wall Street and pork belly futures to haute culture to energy production. Food provides employment for farmers and meatpackers to restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, thus transcending the creativity of chefs and profoundly affecting global equitability.
"Food is a primary need for humans," Trese said. "And how we get our food has a major impact on the environment around us."
Science Cafés are a venue for students interested in the sciences and engineering to informally share their interests during a conversational exchange with faculty, staff and the community in a friendly setting.