CURATED READS FOR GEN Z—AND THEIR Z-CURIOUS COLLEAGUES

first up

Hello again! Our summer interns are here for the second week of our intern takeover. Today, we’re looking at a social issue that’s top of mind for Gen Z: a sustainable and equitable food system. 

Gen Z and millennials are the generations that are the most interested in vegetarian, vegan, and conscious eating options, according to McKinsey research, and 73 percent of Gen Z participants in a 2022 survey said that they thought their generation was the most concerned about the environmental impact of what we eat. They have reason to be: worldwide, 27 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions come from food and agriculture.

The implications of climate change are just some of the issues on our plate. In the US alone, an estimated 40 million people faced hunger in 2021, and Black and Latino households experience food insecurity 2.5 and 2 times more than White households, respectively. The risk of a global food crisis is rising as the war in Ukraine continues, and at-risk populations are suffering the most. Historically, supply shocks within the food system have led to inflation, lower fiscal strength, and malnutrition: 811 million people worldwide suffered from high levels of malnutrition or undernourishment in 2020, according to McKinsey senior partner Daniel Aminetzah, partner Nicolas Denis, senior partner Nelson Ferreira, managing partner Oleksandr Kravchenko, partner Ivan Verlan, and their coauthors. Many Gen Zers are aware of these trends—our efforts for change (and our changing tastes) are already on display. Case in point: college campuses. 

Food cycling 

In keeping with food sustainability priorities, Gen Zers on campus are taking “reduce, reuse, recycle” seriously. Universities are implementing programs (often as a result of student advocacy) to reduce food waste, provide shelters with uneaten food from dining halls, and donate unused funds from meal plans to students in need.

These efforts are key for accessibility: 29 percent of students at four-year colleges in the US said that they experienced food insecurity in the past 30 days. Plus, these programs help reduce waste—the UN estimates that one-third of the food produced worldwide never gets eaten, and almost all wasted food is thrown out at the consumer level. At one university, omitting food trays to encourage smaller portions led to a 22 percent drop in food waste. Some schools also provide reusable takeout containers for students to eat on the go, a waste-saving practice they might take into their adult lives; the lunch box market is actually growing worldwide.

Alternative proteins

Meat alternatives are also becoming more popular with Gen Z (for example, some schools are implementing “Meatless Mondays”), and more vegan and vegetarian options are popping up in dining halls and campus grocery stores. Less meat can be good for the planet:

A survey found that 77 percent of respondents said they could be persuaded to purchase meat alternatives; 87 percent of those respondents were Gen Zers. Since meat plays a central role in people’s diets in many countries, plant-based food technology can be a hot topic, but meeting in the middle may be key to a sustainable future.

Agricultural advancements 

Many people in the US, including in urban and campus environments, struggle to get enough fresh produce, creating a nutritional inequity that can span decades. That’s where sustainable agriculture tech comes in. One example: hydroponic “farms” that can grow crops vertically in less space than is needed in a typical garden bed.

Some schools are vertically growing herbs and grains in dining halls, and some Gen Z students are majoring in hydroponics to prepare for a growing market in agriculture start-ups. Overall, the agritech industry could grow by $500 billion by the end of the decade. 

Ensuring a promising food outlook is a lot to bite off, but personal and structural changes to food can help get everyone to the sustainable, secure future we need.

VISUALIZE IT

Millions of dollars have been invested in global sustainability-themed start-ups.

Wait, don’t scroll 

Green grocers. Add sustainability to your shopping list. Here’s how grocers are transforming the food system. 

Textbook issues. In higher education, the problem of racial and ethnic inequity isn’t new. But why is it taking us so long to fix it?

Going global. Here’s how the war in Ukraine has affected food security and climate change, and what that means for the future. 

NOT US; STILL GREAT

Inflating hunger. Food insecurity is growing as the economy slows, with food prices rising 10.4 percent in the US and food banks receiving more and more families. [NYT]

Dining halt. Food insecurity on college campuses is more prevalent than you might think—and addressing the problem is not as simple as donating a meal swipe. [Health Affairs]

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ANOTHER KIND OF GAME

— Edited by Hanna Carney, Imaya Jeffries, and Mia Nitekman,
summer interns, New York