All Resources

Sustainability indicators, tools and reporting systems for agri-food products

Description

Commissioned by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, this report presents the findings of an analysis of food system sustainability measurement, certification and reporting initiatives of ... More ≫

Description

Commissioned by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, this report presents the findings of an analysis of food system sustainability measurement, certification and reporting initiatives of relevance for the Alberta agriculture and food sector, along with market access considerations.

Tags

GHG emissions from oil sands tailing ponds : overview and modelling based on fermentable substrates

Description

Extraction and upgrading/refining of mined bitumen are energy intensive operations that require significant fuel consumption resulting in emissions of greenhouse gases. The less understood part of ... More ≫

Description

Extraction and upgrading/refining of mined bitumen are energy intensive operations that require significant fuel consumption resulting in emissions of greenhouse gases. The less understood part of GHG emissions from surface mining operations is methane and carbon dioxide production from fluid tailings ponds. Part I of this paper explains past, current and future practices that affect greenhouse gas emissions from tailings ponds and presents a few facts that contrast with assumptions commonly made in literature regarding fugitive emissions from oil sands mines. Part II of the paper then proposes a Base GHG Model for calculating future greenhouse gas emissions. This modelling effort presents a different approach to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from ponds based on fermentable substrates with a focus on diluent, which has been shown to be the most bioavailable part of tailings. Different scenarios based on the Base GHG Model show potential pathways toward lowering the Alberta...

Tags

Environmental footprint of egg : agri-food production in Alberta

Description

Presents results and key findings from a 2012-2014 project aimed to set out a scientifically robust and transparent environmental assessment of current egg production in Alberta through life cycle ... More ≫

Description

Presents results and key findings from a 2012-2014 project aimed to set out a scientifically robust and transparent environmental assessment of current egg production in Alberta through life cycle assessment.

Tags

Life cycle assessment in agriculture : potential applications, social license and market access

Description

Life cycle assessment is a formalized methodology that provides a quantitative approach to understanding the distribution of resource demands and environmental impacts along food product supply ... More ≫

Description

Life cycle assessment is a formalized methodology that provides a quantitative approach to understanding the distribution of resource demands and environmental impacts along food product supply chains, as well as key mitigation levers. This report identifies options for the use of life cycle assessment which might be adopted or adapted for use by industry and government regulators in Alberta.

Tags

Environmental footprinting : water footprinting

Description

With increasing demands on the world’s water resources, the concept of water footprinting is beginning to gain traction. This fact sheet explains the concept of a "water footprint" and what this ... More ≫

Description

With increasing demands on the world’s water resources, the concept of water footprinting is beginning to gain traction. This fact sheet explains the concept of a "water footprint" and what this may mean for Alberta agricultural producers.

Tags

Environmental footprinting : considering the three pillars of sustainability

Description

This fact sheet provides an overview of environmental footprinting, which is a method for measuring the environmental impact of a product or process. The method considers a variety of ... More ≫

Description

This fact sheet provides an overview of environmental footprinting, which is a method for measuring the environmental impact of a product or process. The method considers a variety of environmental metrics such as energy, water, greenhouse gases, land use and more.

Tags

Environmental footprinting : sustainability in the food and retail sector

Description

This fact sheet provides case studies from major agri-food corporations in Canada. These resulted from a project that helped position Alberta producers to meet these requirements by determining ... More ≫

Description

This fact sheet provides case studies from major agri-food corporations in Canada. These resulted from a project that helped position Alberta producers to meet these requirements by determining the environmental footprint of four major Alberta agrifood commodities (canola, chicken, egg and potato) using a life cycle assessment.

Tags

Environmental footprinting : who's leading the way

Description

This fact sheet highlights a selection of global and North American environmental footprinting initiatives. These initiatives help businesses gather credible information and assess their ... More ≫

Description

This fact sheet highlights a selection of global and North American environmental footprinting initiatives. These initiatives help businesses gather credible information and assess their environmental impact in terms of carbon, water, energy, land use and more. Through environmental footprinting, businesses are able to implement beneficial management practices and decrease their environmental impact, which often results in production efficiencies and cost savings.

Tags

Access management in the Bighorn Backcountry : addressing continual change

Description

Reports on efforts by Sustainable Resource Development to work with stakeholders to develop an access management plan for the Bighorn Backcountry that would allow different recreational users ... More ≫

Description

Reports on efforts by Sustainable Resource Development to work with stakeholders to develop an access management plan for the Bighorn Backcountry that would allow different recreational users access to the area while maintaining the integrity of watersheds, fish and wildlife populations and the land.

Tags

Environmental footprinting for agriculture in Alberta : literature review and analysis

Description

This literature review and analysis of environmental footprinting in Alberta, Canada and internationally, can be used for the development of an environmental accounting framework and measurement ... More ≫

Description

This literature review and analysis of environmental footprinting in Alberta, Canada and internationally, can be used for the development of an environmental accounting framework and measurement index for assessing the environmental impacts of food and agricultural production in Alberta. It examines the trends, drivers and studies relevant to the subject of environmental footprinting drawing from research, life cycle assessment studies, grey-literature, industry reporting standards, and expert interviews.

Tags