Publicação
The proliferation of eight billion sips and bites: a citizen science perspective
| Resumo: | Over the past 50 years, the world's population has doubled, leading to a corresponding increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. The food system plays a significant role in this context, serving as a major contributor to climate change. Since food is intrinsically linked to the survival of living beings, it is crucial to address this issue comprehensively. This entails considering a complex interplay of factors, including the soil. This organic material, primarily composed of humus, is essential for human survival and is intrinsically linked to food production. Thus, soil is the focal point of this study, which aims to explore the complexities of this organic element within cultural representations. This paper seeks to analyse the plural context of soil by examining the epistemological issues surrounding this subject and exploring the relationship between humans and non-humans. Given the significance of this connection, discourses on health and the memories associated with food are incorporated into this approach. The theoretical and methodological foundation of this study is grounded in the semiotics of culture as proposed by Iuri Lotman, which provides valuable tools for elucidating the relationships central to this investigation. In this context, the concepts of text, semiosphere, and monad are employed as contributions to the understanding of soil as a cultural phenomenon. Two cultural parameters illustrate this proposal: selected verses from the song “We Are the World” and the phrase attributed to the scientist Lavoisier: “In nature, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.” The final considerations emphasise how language can either reinforce a sense of closeness or create distance between humans and the organic matter discussed herein, which holds unique significance for sustainability and the future of life on this planet. |
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| Autores principais: | Luderer, Cynthia |
| Assunto: | Food consumption Memories Semiotics of culture We are the world Communication Sustainable soil |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | capítulo de livro |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | Over the past 50 years, the world's population has doubled, leading to a corresponding increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. The food system plays a significant role in this context, serving as a major contributor to climate change. Since food is intrinsically linked to the survival of living beings, it is crucial to address this issue comprehensively. This entails considering a complex interplay of factors, including the soil. This organic material, primarily composed of humus, is essential for human survival and is intrinsically linked to food production. Thus, soil is the focal point of this study, which aims to explore the complexities of this organic element within cultural representations. This paper seeks to analyse the plural context of soil by examining the epistemological issues surrounding this subject and exploring the relationship between humans and non-humans. Given the significance of this connection, discourses on health and the memories associated with food are incorporated into this approach. The theoretical and methodological foundation of this study is grounded in the semiotics of culture as proposed by Iuri Lotman, which provides valuable tools for elucidating the relationships central to this investigation. In this context, the concepts of text, semiosphere, and monad are employed as contributions to the understanding of soil as a cultural phenomenon. Two cultural parameters illustrate this proposal: selected verses from the song “We Are the World” and the phrase attributed to the scientist Lavoisier: “In nature, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.” The final considerations emphasise how language can either reinforce a sense of closeness or create distance between humans and the organic matter discussed herein, which holds unique significance for sustainability and the future of life on this planet. |
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