It’s 2071, and You’re Hungry
The year is 2071. Eating is different. Climate change, biotechnology, and geopolitics have impacted the Earth’s food systems. We asked BDC alumni and community members to share how they envision transformations around farming, cooking, and eating. Where does food come from? How does it taste?
1.
In 2071, our globalized world will return to being hyper-local. Tastes for international cuisines haven’t gone away. A robust market for recipes has fused with virtual reality cooking tutorials. Fermented foods made in counter-top fermentation chambers give cooks access to uniquely complex terroir for any meal; 3D printed ingredients make it easy to create global tastes without the shipping costs of global ingredients; and affordable home bioreactors are enabling anyone to grow their own meat. We have corrected course by 2071 to a thriving world in harmony with each other and the environment. —Nikhil Kumar, New York University
2.
A Lighter Delicacy proposes both an alternative source of protein and a way to divert the 2.5 million tons of feather waste that originate in slaughterhouses in the European Union. —Sorawut Kittibanthorn, Central Saint Martins
3.
Regarding the future of food and what it will taste like, here are five predictions.
First, plastic and waste containers from restaurants will either be eliminated or replaced with biodegradable parts, though the act to make this happen won’t occur until at least the 2030s.
Second, indoor farming could help reduce water and energy costs as technology becomes simpler and easier to produce, assuming the size and upkeep of the operation are properly offset.
Number three: fish are going to have exponentially more plastic inside of them meaning we will have exponentially more plastic inside of us.
Number four: economic size and scale will allow for lab-grown meats to hit consumer shelves and people are going to protest their ethics almost as relentlessly as the protests for animal violence.
And number five: we are more likely to see a premium of certain ingredients, or perhaps, even the disappearance of things like bananas, chickpeas, coffee, and avocados due to the extreme issues of climate change. —Jarrett Cunningham, University of Toledo
4.
Eat a donut made of snakehead fish, a local invasive species in Queens waterways. Econut speculates an alternative future where humans eat invasive species as a way to rebalance the ecosystem. While these species appear physically grotesque, they can make an excellent meal. Ingredients include fresh fish jelly as filling and fried fish skin as a crispy coating. —Artists Shihan Zhang & Qinqin Yang
5.
I believe that the only way humans will be able to live successfully and well in 2071 is if we both act as responsible residents of this great planet and make technological advancements that counterbalance the damage we’ve already done. The pessimist in me sees 2071 as a time of extreme income inequality and food inequity. I see a bleak future for us if we continue as we are, but I’m hopeful that we are cognizant of the state of the emergency, and make a strong effort to change how we engage with the planet. —Shailaja Chadha, University of California, Davis
6.
In 2071 we have adapted the human microbiome to host plastic–decomposing bacteria that enable humans to ingest and digest the Anthropocene. Nano, macro, and microplastics pepper the Earth’s anthropogenic crust, and humankind is called upon to consume the rich geo-polymer cake of its own making. —Greg Orrom Swan, Royal College of Art
1
Nikhil Kumar is a graduate student at NYU ITP. He has a background in product management and spent time as a chef, where he often daydreamed about the future of food. His BDC 2020 project, Microbial Memories, imagined capturing the flavors and scents of food through the use of microorganisms.
2
Sorawut Kittibanthorn is an alum of the Material Futures MA program at Central St. Martins. He is interested in applying science to investigate the physical and chemical transformations of materials that occur in food production.
3
Jarrett Cunningham majored in film at The University of Toledo where he studied music and sound design. His BDC 2020 project, Wastr, proposed a ‘smart’ garbage can that measures household waste production in order to promote better disposal habits.
4
Shihan Zhang and Qinqin Yang are cofounders of alterR.studio, a multi-disciplinary research-based studio for alternative realities. Their work uses experimental artifacts and immersive experiences as tools to frame desirable ecologically-conscious futures.
5
Shailaja Chadha studied Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at UC Davis. She works at an ag-tech start-up called Sound Agriculture that is developing technology to make agriculture more resilient and resistant to climate change. Her BDC 2019 project, Nanobuddies, integrated nanobodies—a type of heat-stable antibody—into environmental sensors.
6
Greg Orrom Swan is an artist and designer. Fascinated by biology, geology, and chemistry, his work explores the links between human and nonhuman systems. He cofounded the BDC project-turned-startup Olombria, which encourages flies to act as supplementary pollinators. He is currently a lecturer and keen fermenter.
Cite This Essay
“It’s 2071, And You’re Hungry.” Biodesigned: Issue 6, 17 March, 2021. Accessed [month, day, year].