What shall we eat for dinner? This deceptively simple question has indeed perplexed modern consumers in the developed world, in the midst of a cornucopia of food choices, further complicated by a dizzying array of food advices from nutrition and health “experts” as well as justifiable warnings that what we eat now may be contributing to social exploitation, environmental pollution and climate change. How shall we, then, eat with optimal health benefit, enjoyment and conscience? Michael Pollan’s answer to such a profound question is just seven simple words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This is indeed as old-fashioned (in a sense that our ancestors have been eating like this for millennia) as it is revolutionary against the backdrop of our highly industrialized food systems. In this talk, we will discuss all these, and explore how Hong Kong people may rethink the opening question for the sake of personal health, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Amos P. K. Tai is an Associate Professor in the Earth System Science Programme of the Faculty of Science, as well as the Associate Director of the Office of University General Education, at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Amos obtained his B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from Harvard University, and was a Croucher Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT before he joined CUHK in 2013. Amos specializes in atmospheric chemistry and physics, agricultural and forest meteorology, and biosphere-atmosphere interactions. His research combines high-performance Earth system modeling and multivariate statistical analysis of observations to examine the complex interactions between ecosystems and the atmosphere, addressing pressing issues such as the impacts of air pollution and climate change on ecosystems and food security, and how agriculture and forests can be better managed to mitigate environmental impacts. His work has been published in top-ranking journals in the atmospheric and environmental sciences including Nature Climate Change, Nature Food, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, and Environmental Research Letters, and earned him the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Research Award for Young Scientists in 2015, Early Career Award from the Research Grants Council (Hong Kong) in 2014, and founding membership of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences in 2018. Amos is also a passionate educator, having received the prestigious CUHK Vice-Chancellor Exemplary Teaching Award and Faculty of Science Exemplary Teaching Award, and contributed significantly to the establishment and development of the Earth System Science Programme. Amos delights in promoting popular science knowledge to the public, especially on topics such as climate change, environmental sustainability, and faith and science. He regularly gives talks in schools and public avenues, and has participated in and hosted TV and radio programs many times to promote science and environmental education. He has also provided professional consulting services to government departments including the Highways Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.