How to be sustainable. Food
These are some of the things you can do as an individual to make your time on the planet a little more responsible. These are some ideas that we would like to share with you to make your way to the eco-friendly world easier.
If you have come this far, it is because you know that with small gestures it is possible to change the world. You know that your consumption habits directly affect the environment and you want to join us in this big change. You want to ACT NOW but you don't know how to start.
We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.
Today we are going to show you some food-related changes you can start doing. May seem unimportant, but it is one of the issues that has the greatest impact on the environment.
- Reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Real food has less impact on the environment than ultra-processed foods. Fewer resources are used to produce them, such as energy, water, CO2.
- Eat organic food.
This type of food is much healthier for the environment and for your body because it is grown without pesticides or GMOs. If your usual store doesn’t have this type of food you can always ask for it. The more demand for a particular product, the more likely it is that they will bring that product to your store. Companies work on demand.
- Buy local.
Transportation is one of the major causes of greenhouse gas emissions. Food is one of the products we buy the most and if we buy local instead of buying avocados from Peru, for example, we will be reducing these emissions by a large amount. In addition, local food has been in transport for less time and tends to be fresher and tastier.
- Buy seasonal products.
To store the products that we buy out of season we need large refrigerators that consume tons of CO2. Nature knows what it has to give us in each season of the year and the planet and your body will be grateful for seasonal foods.
- Buy by the grain.
Food packaging (whether plastic or paper) is often unnecessary and very harmful to the environment; moreover, in most cases it is avoidable. By carrying cloth bags for fruit and vegetables, tuppers for meat and fish and even looking for stores that only sell products in bulk, we will be greatly improving the situation.
- Reduce animal-based foods
Although it is incredible, livestock farming is responsible for 14.5% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, and industrial livestock farming is also responsible for being one of the main causes of the destruction of ecosystems such as the Amazon. It is also responsible for a high consumption of water and antibiotics for animals, not to mention animal abuse. The best thing you can do is to try to reduce the consumption of meat and buy better quality link the meat that comes from extensive farming, ecological and local livestock.
- Have a plant-based diet.
Going one step further and leaving animal products is also a very good decision. It is very important to consult with a specialist in order to have a balanced diet and not to leave out some essential nutrients when changing your diet.
- Avoid food waste.
In Europe, around 89 million tons of food are thrown away every year, 53% of which is lost in households (according to a Fusion 2016 study by the European Commission).
With these data it is easy to imagine the quantity of resources that are used, not only to produce that food, but to dispose it. Resources that we could save if we didn’t throw so much food away.
Planning the week's meals, buying the right amount of food or storing food correctly are some of the solutions to this problem. Using leftover vegetables to make broths, cooking potato skins and carrot leaves, using food (avocado pits, coffee, onion skins, etc.) to dye clothes and other tricks are great trips to reduce food waste. Apps such as To Good To Go are also a great tools.
- Have a garden at home
It’s a fantastic idea if we have the right space at home. It is not necessary a very big land and will be enough having a small terrace where you can place three or four types of vegetables. It is easier than it seems. A very good way to reduce consumption, CO2 emissions and plastic envelopes.
- Make compost at home
Something that seems very complicated but is becoming increasingly easier thanks to the small buckets that are on the market. It is a very easy way to reduce the organic waste we generate at home. Once made, the compost can be taken to municipal gardens for proper management.
Check what can you do in other areas of your life:
How to be sustainable. Energy and efficiency.
How to be sustainable. Cleaning and cosmetics.
How to be sustainable. Clothes.