Food is one of fine pleasures of life and we all want to enjoy what we eat. As much as we love our food we think it’s important to love where it comes from as food is typically the largest component of our ecological footprint. The following points provide ideas that help you to ensure the food you eat and dispose of has a low environmental impact:
- Eat less meat, and more fresh fruit and vegetables. Trends are showing we are starting to eat less meat that we used to (see meat eating trends). This can help reduce the strain on local resources (meat requires much more land and water to produce). If going vegetarian doesn’t appeal, you could become a weekday veg (it’s the new fashion, click here to find out more) or at least start with Meat Free Mondays. It can be healthy to eat a low-meat diet and this easy action is a quick way to lighten your environmental impact. To find out more about the benefits of eating less meat, check out the Compassion in World Farming’s excellent report on the subject.
- Walk or cycle to the food shop, or get it delivered. Shopping at the local market or choosing to have it delivered helps reduce dependence on cars and can reduce packaging. There are lots of affordable delivery schemes available. Ocado and Riverford are some of the larger retailers offering delivery, but we recommend you have a shop around to find others too. The most affordable option will likely be a trip to the farmers’ market, and the exercise will also help you build up a healthy appetite for lunch.
- Use the milkman. Related to the above. Buying your milk and fruit juice from a milkman means your bottles will be reused which is even better for the environment than recycling. Find a milkman here: www.findmeamilkman.net
- Buy organic. Organic food is good for your well-being and the environment. The UK Government’s own advisors found that plant, insect and bird life is up to 50% greater on organic farms. In addition, organic food releases less greenhouse gases than non-organic farming and organic standards insist that animals are given plenty of space and fresh air to thrive and grow. For more information, visit The Soil Association website.
- Avoid fishy business. If you eat fish it's really important to choose fish from sustainably managed fisheries as so many areas have been over-fished. A guarantee of this is the Marine Stewardship Council mark, and their website gives guidance on the best fish to eat.
- Eat seasonally. Each fruit or vegetable has a prime time when it’s at its seasonal best. That means extra flavour, extra crunch and extra juiciness. There are lots of information on eating seasonal food, check out the Eat Seasonably website, and take a look at Leon’s beautiful seasonal food chart.
- Love food, hate waste. An incredible amount of food ends up in the bin, apparently one third of the food we buy! Imagine not having this waste and instead getting a third discount on the food you buy. There are lots of handy tips to reduce this waste, and advice on how to deal with it sustainably, visit: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
- Grow your own. Growing your own fruit and vegetables is rewarding and healthy. If this sounds a bit too much effort for now, you could start by growing your own herbs in a window box, or among vegetables and flowers.
- Avoid bottled water. With bottled water costing about the same as petrol, it’s strange that people buy it. The quality of tap water in the UK is among the best in the world and much cheaper.
Useful resources
Find out about the food projects currently happening in Sutton, take a look at our food pages. Food Climate Research Network – a network that aims to increase our understanding of how the food system contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and what we can do to reduce them.
