Called foodprint, food’s carbon footprint takes into account the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by food right from the stage of growth and farming to processing, transporting, cooking, storing and disposing. As the world marches towards a more sustainable means of life, efforts are being made to reduce the carbon footprint of the food world as well.
Many restaurants around the world have launched initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the food they serve. However, as the end consumer, what can we do on our part to reduce the carbon footprint of the food that we eat on a daily basis? Here are some simple tips that could be of some help in this matter.
Choose Chicken over Beef
It has been found out that the production and processing of beef can cause more greenhouse gas emissions (at least 3 to 4 times more carbon emissions) than chicken. A start towards reducing your foodprint could therefore see you choose chicken over beef at your favorite diner or restaurant.
Choose Vegetables over Meat
Of course, there are those who wish to embark on a journey of sustainability by forgoing meat forever. If you wish to do so as well, consider it as a great step towards reducing your foodprint. In addition to being good for animals, this move can help eradicate dangerous working practices and poor wages in meat factories.
What’s in it for you, you ask? Apart from the fact that you helped save an animal from the slaughterhouse and reduced a small amount of greenhouse gases from escaping into the atmosphere today, you get to enjoy a healthy, long life devoid of issues like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer, etc.
Start Cooking at Home
The hectic lifestyle we lead today forces us to order take outs as well as dine out at regular intervals. Cooking at home however, lets us gain more control of what we eat and how we eat it. In addition to knowing what we add to the foods we eat, we can plan beforehand to avoid food wastage. Leftovers can also be combined to create interesting dishes later on. And the vegetable scraps can be used to make compost which can feed the plants in your garden.
Choose Organic Foods
There are myriad benefits to this move. First, organic foods are grown sans any of those harmful pesticides or fertilizers used on other crops. Organic farming methods also tend to have a lower carbon footprint than traditional farming practices. The standards of care in organic farms also ensure minimal cruelty to plants as well as animals. Best of all, these foods are completely natural and not genetically modified in any way possible, meaning your health is in safe hands when you eat these foods.
Grown your Food
This is another way to reduce your foodprint to a great extent. It also helps you save a lot of money on groceries in the long run. You can start your own fruit and vegetable garden in your lawn, garden or backyard. This will ensure that you have access to healthy, pest free, chemical free and affordable food.
You can also set up a balcony or terrace garden in your apartment, or join a community garden group which lets you join hands with likeminded individuals to grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
Foodprint aka food’s carbon footprint is something every conscious individual needs to think over multiple times in his/her head. Reducing one’s food print can not only save the environment from dangerous greenhouse gases in the long run, but it can also contribute to a healthier lifestyle with the food choices that are made.