The food we eat and what we throw way directly impacts our planet. Food contributes a quarter of global carbon emissions so managing where you get your food from and what you eat has a clear environmental impact. Discover more about the link between food and the environment here.
A quick and easy win is to reduce the amount of meat you eat. This chart shows the which foods are emission heavy and gives you the information to make an informed choice. The Wildlife Trusts have produced some top tips help think about how you buy and dispose of food.
It’s worth thinking about what food you might source for events – for instance Community People have a pledge for 100% vegetarian food at all our events – this is cheaper, more inclusive and less impactful on the environment. You might want to use apps like Too Good to Go or Olio to get food which will otherwise go to waste for your meetings or events – it’s also a lot cheaper and usually avoids plastic packaging.
It’s worth thinking about where your food, or ingredients in your food is coming from. There are some ingredients which cause more environmental degradation than others – one of these is palm oil which is found in a surprisingly large number of foods. You can check packaging for sustainable palm oil. Often sourcing local products can be less environmentally impactful and support local farmers and businesses. The Mid Sussex Food Partnership is involved in a number of projects locally including the Sussex Six.
Reducing how much food you throw away will save you money and make a difference to your carbon footprint.
There are lots of ways you can get started, from reducing the amount you provide in the first place, to storing and preserving or freezing food, or sharing leftovers with local food pantries, larders or youth groups. There are tools you can measure your food waste with. It’s also worth thinking about the packaging you are using, could it be reduced and can it be returned or recycled?