BLOG: How unsustainable food habits affect our environment

 Food is something that unites us together. Food is a social gathering, a birthday party, comfort at the end of an exhausting day. Food, though essential, it is taken for granted. 

Three million tons of edible food waste are created by the UK every year. As this occurs, four million children are living in households that struggle to afford dinner – eating in a sustainable way can change the course for children, adults, and the environment. There are many ways you can help! 

Using animals for meat and dairy requires massive areas of space and vast amounts of water and feed. This industry alone creates fifteen percent of greenhouse gas emissions – with this we need to prioritize our environment and cut back on our meat intake. While meat consumption is one of the biggest environmental issues within the food industry, there are ways to consume it sustainably if needed. By doing simple things such as reducing your meat intake and considering where your meat comes from, you can reduce the carbon footprint left by the meat industry   

There are so many affordable and unique recipe books that toy with the flavors of more plant-based items; Jackfruit and Blue Ginger by Sasha Gill explore the wonderful and explosive flavors of Asian cuisine. Dirty Vegan is also highly recommended as it shows cheap and easy recipes from colorful salads to hearty soups. Having a broad selection of tasty and reliable recipes when changing diet is key for a smooth transition. These two cookbooks are a great start to provide a more sustainable, meat-free diet. 

Another way to decrease your carbon footprint is to grow your own food. Create your own vegetable and fruit garden for fresh, healthy, and sustainable variety within your diet – it also is a fantastic way to ensure that you are eating more plants as they are right there on your doorstep. If you want to experiment a bit before creating a full fruit and vegetable garden, a herb garden in a window box is great to start off with. This will ensure that you have an array of flavors to add to your meals while leaving behind divine aromas.  

Growing your own fruit and vegetables also means less food waste, food goes off while transporting or even thrown away at the farm (around 20-40%) due to them being misshapen, marked, or even discolored. However, there are many other ways to not waste food. Simple things such as not overbuying, checking the sell-by dates when shopping, and freezing things that you are not able to eat while fresh can help decrease the amount of food product that is wasted.  

If you would like to share your ideas on eating more sustainably you can email me at aliya.hussain@groundworknottingham.org.uk

Blog by: Aliya Hussain, Community Development Assistant (NCS UK Year of Service)