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Tuesday, 9 February 2010

Environment and greener living

Food and drink: greener choices

Food accounts for nearly a third of most people’s effect on climate change. It also adds to many other environmental problems, like water pollution. You can help by reducing waste, choosing foods with a lower impact on climate change and opting for sustainable seafood.

Waste less food

Wasted food and drink

£12 billion worth of food and drink that could have been used is thrown away every year

The average UK family spends around £480 a year on food and drink that could have been used but is thrown away. Wasting food not only costs you money but also wastes the energy and resources needed to produce, package, store and transport it.

Cutting food waste benefits the environment. If everyone stopped wasting food that could be eaten, it would reduce CO2 emissions as much as taking one in four cars off UK roads.

Visit the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ website for recipes and practical tips to help you waste less food.

Choose climate-friendly foods

The following tips can help you choose food with a lower carbon footprint:

  • meat and dairy foods have a much bigger effect on climate change and the environment than most grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables
  • buying fresh and unprocessed foods can mean fewer carbon emissions, because processing food and freezing or refrigerating it uses a lot of energy
  • buying food grown outdoors in season can help reduce emissions, because it doesn’t need heated greenhouses

Transporting food

Food from a long way away doesn't necessarily have a big carbon footprint. Food transported long distances by boat (like bananas or apples), or food imported when it’s in season abroad, can have a smaller footprint than:

  • food produced closer to home in heated greenhouses
  • food that needs to be frozen or refrigerated, especially for long periods

However, where food has been produced, stored and transported in similar ways, choosing food that hasn't travelled as far could help reduce CO2 emissions.

Can healthy eating help the environment?

For many people, a diet with less saturated fat and more fruit and vegetables would be a healthy choice. This could also be a greener choice if you cut down on saturated fats by reducing the proportion of meat and dairy products you eat.

Buy sustainable fish

The Marine Stewardship Council logo shows a seafood product has not contributed to over-fishing

Worldwide, three-quarters of wild marine fisheries are fully or over-exploited. Estimates suggest that many of the world's commercial fisheries are likely to collapse in less than 50 years unless over-fishing is stopped.

You can help by buying seafood that has been sustainably produced - 'food labels' explains exactly what this means. Find sustainable seafood in shops and restaurants by:

  • following the links below, which give advice on what seafood to choose
  • looking for labels that show seafood has been sustainably sourced, like the Marine Stewardship Council logo
  • asking your retailer or restaurant owner if they have sustainable seafood options

Choose wildlife and environment-friendly food

Some food is made in ways that are more wildlife-friendly, for example without using pesticides. Other food supports the countryside and local communities, for example by creating local jobs. Find these by:

  • looking for labels like LEAF, organic and the Marine Stewardship Council
  • choosing retailers that are trying to stock greener food

If you can't find greener choices, you could ask your local shops to start stocking them. Showing an interest can encourage retailers to do more.

Buying from producers

Buying directly, for example at a farmers’ market, means you can ask producers how their food is produced. Try looking for food:

  • from farmers who give high priority to looking after wildlife on their farm
  • produced in a way which helps conserve rural landscapes, like upland sheep or cattle grazing

Other ways of making greener food choices

Other things you can do include:

Cut down on car trips for food shopping

13 per cent of carbon emissions from transporting food come from individuals driving to the shops. Reducing shopping trips by car will help reduce carbon emissions, congestion and local air pollution.

Compost food waste

More than a third of household rubbish is kitchen or garden waste. Most of this ends up in landfill, where it gives off methane – a gas which has a big effect on climate change. However, when this waste is composted it doesn't give off methane.

Drink tap water

UK mains drinking water meets very high standards, uses around 300 times less energy than bottled water and doesn’t leave bottles as waste.

Reduce packaging waste

Packaging can help preserve food – but it uses resources and can damage wildlife. 'Greener packaging choices' has ideas on how you can reduce packaging waste.

Store and cook food efficiently

Defrosting your fridge regularly and putting lids on saucepans when cooking can save energy. ‘Top tips on saving energy’ has more advice on ways you can save energy in the kitchen.

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