Food
Did you know that meat and dairy products have a much bigger impact on greenhouse gas emissions than vegetables and pulses? This is due to factors such as higher energy and water use, deforestation and methane production. Even reducing how often you eat meat and dairy will make a difference.
Transporting fruit and vegetables from abroad by air or sea significantly increases their carbon footprint, so try to eat produce that is local and seasonal, it often tastes better! There are also issues caused by intensive and monoculture farming practices, pesticides and other chemicals used to treat crops and animals, as well as fertilisers and digging up peat for compost.
The average home throws away £470 worth of food every year and usually it is still perfectly good to eat, which is a waste of resources and contributes to climate change. Remember that ‘Use by Dates’ indicate when a product may no longer be safe to eat whereas ‘Best Before Dates’ indicate the quality of the food rather than its safety, so you can still eat food after its ‘Best Before Date’.
Reduce your impact
- Eat less meat and dairy products
- Buy local and seasonal food
- Avoid food waste by planning what you are going to eat and only buying what you need, storing food well so it doesn’t go off, using up leftovers and composting
- Buy organic and shop at local farms and independent retailers if possible
- Grow your own with peat free compost
Find out more
