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Because everybody eats, food production has the single biggest human impact on our environment. Unfortunately many foods are also ‘blacklisted’ environmentally. The reason for this is that there are several stages in production and distribution – from production, cultivation and breeding to how food is stored, transported and packed. Transportation of food contributes to as much as 20-30 percent of emissions along the food chain.
As a consumer finding out how food products got to the store is not always easy. The worst case scenario is food that has been transported back and forth to the same area. An example of this is Norwegian salmon which after having been flown to Asia to become sushi is then sent to the US.
Did you know?
• The average food travels 1500 miles to reach your plate
• Industrial agriculture uses massive amounts of petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides ~ up to 40% of the total energy required to produce the food
• Food packaging consumes 25% of the energy required to get food to your plate
• Eat local, organic food whenever possible
• Producing meat requires huge quantities of fossil fuels and water:
• It takes 35 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of beef while the ratio for soy is only 2:1.
• It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef, 25 gallons for wheat
• A hybrid car saves 1 ton of CO2 per year ~ a vegan diet saves 1.5 tons per year!
Organic food
‘Ecological’ means grown in harmony with nature. By employing and stimulating natural processes the use of pesticides and other chemicals is eliminated.
Consumers are increasingly interested in understanding the effect on the environment of buying ecologically produced food, “Does it really make a difference, to nature, to the animals, if I buy ecological products?”
Research does not provide us with one answer to that question, but there is much evidence to support an affirmative reply. The question is complex. Already at the place of origin, the farm, there are conditions that play a role and are of great importance to the processing of the product as well as how far and by what means of transportation is used.
What we can safely say is that ecological production takes consideration of and safeguards nature as a resource and says no to chemical fertilizers. This is good for the climate. Another good thing is that very little soy and only that made from ecologically grown beans may be used to feed livestock.
Which fish can I eat?
Many fish species are threatened by overfishing. WWF's Fish "Yes" List helps you make smarter decisions when purchasing seafood.
>> WWFs Fish "YES" list
Link tips:
>> Planet Green - local food
>> The Cheeseburger footprint |
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