One of many largest contributors to the declining well being of the planet is how the meals we eat is grown, processed, transported and consumed. With a 3rd of all human-caused greenhouse fuel emissions being a results of meals, every step of the meals lifecycle contributes to local weather change in a roundabout way. With this in thoughts, it’s our accountability to start out making the swap to a extra sustainable way of life with regards to how we store and eat meals.
Whether or not you’re trying to construct extra small, sustainable habits into your day by day routine or utterly overhaul the way you select to eat, at Planet Natural, we’re right here that can assist you make extra aware selections in your swap to purchasing and consuming extra sustainably.
How do you store sustainably for meals?
Research have proven that the biggest chunk of food-related greenhouse fuel emissions comes from agriculture and land use, making it clear that we can not assist the planet with out trying to rework our meals system. By making small adjustments to our weight loss plan and the way we store for meals, we can assist enhance the well being of not solely the planet however our our bodies too.
Whether or not you select to make small swaps to your on a regular basis weight loss plan by switching to plant-based milk alternate options, collaborating in #MeatlessMondays, or shopping for extra natural produce – there are a lot of methods you possibly can contribute to creating optimistic adjustments to purchasing sustainably which we’ve got detailed under.
Cut back plastic waste
In contrast to different supplies, plastic doesn’t biodegrade and may take as much as 1,000 years to interrupt down. It is likely one of the key contributors to environmental points, with 46% of plastic waste sitting in landfills. Most meals you discover in conventional grocery shops is packaged in plastic and transported in plastic luggage that are then discarded and left to construct up in landfills. A number of the best methods to scale back plastic waste when purchasing is to:
- Use your personal reusable luggage
- Purchase recent produce that’s free and never wrapped in plastic
- Select meals objects that come in additional sustainable packaging
- Recycle meals packaging the place attainable.
Store regionally and seasonally
Shopping for meals that isn’t solely in season but in addition produced regionally is one other easy method to eat extra sustainably. Seasonal consumption not solely helps assist native farmers’ companies however these meals are additionally extra nutrient-dense and will even style higher. Procuring seasonally additionally helps to encourage extra sustainable agricultural practices because the atmosphere is of course in the fitting circumstances to develop sure meals organically.
Along with native farm outlets, you probably have any zero-waste or natural shops in your space, we might encourage you to buy there for as a lot of your meals as attainable earlier than conventional grocery shops. Now we have a number of outlets throughout London, go to Our Shops web page to seek out your nearest Planet Natural retailer.
Learn meals labels
One other method to store extra sustainably is to concentrate to meals labels. Lots of meals that’s marketed as ‘eco-friendly’ can usually nonetheless be produced utilizing practices which might be dangerous to the atmosphere, as this time period doesn’t have an ordinary definition and might be simply utilized by corporations to mislead customers. Subsequently it is crucial that you just perceive what to look out for within the following signifiers that make sure the meals you’re consuming is sustainable:
When purchasing extra sustainably, look out for a number of of those labels that signify the meals you’re shopping for works in the direction of bettering the atmosphere.
Check out extra plant-based meals
One of the vital efficient methods to steer a extra sustainable way of life with regards to meals consumption is to make the swap to a extra plant-based weight loss plan. This doesn’t essentially imply that everybody ought to flip Vegan, nevertheless, making small adjustments to your weight loss plan by together with extra plant-based meals can work in the direction of making optimistic adjustments for the planet. Research have proven that plant-based diets can reduce greenhouse fuel emissions by nearly half as they use 30% much less vitality for manufacturing, and have a 41.5% decrease carbon footprint in comparison with meat-based diets.
By taking small steps to minimise meat consumption and enhance the variety of crops in your weight loss plan, you are utilizing your buy energy to sign to the meals trade that customers need extra sustainable meals choices. Do not forget that plant-based doesn’t should imply consuming solely fruit and veggies, there are a lot of meat and dairy alternate options and plant-based variations of your favorite meals that you would be able to make the swap to. Flick thru our vegan store to seek out an array of plant-based alternate options to your on a regular basis meals staples.
How can I eat extra sustainably?
Research have proven that UK households and companies throw away round 9.5 million tonnes of meals waste in a single yr, with most of this meals waste ending up in overcrowded landfills. This build-up of meals waste then releases methane fuel because it degrades, which then contributes to world warming. Subsequently by making a aware effort to scale back your meals waste, you possibly can assist cut back this environmental impression. A number of the best methods to scale back meals waste are:
Solely store for what you want
Whether or not you make day by day journeys to your native grocery retailer or pre-plan meals upfront, be sure to know what to purchase and when to make sure every part you purchase will get used and never wasted. Create a weekly meal plan or write an inventory earlier than purchasing that can assist you keep on monitor.
Compost leftover meals
If you end up throwing away meals scraps after making ready meals, we propose including these scraps to a compost bin or heap as a substitute. Whether or not you purchase a composting bin in your backyard or buy a useful tabletop composter, composting leftovers can will let you repurpose meals in a extra sustainable approach that may then be used to create nutrient-rich soil for crops or vegetable gardens. Head on over to our information on find out how to compost to seek out out extra info round this sustainability observe.
Freeze meals in bulk
In case you select to arrange your meals upfront, batch-cooking massive portions of meals after which freezing them into smaller meals is a good way to get essentially the most out of your meals and cut back the potential for leftover waste. In case you do usually end up with a number of meals leftover from meals, freezing what’s left will not be solely nice for lowering waste but in addition provides you a handy meal possibility at a later date.
Develop your personal produce
In the end, one of many best methods to eat extra sustainably is to develop your personal meals. Whether or not you create small vegetable patches in your backyard at dwelling or have entry to an allotment, rising your personal fruit and greens permits you to management the quantity of meals you want, saves you cash and in addition reduces the impression conventional agricultural practices have on the atmosphere.
Store sustainably with the assistance of Planet Natural
Residence to quite a lot of manufacturers with a ardour for sustainability, Planet Natural is right here that can assist you in your journey to main a extra sustainable life. Store our full sustainable residing vary to find plastic-free meals, sustainable family merchandise and extra, to start out constructing sustainable habits into your on a regular basis routines.
