How To Reduce Your Food Footprint: If It’s Better For You, It’s Better For The Planet

Food accumulation globally accounts for astir 30% of greenhouse state emissions, pinch nan mean Australian fare contributing much than 3kg of Co2 per personification per day. And what’s worse, we discarded astir 35% of nan nutrient we bring home. If we support this up, it has been estimated nan already unsustainable biology costs of nan nutrient strategy will astir double by 2050.

Calculating nan precise effect your individual nutrient choices person connected nan situation isn’t simple, but investigation suggests nan actions we tin return to bring that effect down are – and they aren’t conscionable amended for nan environment, they’re amended for our wellness too.

Limit aliases move these items

A 2021 CSIRO study recovered that sticking to its healthy eating guidelines while choosing lower-carbon options could trim nan ambiance effect of our diets by arsenic overmuch arsenic 42%. Another released past year, which conducted life-cycle assessments connected much than 60 1000 products disposable connected Australian shelves, recovered that switching to lower-emission options wrong similar categories could bring our nutrient footprints down by an awesome 71%.

Prof Simone Pettigrew, programme head of nutrient argumentation astatine nan George Institute for Global Health and an writer of nan second study, says: “There’s 4 biggies that beryllium astatine nan apical of nan database for being nan slightest sustainable: accepted reddish meats, dairy products, and past to a lesser grade – but possibly much upsettingly – java and chocolate.” Consumers, she says, tin make a “massive, monolithic difference” to nan sustainability of their full nutrient handbasket simply by limiting aliases switching retired those items.

In applicable position this mightiness look for illustration choosing poultry, seafood aliases kangaroo alternatively of lamb aliases pork, switching dairy beverage for plant-based options, drinking conscionable 1 little java a time aliases choosing saccharine treats pinch debased aliases nary cocoa content. Even if we tin do that immoderate of nan time, nan quality tin beryllium significant, according to Pettigrew.

A boost for your wellness – and nan planet

When it comes to carbohydrates and caller produce, Pettigrew says a coagulated norm of thumb is nan amended it is for you, nan amended it astir apt is for nan planet. Choosing caller fruits and vegetables to snack connected alternatively than processed biscuits aliases bars, for example, will dramatically trim your diet’s c footprint. And while location are accumulation and processing differences betwixt much nutritionally akin items specified arsenic pasta and rice, Pettigrew says wide they are mostly comparable successful position of sustainability. “Anything that is works based is going to beryllium overmuch little environmentally costly than thing animal based.

“We understand it’s difficult for consumers to make really large changes successful 1 hit, but it is comparatively easy to make mini incremental ones.”

If you already eat a healthy, plant-rich diet, limit your ultra-processed nutrient intake and are keeping your java and cocoa habits successful check, you’ve made a awesome start.

Shop pinch intent

Beyond that, Dr Lilly Lim-Camacho, main investigation intelligence pinch CSIRO Agriculture and Food, says 1 of nan astir adjuvant things consumers tin do to maximise these gains is to “shop pinch intent”. Food discarded accounts for much than a 3rd of each family waste, truthful only purchasing what you request mixed pinch mini efforts specified arsenic “learning really to usage up leftover veggies successful nan crisper” and resisting impulse buying will not only make your fare importantly much sustainable, but healthier and much economical too.

She urges group to besides support successful mind that wasting unhealthy nutrient is doubly bad. “Not only do discretionary foods create much emissions, our bodies don’t really request them.” Those emissions are fundamentally being wasted sloppy of whether you devour nan nutrient aliases not, she suggests.

If you’d for illustration to return things a measurement further, apps specified arsenic ecoSwitch, developed by nan George Institute, get into nan nitty gritty of comparing nan c ratings associated pinch much circumstantial items. This tin thief if you want to know, for example, which marque of tinned tomatoes aliases tofu is best. The George Institute study recovered that opting for adjacent identical but lower-impact options unsocial could bring your nutrient footprint down by 26%.

Neither Pettigrew nor Lim-Camacho want to return nan nosy retired of nutrient aliases expect consumers to forgo nan overseas burger aliases cocoa ice-cream, but work together that by prioritising our wellness we will people make amended choices for nan planet, and vice versa. “It’s a win-win,” says Pettigrew.

“There is ever going to beryllium an biology costs to our food. But it’s important for group to cognize that you really tin make an tremendous quality if you want to.”