Our diet is estimated to generate between 15% and 30% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions. That’s quite a lot! Luckily, there are lots of simple steps you can take when buying, preparing, storing and disposing of food to reduce your ecological footprint. Read on to find out what small changes you can make in the kitchen to make a big difference in the environment!
Think about where you shop!
Let’s start at the beginning and with where you buy your food – this can go a long way towards helping the climate. Local is best: by buying regional and seasonal products, you not only support local farmers, but also bypass the need for long-distance transport that have a damaging impact on the climate. To avoid participating in the transport of these products, if you’re able to, you could start your own small vegetable and herb garden.
Plan your meals!
Batch cook meals: store them to use later or share them with friends and family. Another top tip is to prepare eco-friendly “raw dishes” more often. These are also highly nutritious and contribute to a balanced diet.
Cook smart!
How you cook your food can also go some way to reducing CO2 emissions. Make sure you use the right size pan for the size of your hob, use a lid to prevent heat from escaping and boil your water in the kettle first.
Use eco-friendly preservation methods!
There are a number of alternatives to your fridge and freezer for storing food for longer periods: pickling, fermenting, drying or storing in the cellar, to name just a few.
Opt for reusable containers!
The production and removal of disposable containers destroys resources and pollutes the climate. A more climate-friendly option for storing your food is to use reusable glass or plastic containers or any boxes or linen bags that you already have.
Don’t waste food!
Throwing food away unnecessarily means throwing away the energy that was needed to produce it. So, avoid food waste as much as possible and think of what you can make with any leftovers or whatever you’ve got in the cupboard! If you can, compost your organic waste, to help reduce methane emissions from landfill sites.
Use energy-efficient appliances!
When buying new kitchen appliances, check their energy efficiency label. Appliances with a high energy efficiency rating consume less electricity, and thereby help reduce CO2 emissions.
More information: lets-save-energy.lu