Reduce your footprint by your diet
Today's food system offers a profusion of low-cost industrial foods. This system has consequences on the environment, namely through the use of pesticides which degrade soil and impoverish wildlife or livestock which contribute to climate change more than the transport sector.
It is up to each person to have a diet that is healthy for their body and environment.
In one's diet, the ecological footprint is mainly found in farming and fishing practices, processing, packaging and transport. When you add the fact that we throw out half the food that we buy, it is time to reduce our dietary ecological footprint by in the following ways.
Did you know that...?
The consumption of organic foods (produce and locally grown) can reduce our dietary footprint by 90% and also make us healthier.
Eat less industrial meat
The steak story!
To produce a steak
It takes 3 years for a cow to reach adult age and produce about 200 kg of fresh meat.
During these 3 years, the cow will consume 1300 kg of grain and 7200 kg of grass. To irrigate these fields, it takes 3 million litres of water. We then add 24000 litres drunk by the cow and 7000 litres for its maintenance
So, to produce 1 kg of beef, you need 15340 litres of water.
Production of industrial meat requires a high volume of water, we call that virtual food water.
In addition, this meat (and the feed for the animals) often travels many kilometres before consumption.
In addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for transport, by eating less meat you can improve your health, since livestock is often fed with transgenic flour or is full of hormones.
Finally, tons of cereals are used to feed animals while millions of humans die of hunger or suffer from malnutrition in the world.
Eat locally
The food kilometre is a concept defining the distance travelled by foods from their place of production to the place of consumption, in other words our plates.
Exported foods travel far. Their transportation requires from 4 to 17 times more fuel than do local foods.
Eating locally means following the seasons and eating what nature offers us. It means eating fresher, tastier and more nutritional. It also reduces packaging.
Economically speaking, buying local products means that you support local producers and structures.
You can also grow your own garden.
Attention!
Eating local products can have a few pitfalls.
For example, Quebec greenhouse tomatoes are local but require a lot of energy to heat the greenhouses.
Therefore, ensure that local products are produced in conditions that respect your environment. The ideal is to avoid supermarkets and favour farmer's markets or small nearby groceries.
Eat organic
Organic farming doesn't use chemical fertilizers or pesticides and doesn't have GMOs. It protects and improves soil quality and favours biodiversity.
It doesn't pollute the air or water like conventional or industrial agriculture does.
If you want to eat organic, you should favour the following foods: Meat, eggs, dairy products, peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes.
Attention! Organic does not mean ecological
When you buy organic fruits and vegetables, check their place of origin, because if they have travelled far, they won't be eco-friendly, since the required transport will be a source of greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore preferable in this case to favour non organic local foods.
Of course some products can't be produced locally (coffee, bananas, tea, etcâ¦), but in these cases you can opt for fair trade products.
Eat "whole" foods
- Reduce your consumption of transformed foods. They are over-packaged and travel further than fresh non-transformed products.
- Prepare traditional dishes for the whole family and share recipes with your loved ones.
- Favour fresh fruit over juices, compotes or fruit snacks.
- If you eat cereal, make your own with oatmeal, seeds and dried fruits.
- Make smoothies with fresh fruits and plain yogurt.
Keep in mind that the more a food is transformed, the less its nutritive value.
Do not consume bottled water
Did you know that...?
In most industrialized countries, tap water is of good quality because it is constantly evaluated and measured by authorities responsible for public health.
- Don't buy bottled water, the manufacture of plastic bottles is made of petroleum-based products, and causes an increase in greenhouse gases.
- Favour carafes of filtered water.
- Bring a rustproof thermos during your travels.
To learn more about bottled water, watch the following video
By applying these tips to your everyday diet, you can reduce your ecological footprint tenfold and also improve your health, your environment and your local economy.
Each meal can become a way to take position against the current industrial food system.