Food ecology: How to eat sustainably

The sustainable power provides for the consumption of food nutritionally healthy, with a low footprint in terms of use of soil, water resources, carbon and nitrogen and with particular attention to biodiversity.

If change the habits of a single individual does not count, together, committing all of them. We can really make a difference and try to ” cure “. As far as possible, the world that we have contributed to ” sick “.

How to do? There are 10 simple guidelines for having a sustainable diet that is good for us but also for the environment! Are you ready to turn into “green” consumers? Then you just have to start reading the post and putting these simple tips into practice!

Buy local products to incentive Italian producers

Buy a local product, means giving priority to the short-chain, that is to reduce the steps between producers and consumers. It allows reducing the environmental impacts of supporting the Italian farmers and reduce spending weekly. If it is not possible to go directly to the producer, favor Italian products (even in the supermarket!).

For example, tropical fruits (including bananas) require transport, packaging. And a preservation process to arrive in our trolleys, so the environmental impact is very high.

The biodiversity of animals and plants has also decreased, leading to the loss of varieties of plants and animal races. To rediscover niche cultures, choosing local products for which distribution is not developed on a large scale is important for safeguarding the environment and taste.

Eat seasonal fruit and vegetables: better for the palate and the environment

Especially about fruit and vegetables, it is ” unnatural ” to expect to have strawberries in December or oranges in August. Following the seasonality of food allows you to avoid the journey made by a product that arrives from another country, which involves pollution, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Respect this principle allows us to consume more fruits and vegetables good, fragrant, aromatic, economic, and with more vitamins and nutrients.

Reduce meat consumption by using alternative proteins

The Water Footprint is an indicator that shows the consumption of freshwater consumed and polluted to produce a given food.

The breeding of animals industrially involves climate change, pollution, consumption of water, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, and consumption of fossil resources. To obtain 1 kg of beef that comes from factory farms need 15 kg of cereals, 15,000 liters of water, and emit up to 68 kg of CO 2. Meat production is growing steadily and as a consequence, almost half of the world’s agricultural production is used as a food source for farm animals.

Reducing the consumption of meat, especially red and processed meat, is good for both health and the environment. Just decrease the number of times it is consumed and the portions, wasting less and better quality meat (locally produced). The pulses can be a great replacement because more “environmentally friendly” but still rich in protein!

Even fish has its seasonality

Even the fish resources are limited. Of the over 700 edible marine species present in the Mediterranean, only 10% are commercialized. Causing overexploitation of the best-known species such as anchovies, hake, and cod, which over time tend to become scarce in our seas.

Even fish has its own seasonality that is good to follow. And it is always better to prefer fish caught over aquaculture, and the local one.

Privilege biological products that are less contaminated

Organic farming is an integrated system of agricultural production which allows minimizing the’ environmental impact caused by production activities.

In organic farming, no chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used, nor antibiotics and hormones for animals, thus reducing the risk of contamination of waterways and the accumulation of toxic substances in the food web.

Reduce food waste! Just throw the food away!

Food waste has reached worrying levels: it is estimated that 1/3 of the world’s production of food is thrown away. In addition to the ethical damage, the environment is also affected, which is exploited to produce foods that feed no one. At an economic level in Italy, waste is worth 8.1 billion euros a year. The main reason is carelessness: you buy too much food that is not consumed on time or is not stored properly.

Prefer “loose” products to reduce packaging

Each Italian produces 528 kg of waste per year, 40% of which consists of packaging. Everything that is purchased is wrapped and packaged to protect the product and be transported correctly.

The waste problem can be limited by choosing to buy goods with less packaging (for example, by choosing loose fruit and vegetables instead of those already selected and packaged in packages). Shops are now spreading where you can buy products on tap and in bulk.

Enough the ready meals: let’s get more at the cookers!

The consumption of ready meals has increased significantly in recent years. This type of food has very high impacts, due to the energy demands in the production and storage phases. You don’t have to give up everything. But it might be a good idea to get into the kitchen a few more times!

The water from the tap can be drink quietly!

The tap water is suitable for food use and in most of the city is safe, healthy, bacteria-free. And acceptable taste (if not “good,” try to let it rest for a few hours).

Avoid waste even in stoves thanks to a few simple rules

The pressure cooker is a great way to cook food quickly and to concentrate on the flavors!

Also, to recycle what advances in the kitchen, there are some good rules to save resources. For example, cook several foods in the oven at the same time. Let the cooking finish with residual heat by first turning off the oven or gas. Use the lid to reduce cooking times, and choose pots and hobs that are proportionate to each other to prevent the flame from going out. over the edges.

In short, there are many ways we have to help to save our planet. And the fact that it costs nothing to take these few simple rules, let’s do it!