Imagine a world where every food consumed is healthy not only for you, but for the environment: this is the idea behind sustainable eating, an emerging discourse on food and the environment that is growing in popularity worldwide. If we all ate food sourced from local and organic farms, as well as plant-based food, we would not only improve our own health, but we would also reduce our ecological footprint and contribute to maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. In this article, we will explain the correlation between sustainable eating and environmental health, as well as how food choices can shape the future of human and environmental health.
Understanding Sustainable Eating
Definition of sustainable eating
When we speak of sustainable eating, we’re talking of eating in the most planet-friendly way possible. This means choosing foods that have the least impact on the environment, which means adopting habits and attitudes that promote the Earth’s long-term health: eating less meat and more plant-based foods; eating more foods that are local and seasonal; minimising food waste; and constantly trying to improve farming processes.
Principles of sustainable eating
There are several key principles of sustainable eating:
Eating less meat: Animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and water pollution. Cutting down on meat and replacing it with plant-based alternatives has the potential to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint.
Eat locally grown seasonal food: When we choose to eat locally grown and seasonal foods, we reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting food long distances. We also support local farmers and promote food security.
To minimise food waste – Food waste is currently an important environmental problem. By paying more attention to our portion size, proper food preservation and also creative reuse of leftovers, we could minimise the food waste and reduce the amount of food being disposed of in landfills.
Encouraging sustainable agriculture: Buying food grown using sustainable agricultural methods, such as organic farming and regenerative agriculture, helps to preserve soils, conserve water and enhance biodiversity.
The rise of sustainable eating in popular culture
Sustainable eating is now trending in pop culture like never before. People are now more aware of how their food choices have an impact on the environment. This awareness leads to motivation to reduce their carbon footprint. Celebrities, influencers and the media are promoting sustainable eating and share the benefits to both human health and the planet.
As a result, plant-based food options are more accessible in the market, more food packages are being made with sustainable materials, and awareness campaigns are encouraging more people to eat sustainably.
The Earth’s Environmental Health
Definition of environmental health
Environmental health is the scientific discipline within public health that ‘teaches us how environmental factors, both natural and man-made, can affect health and well-being of humans and ecosystems’ – encompassing air and water quality, land contamination, biodiversity loss and climate change.
Current state of the planet’s environmental health
The environmental health of our planet has reached a state of alarm. At the moment, the Earth is showing unprecedented levels of pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and climate change. Increasing global temperatures, extreme weather events and the destruction of natural habitats are putting both ecosystems and human societies at risk.
Causes of environmental health decline
The decline in environmental health can be attributed to various human activities, including:
Burning fossil fuels for energy consumption: The greenhouse gases released as a result of burning fossil fuels are causing global warming and leading to climate change.
Deforestation: Cutting down forests for agriculture, logging, cities and infrastructure is a driver of climate change, as it destroys ecosystems and biodiversity.
POLLUTION: Industrial processes, waste management, use of harmful pesticides and fertilisers contaminate air, water and soil and harm human and environmental health.
Overexploitation of biotic resources: Egocentric practices such as overfishing, over-harvesting of timber, and excessive use of water upset ecosystems, decrease biological diversity, and degrade environmental resilience.
Examining Food Production Impacts
Environmental impacts of conventional agriculture
Conventional agriculture is known for its large-scale use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and monocrops. The primary drawbacks of conventional agriculture include:
Soil degradation: Human-induced soil degradation is associated with excessive agricultural cultivation. The excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers and the removal of crops lead to a decrease in soil fertility and thus decrease agricultural productivity, and increased runoff and water pollution.
Water pollution: Chemical fertilisers and pesticides used in conventional agriculture find their way into water resources and make them unfit for human consumption and aquatic life.
Loss of biodiversity: the conversion of land to crops results in the loss of species that thrive in natural habitats.
How factory farming contributes to environmental degradation
Intensive animal agriculture, also known as factory farming, is a huge source of environmental degradation. Some of the more major impacts are listed below.
Greenhouse gas emissions: Livestock production contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, especially through the digestive process of cows, which produces methane – a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Land and water use: Factory farms take up large quantities of land for animal feed production and animal hydration and waste management. This drives land clearing, land degradation and over-extraction of water resources.
Contamination of aquatic ecosystems and human health due to runoff and contamination of nearby water bodies from antibiotic and hormone use in factory farming.
The water footprint of food production
The water footprint of food production is the sum total of all the water used in the production process of a product, not only the water used in production but also the water used in processing, packaging and transporting food. Agriculture is the biggest consumer of freshwater worldwide. Unsustainable agricultural practices can deplete water resources. Our choices of foods can impact on water use, and overall water management. If we choose to eat foods with a lower water footprint, such as plant-based foods, we can contribute to sound water management.
Sustainable Eating and Climate Change
Food production and greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from food production make up around a quarter of global emissions: the main contributors are:
Deforestation: As more land is cleared for agriculture, the carbon stored in trees is released to the atmosphere, driving climate change.
Methane from livestock: Ruminant animals produce digestive gas, specifically methane. Methane is a potent greenhouse molecule, meaning that its warming potential is much higher than that of carbon dioxide.
Nitrous oxide from fertiliser: Applying fertilisers to farmland releases nitrous oxide gas into the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide is 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
Impacts of meat and dairy on climate change
Meat and dairy production contribute disproportionately to climate change compared with other foods, thanks to their greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that reducing consumption of them can make a big difference to slowing down climate change. The livestock sector requires a lot of feed, water and land, which in turn puts pressure on forests, fresh water and soils. Shifting to plant-based or plant-forward diets can therefore reduce demand for animal products, which reduces the pressures on our environment.
Potential climate benefits of plant-based diets
Plant-based diets are a solution to climate change. A plant-based diet is a diet that is composed primarily of plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, and with minimal or no animal products. Plant-based diets could decrease greenhouse gas emissions, use less land and water, and increase biodiversity. One can contribute to climate change mitigation and to a more sustainable food system by changing their diets to plant-based diets. Plant-based diets do not contribute to global warming because they do not involve animal production. The production of animal products contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and requires more land and water than plant production. For example, beef production produces 20 times more greenhouse gases than plant production and uses 300 times more water than plant production.
Importance of soil health for the environment
As such, soil health is key to environmental health more broadly. Healthy soils support plant production, store carbon, cycle nutrients, filter water and provide habitat to billions of organisms. Maintaining healthy soils can increase agricultural productivity, mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, and help avoid soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
Destruction of soil fertility due to conventional farming practices
With short-sighted and inefficient farming practices such as intensive tillage, heavy applications of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and monocropping, the fertility of soil will decline over time. Soil structure is broken up, soil organic matter levels fall, nutrient levels drop, soil erosion increases, and ultimately the capacity of soil to support agriculture declines. As the world’s soils become more depleted and degraded, agricultural productivity declines, soils become more susceptible to drought and extreme weather events, and soil ecosystem services are lost.
Potential of sustainable farming to improve soil health
Soil health solutions for sustainable farming include organic and other regenerative and agroforestry approaches. These approaches build soil organic matter, reduce chemical inputs, increase biodiversity and improve water management. Through sustainable farming approaches, soil fertility is restored, water infiltration increases, carbon sequestration is enhanced and synthetic inputs are reduced for more productive and resilient agricultural systems.
Biodiversity and Sustainable Eating
Threats to biodiversity posed by mainstream farming methods
Conventional agriculture is one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss. The clearing of natural habitats for agricultural use, the use of pesticides and herbicides, as well as the monocropping systems, all contribute to the reduction of biodiversity. These farming practices disturb ecosystems, destroy habitats and reduce food and shelter for native species. Biodiversity loss and the deterioration of ecosystems have direct consequences: they become less resilient and more prone to degradation and collapse.
Connection between food choices and species extinction
What we eat affects which agricultural products are in demand, which in turn affects land use and consequent habitat destruction. Take palm oil. There has been massive deforestation of tropical regions in order to meet the demand for this versatile and cheap vegetable oil, with severe consequences for biodiversity as species such as orangutans and tigers lose their habitat. We can help to protect biodiversity and reduce the risk of extinction by choosing sustainably produced foods with a lower environmental footprint.
Role of sustainable diets in conserving biodiversity
Sustainable diets are crucial for biodiversity preservation by encouraging the adoption of more environmentally friendly agriculture systems. Reducing animal products’ consumption, promoting organic farming, and favouring foods cultivated through more sustainable methods all assist in minimising habitat degradation, reducing chemical pollution, and preserving biodiversity. Sustainable diets put in place more plant-based food products, while favouring food produced by more responsible and sustainable farming. This lowers the pressure on biodiversity, protecting ecosystems and vulnerable species.
Sustainable Eating and Water Conservation
Food production’s strain on freshwater resources
Food production is one of the biggest uses of freshwater in the world, accounting for 70 per cent of all freshwater withdrawals for agricultural irrigation. As the global demand for food grows, so does the challenge of freshwater use for food production. Irrigation practices that are unsustainable, non-efficient uses of water for food production, and agricultural expansion into water-stressed areas exacerbate the issues of water scarcity and shortages and depletion of freshwater.
Impacts of wasting food on water supply
Food waste also has repercussions on water conservation since, as long as food is wasted, all the resources put into producing it are also wasted, including water. On a global scale, approximately one third of the food produced is lost or wasted. This is an enormous waste of water resources, especially when we think about how much water it takes to produce the food that is never eaten.
How choosing local and seasonal food can save water
Eating local and seasonal foods can help conserve water. Foods grown and produced locally can be transported over shorter distances, and hence require less energy and water for transport. Seasonal foods are also cultivated in places that have more natural rain patterns, so there is less need for the use of artificial water through irrigation. By consuming more locally produced foods and those that are in season, we can help conserve water and encourage sustainable use of water resources.
Benefits of Reducing Food Waste
Environmental costs of food waste
Food waste carries a large environmental footprint. When wasted food decomposes in landfills, the resulting methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. The production of food also has an environmental price tag, as resources such as water, energy and land are lost to food waste. Then there’s the logistics of disposing of it. Food waste is transported to landfills or burning facilities, which carries its own environmental costs.
How reducing food waste contributes to sustainability
Minimising food waste is an essential element of sustainable eating for two main reasons. Reducing food waste will:
Save resources: The less food we waste, the less water, energy, land and other resources are consumed to produce, transport and dispose of food.
Decrease greenhouse gas emissions: Methane, a greenhouse gas with a global warming impact more than 25 times greater than carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, is produced from food in landfills. Less food waste in landfills implies less emissions of methane and less climate change.
Reduce food insecurity: Food waste is a global paradox, and the reality of mass hunger and food insecurity makes it all the more important that we reduce waste, redirecting surplus food to those in need, and making better use of our food resources.
Practical tips for minimizing food waste
To minimize food waste, here are some practical tips:
Prepare meals and keep a shopping list: Choose your meals for the week, create a shopping list, and follow it closely. You can also do this when shopping online. Many apps let you add products to your basket for later delivery.
Put food away: Different foods have different storage needs. Label and store leftovers, fruit, vegetables and other perishable foods correctly to reduce the risk of spoilage.
Be creative with leftovers: Don’t throw out leftovers if you can make creative use of them to create a unique new meal, or use them in an entirely different recipe.
Exercise portion control: Don’t make or serve more than you need; that way, leftovers will be easier to avoid.
Compost food scraps: Composting food scraps is a great option if you have access to composting facilities and are interested in diverting food waste from the landfill and turning it into soil.
Transitioning to a Sustainable Diet
Potential challenges and barriers
Moving to a healthy, sustainable diet can involve obstacles and barriers. Some of them are:
Lack of accessibility: It might be that sustainable food choices, such as fresh fruits and vegetables or plant-based foods, are not available to you or are not affordable.
Cultural and social norms: The dietary choices we make are influenced by cultural and social norms, meaning that eating sustainably might be difficult to do if your dietary choices mimic those of traditional or mainstream eaters.
Personal preference and taste preferences: They have personal preference and taste preferences for some foods that are not sustainably diet-friendly and it’s difficult to find suitable substitutes that are taste-friendly.
Low knowledge or awareness: Lack of knowledge about what constitutes sustainable eating practices, the advantages compared with conventional practices, how to carry out sustainable eating practices, and so on.
Tips for starting a sustainable diet
With the tips below, it’s possible to overcome the obstacles and make the switch to a healthy, sustainable diet:
Learn: knowledge of sustainable eating, the various options (plant-based diets, vegetarianism or flexitarianism), their environmental impact as well as their benefits in regards to health and the planet.
Start small: drastic changes overnight can be intimidating, so pick one or two specific things to start with, such as eating more plant-based meals, or one specific sustainable eating practice and don’t worry about the rest for now. When you feel ready, take it a step further, and experiment with new sustainable food options as time goes on.
Experiment with local and seasonal foods: Learn about your local farmers’ markets and what is in season where you live. Trying new fruits and vegetables can be a fun way to eat more sustainable foods.
Replace meat and dairy: Try swapping meat and dairy products for plant-based alternatives, such as legumes or tofu, tempeh or nut-based milks. There’s a wide variety of delicious and nutritious plant-based foods to suit every taste.
Reach out: Join online communities and conversation groups, go to sustainability events, or get advice from like-minded friends or relatives. You will feel more engaged if you share experiences, recipes and tips with others.
Influence of consumer choices on the food industry
Consumer choices are a forceful driver of change in the food system. Increased adoption of sustainable eating by consumers will increase demand for environmentally friendly food, which in turn encourages food producers, retailers and restaurants to adapt their offerings. Consumers who make choices for sustainable foods, and who support businesses that offer such foods, are a powerful force for change in the food system.
Future Impacts of Sustainable Eating
Potential for sustainable diets to mitigate climate change
In addition to a food system that is more environmentally and health-sustaining, sustainable diets also offer a path toward mitigating climate change. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food production, decreasing deforestation, and promoting regenerative agricultural practices, sustainable diets can help limit global warming. Shifting toward plant-based diets, reducing food waste, and encouraging sustainable agricultural practices on farms can serve as a bridge toward halting the rise in carbon emissions and creating a more regenerative food system.
Positive effects on biodiversity and ecosystem stability
Biodiversity and ecosystem stability are other benefits of sustainable eating. Sustainable diets can be beneficial for biodiversity and ecosystem stability by leading to sustainable farming practices, lower rates of deforestation and higher use of natural habitats, all of which help to protect and conserve biodiversity. Sustainable eating can also reduce the use of pesticides and support organic agriculture, which can lead to healthy and diverse populations of pollinators and other helpful organisms that are vital for ecosystem stability.
Long-term health benefits for the planet
Choosing to eat sustainably helps the long-term health of the planet. The production of food accounts for a large share of the environmental impacts from human activities. Sustainable food choices and sustainable agricultural practices can help to restore soil fertility, conserve water resources, and reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture through lower pollution caused by input use and agricultural waste. These practices are necessary to improve the resilience of the food system, making it more adaptable to the challenges of environmental changes, contributing to the planet’s long-term health and wellbeing.
To summarise, sustainable eating can be seen as a tool to improve environmental health and mitigate the effects of climate change. By becoming aware of the principles of sustainable eating, the link between food production and environmental deterioration, and the possibility of transitioning to a sustainable diet, people can make positive changes for themselves and for the environment. Whether you’re a vegan or a carnivore, you can make an impact and contribute to a better future for our planet. So, why not start today and begin your journey towards sustainable eating? Your plate has the power to make a change!
