Globally, at least 1/5th of our greenhouse gases (GHGs) come from our food systems (1). We must cut GHG emissions, including from agriculture and food. Here’s how you can help.
Eat Local: Food travels 1300 miles from farm to table, on average. Eating local and seasonal can reduce food transportation and food processing GHG emissions.
Eat More Organic: Organic food is expensive because industrial agriculture is heavily subsidized; we need to challenge these subsidies to be protective of the planet. Eating organic promotes more sustainable agriculture that emits fewer GHGs.
Eat Less Meat: Beef, lamb and cheese have some of the highest GHG emissions. Cutting back on these foods is climate friendly. Choosing a vegetarian or a vegan diet would yield the greatest personal reductions in GHG footprint.
Minimize Food Waste: About 40% of food is wasted. Packaging also contributes significantly to the GHG footprint of our food system. Minimizing food waste and minimizing packaging will make our food system more sustainable. Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint.
Advocate for Sustainable Food Policy: We need to advocate for more sustainable, smaller-scale farming systems and more regionally-sourced food in federal purchases, because that will reduce GHG emissions.
Join the Food Challenge: Sign-up to embark on reducing your greenhouse gas emissions from your diet. It’s one more thing you can do for our Earth and for future generations.
For More information See our Website: Eating for a Healthy Planet