6 Ways To Eat & Shop More Sustainably

What we eat has a huge impact on the planet, from how our food is produced to how we shop for it. The growing demand has made the industry into a polluting, wasteful, energy-intensive monster, and something needs to change.

There are a whole bunch of changes that we can make in our daily lives to help tackle this growing issue, and I have outlined a few of them for you!

Annually, over 10 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK and not only is this pouring money down the drain, but it’s also a waste of resources. Food waste is a huge problem worldwide, and not just in households, but large corporations are guilty of it, too. However, we can only do what we can to contribute to positive change, and we can all do this by making informed shopping lists each week, and by being careful with what we buy.

My two top tips would be:

Locally grown food is better for the environment because it doesn’t have to be transported as far to make it to your plate. There’s also a high chance that it will taste better and be higher in nutrients; this is because it hasn’t been frozen or stuffed in lorries during the travelling process. Admittedly, eating local is not always convenient, and it could be considered as a privilege to do so, but if you can eat one meal per week that was sourced locally that’s still something to be proud of! Living sustainably is all about doing the best you can with what you’ve got. 

Composting might seem like a daunting task at first, but trust me, once you get started, it pretty much takes care of itself! If you’re a keen gardener, then this can help you with getting rid of kitchen waste and garden waste while also providing your plants with some nourishing food.

In the UK, agriculture is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture also takes up large amounts of space, unsustainable amounts of water, and pollutes waterways. Unfortunately, the global consumption of meat is rising as the population increases. Feeding this population will be virtually impossible if everyone continues to eat meat-based diets. However, it can be done if more space is used for growing crops instead. Adapting to a whole foods vegan diet is one of the most eco-friendly changes you can make!

The food industry is wasteful in more ways than one, and packaging is one of the worst offenders. By cutting down your consumption of convenience foods and takeaways, you will also be reducing the amount of packaging that you use, whole foods often come unpackaged and are therefore the more eco-friendly option. Another benefit is that buying more plant-based whole foods will force you to cook from scratch - and your wallet and waistline will thank you!

Grow your own

The benefits of growing your own food are practically endless, and you don’t need a lot of space (or experience) to do it either. By growing produce yourself, you are helping to reduce the high emissions that are a result of the conventional farming industry. Growing fruit and vegetables is also a great solution to eating organic without having to pay the high price!