The Environmental Impact Of Our Food Choices

What we eat and how we produce our food have a significant impact on the environment and the sustainability of our planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the food sector is responsible for about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, 78% of global ocean and freshwater eutrophication, and 50% of global habitable land use¹. Furthermore, food production is a major driver of biodiversity loss, deforestation, soil degradation, and water pollution. In this blog post, we will explore some of the ways in which our food choices affect the environment and what we can do to reduce our environmental footprint.

How do different foods affect the environment?

Not all foods have the same environmental impact. Some foods require more resources, energy, and land than others, and some foods emit more greenhouse gases and pollutants than others. Generally speaking, foods that are higher on the food chain, such as animal products, seafood, highly processed foods, and imported foods, have a higher environmental impact than foods that are lower on the food chain, such as plant-based foods, locally grown foods, and minimally processed foods². Here are some examples of how different foods affect the environment:

• Animal products. Animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs, account for about 58% of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production³. This is because animals produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through their digestion and manure. Animals also require large amounts of feed, water, and land to raise them. For instance, producing one kilogram of beef requires about 15,000 liters of water and 20 square meters of land⁴. Animal products also contribute to water pollution from manure runoff and eutrophication from fertilizer use.
• Seafood. Seafood, such as fish and shellfish, can have a high environmental impact depending on how they are caught or farmed. Wild-caught seafood can cause overfishing, bycatch (the accidental capture of unwanted species), habitat destruction (from bottom trawling or dredging), and greenhouse gas emissions (from fishing boats). Farmed seafood can cause water pollution (from waste and chemicals), habitat loss (from clearing mangroves or wetlands), disease transmission (from escaped or infected fish), and feed inefficiency (from using wild fish to feed farmed fish).
• Highly processed foods. Highly processed foods, such as snacks, sweets, ready meals, and beverages, can have a high environmental impact due to the amount of energy, water, packaging, transportation, and additives involved in their production. Processing food can reduce its nutritional value and increase its shelf life, but it can also increase its greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation. For example, producing one kilogram of potato chips emits about four times more greenhouse gases than producing one kilogram of potatoes⁵.
• Imported foods. Imported foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, coffee, tea, and spices, can have a high environmental impact due to the distance they travel from their origin to their destination. Transporting food by air, road, or sea can emit greenhouse gases and pollutants that contribute to climate change and air quality problems. Importing food can also affect the local environment and economy of the producing countries by causing land use change (such as deforestation or monoculture), water scarcity (due to irrigation or export), social inequity (due to unfair trade or labor practices), and food insecurity (due to dependence on foreign markets).

What can we do to reduce the environmental impact of our food choices?

The good news is that we can make a difference by making some simple changes to what we buy and eat. Here are some tips to help you reduce the environmental impact of your food choices:

• Eat more plant-based foods. Plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, have a lower environmental impact than animal products, as they require less resources, energy, and land, and emit less greenhouse gases and pollutants. Eating more plant-based foods can also benefit your health, as they are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. You don’t have to go vegan or vegetarian to make a difference; simply reducing your consumption of animal products by one or two days per week can have a significant impact. For example, substituting less than one day per week’s worth of calories from beef and dairy products to chicken, fish, eggs, or a plant-based alternative reduces greenhouse gas emissions more than buying all your food from local sources.
• Choose sustainable seafood. If you eat seafood, choose options that are caught or farmed in a way that minimizes environmental damage and supports healthy fish populations and ecosystems. You can use guides and labels from reputable organizations, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), or the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, to help you make informed choices. Some examples of sustainable seafood are wild-caught Alaskan salmon, farmed mussels, and pole-and-line caught tuna. Avoid seafood that is overfished, endangered, or destructive, such as shark, bluefin tuna, or shrimp.
• Eat less processed foods. Processed foods can have a high environmental impact due to the amount of energy, water, packaging, transportation, and additives involved in their production. Eating less processed foods can also benefit your health, as they tend to be high in calories, sugar, salt, and fat, and low in nutrients and fiber. Instead of relying on processed foods for snacks or meals, choose whole or minimally processed foods that are closer to their natural state. For example, eat fresh or dried fruits instead of candy or cookies; eat whole grains instead of refined grains; eat homemade soups or salads instead of canned or packaged ones.
• Buy local and seasonal foods. Local and seasonal foods can have a lower environmental impact than imported foods due to the shorter distance they travel from farm to fork. Buying local and seasonal foods can also benefit your health, as they tend to be fresher, more nutritious, and more flavorful than foods that are stored or transported for long periods of time. Buying local and seasonal foods can also support your local economy and community by creating jobs and income for farmers and producers. You can find local and seasonal foods at farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, or online platforms that connect you with local food sources. Some examples of local and seasonal foods are apples in autumn, oranges in winter, strawberries in spring, and tomatoes in summer.

Conclusion

Our food choices have a big effect on the environment and the sustainability of our planet. By choosing foods that are lower on the food chain, such as plant-based foods, locally grown foods, and minimally processed foods, we can reduce our environmental footprint and help preserve our natural resources. Eating more sustainably can also benefit our health, as it can provide us with more nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, and less calories, sugar, salt, and fat. Making small changes to what we buy and eat can add up to real environmental benefits, including fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less water use, less land use, less pollution, and more biodiversity.

I hope this blog post has helped you understand the environmental impact of our food choices and how to reduce it. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading!