Eat seasonal fruit & veg
- Avoid air freighted foods that have a very short shelf-life that have travelled a long way (eg. green beans and berries) as these are likely to have been transported by air which has a big impact on their emissions.
- Other imported food transported by sea may have a smaller impact than you realise, as described in the How Bad are Bananas book. But chocolate and coffee do generate significant emissions, so keep these for treats!
- The Food and Climate Change Without the Hot Air contains the emissions for different food categories of food consumed in the UK (also available as a free ebook here).
- Check out www.ourworldindata.org for more of this sort of information and get informed about the complex issue of the carbon impact of local food here.
- Walking or cycling to your local market to buy local seasonal fruit and veg. grown outdoors in the UK has the lowest of all carbon footprints. A local veg box scheme is a good second best.
- These tips apply to workplace canteens or food prepared at your community space – so spread the word and be an advocate for change.