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Why is Sustainable Food Supply Important?
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Created by SIB Research Team | Published on October 17, 2022
SUSTAINABLE FOODS
Like all living species, we as humans depend on nature for food and water. Yet, for a species whose existence depends entirely on nature, we’re doing a poor job of protecting the basis of our survival.
Why is a sustainable food supply important?
Currently, agriculture is the most significant cause of global environmental change.
Food production:
Occupies 40% of global land
It uses 70% of global freshwater
Contributes 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock representing half of these emissions
This has led to 60% of the world's fish stocks being fully fished and 33% being overfished
Agriculture is both a driver of global environmental change and a victim of shifting environmental conditions. Simply put, current global food systems are not sustainable. We need to rethink the way we eat.
What is a sustainable diet?
Despite years of scientific evidence linking diets with both human health and environmental sustainability, there has been a continuous lack of global targets for committing to sustainable diets. As individuals, we need to do our part and adopt a diet that will ensure the long-term sustainability of our food systems.
A sustainable diet is one that is healthy for the human body and has a low impact on the environment and food supply. There are no set rules on what makes a diet sustainable. However, some food items are more sustainable than others, and choosing them can help you reduce your overall environmental impact. Below are some tips on how to build a more sustainable diet.
1. Shift focus from animal products
It is not necessary to eliminate meat and animal products entirely, though small reductions in total consumption over time have significant impacts
A simple way to start is to set aside one day of the week to eat only plant products, such as “meatless Monday”
2. Love the plants
Fruits, vegetables, and unrefined grains contribute significantly to better health and have a smaller impact on the environment
Aim to consume more plant-based proteins such as tofu, lentils, and beans
3. Shop locally
One of the easiest ways to reduce your footprint is by reducing how much packaging, processing, and shipping your food needs
Buying local foods supports producers in the community and overall reduces your food’s environmental impact
4. Eat seasonally
Shopping locally inevitably means eating seasonally, which is another important way to eat more sustainably
Seasonal eating requires fewer resources to ship out-of-season foods great distances
Foodprint
A footprint shows the impact that your food choices have on the environment. The BBC and FoodPrint have fun calculators for you to see the effect of your choices.
BBC Calculator:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714
FoodPrint Calculator:
