3. More plant-based food; seasonal & Local
More Plant-Based Food; Seasonal & Local – Why?
Food production contributes substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).[i] 27% of global heating results from methane – around 80 times as powerful a greenhouse gas as is carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 20-year period, but which also clears from the atmosphere much more quickly.[ii]
Food production accounts for substantial methane release - from fermenting rice fields and (belching) ruminant animals (cows, sheep). Beef and cheese account for 60kg and 20kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e/kg) respectively.[iii]
Pasteurising and refrigerating dairy products have a huge energy cost. Food transport also has a large carbon footprint. Overall, food production accounts for 34% of global GHG emissions, and 73% of tropical and subtropical deforestation.[i] Refrigeration of food in the UK alone accounted for 12,900,000 tonnes CO₂ emissions in 2023 [iv], and 20% of GHG emissions related to food come from transport.
Your choice of food can be a catalyst for change. Not only is there clear clinical evidence that sets out the benefits of a diet with a higher fruit and vegetable content [v], but this also makes a difference to your own carbon footprint. The BBC have provided a calculator that offers an illustration of the impact that changes in your diet can make.
i. https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tessd_e/9_oecd_presentation.pdf
iii. https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local
v. WHO-EURO-2021-4007-43766-61591-eng.pdf
Take Action!
Move away from meat and dairy and, where possible, buy food that is local and seasonal (meaning that it has been flown or shipped less far, and refrigerated less). You can be vegan or vegetarian if you want, but otherwise move to a plant-based diet - eating meat infrequently and making that meat poultry, or perhaps pork, when you do. Not eating ultra-processed foods reduces associated health risks, as described by the British Heart Foundation and the British Medical Journal (BMJ), whilst also avoiding the emissions of manufacture. Fork Ranger provide some really great resources, recipes and information - and an app. There are also some great and convenient ways to get deliveries of local and seasonal vegetables such as Riverford who offer seasonal fruit & vegetable boxes, as do Abel & Cole. Alternatively, Odd Box are on a mission to fight food waste and sell fruit and vegetables that are otherwise waste, due to inconsistent size and shape. Increasingly, high street supermarkets offer low-cost vegetable boxes with content close to its sell by date such as the Sainsbury’s ‘taste me, don’t waste me’ boxes.
We also need our hospitals to provide a plant-based diet to our patients, staff and visitors - as New York has done. Greener By Default have delivered success in both healthcare, higher education and events, but also private businesses. They support organisations to make this switch to improve the health of their patrons, reduce costs but also reduce carbon emissions.