Every Problem Brings its Solution

Problem 1

When you buy ingredients/supplies that are hard to track.

Solution

Buy seasonal, local, whole foods. It’s easier to track the source of one ingredient than a factory-made item with 20 ingredients! 

Problem 2

A mixed and varied diet contributes to the carbon footprint.

Solution

Consume a predominantly plant-based diet. Reducing meat consumption significantly improves the carbon footprint.

Problem 3

Buying imported fruits and vegetables increases the carbon footprint due to packaging, transportation, distribution and so on.

Solution

Think about where the food originates, what season it might be there right now, how it is packaged, and how long will be last? www.foodmiles.com is a good tool that will help you check distances before you purchase.  

Problem 4

Air-freighted supplies generate more than 100 times the carbon emissions per kilometer than ship transportation.

Solution

Ask your supplier and verify if your supplies are traveling by ship, which leaves a significantly lower footprint. If your ingredients are jarred, tinned or dried, there is a good chance it will or can come by ship.

Problem 5

Buying ingredients that do not support common trade tastes or those that devalue the work of farmers.

Solution

Buy fair-trade! It is our duty as consumers to enhance the lives of the people who farm, process and produce our food, especially those who are close to the poverty line, marginalized by violence or are women who are heads of household.