Climate change is not an unfamiliarity. Whether we watch the news, pick up a newspaper, or browse social media, we will inevitably see something regarding climate change. But do we know the impact climate change has on the food industry? Climate change affects our food industry more than we think. It also impacts the way we consume food. Here are eight ways you can help to reduce your impact on climate change:

1 - Go ‘Flexitarian'

With mass concerns about the industry, who wouldn’t want to innovate their current diet and try something new? Have you tried being a flexitarian? It is quite simple, and you do not have to make too many changes if your current diet consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and meat. The most significant change would be your portion sizing. Try lessening the number of meat products you consume and increase other items that may have protein. Just remember the essentials of what nutrients your body needs.

2 - Eat Vegetarian One Day a Week 

Going from eating meat at every meal to completely cutting it off would be a hard move. Why not take an alternative approach and just try being vegetarian once a week? Cooking vegetarian dishes builds an excellent habit to experiment with healthy ingredients and gives you an alternative to consistently purchasing meat products. Look into vegetarian meals that may help out your vegetarian days, like meatless pasta, Indian food, or plant-based options.

3 - Consume More Pulses 

Have you tried using an alternative to meat such as beans, peas, and lentils, also known as ‘pulses’? Pulses are an excellent substitute for meat products and are known to be less damaging to the environment. Pulses, when planted, fertilize the soil and reduces the need for fertilizer. Pulses also offer a great source of fibre and protein. Just be aware of keeping track of your required nutrients as these mostly exist in animal products.

4 - Eat More Whole and Locally Grown Foods 

Processed foods impact the environment more than whole foods due to the required steps to get the products in your hands, from processing to transporting to getting them to market. Shopping locally can help reduce your carbon footprint because of the process packaged foods require. A lot of processed foods end up becoming wasteful due to their temporary state of freshness.

5 - Eat Less Junk Food 

Junk food isn’t necessary for everyone. It is just something we consume when watching movies, lounging around home, or wanting a quick snack to go. But how much waste goes into junk food? It’s processed at a food plant, then packaged and shipped across the nation and sometimes the globe. It shouldn’t be that alarming that junk food isn’t the best food for our planet or even your body. Maybe it is time to find some alternative healthy snacks that provide you with a satisfying boost throughout your day without any crashes?

6 - Reduce Food Waste 

Reducing your food waste is crucial to climate change and planet sustainability. According to cec.org, when food ends up in a landfill, it creates methane. Global food waste is the third-worst emitter of greenhouse gases. It is not only food that we have wasted, but also the resources that went into producing the food. Maybe it is time to reconsider buying bulk foods, narrowing down your grocery list and keeping your pantry stocked with essential cooking ingredients. 

7 - Eat Smaller Portions 

Dining habits and smaller portions in this context may seem strange, but climate change is altering how consumers are serving and eating dinner. While having guests over, people consider reducing plates’ size and selecting certain food items to serve. With food-wasting playing a significant impact on global warming, it only makes sense to reduce waste by reducing how much food you cook and serve to an amount that results in no waste. 

8 - Compost Your Plant-Based Food Waste

With food consumption and food waste being a massive contributor to climate change, what are some ways you can contribute to reducing your carbon footprint? One of the best and easiest steps you can take is composting your foods. What are some benefits of composting? One is reducing your carbon footprint. Another is to create a soil conditioner to add nutrients to your plants as it is a better alternative to fertilizers. Lastly, it reduces landfill waste. See this Eartheasy blog to learn more about composting.

Climate change does affect the food industry heavily on many different levels. From consumer behaviour to food production, everyone has to make decisions when consuming products to determine whether or not it is beneficial for the environment. We hope that you found this post useful! If you have any feedback at all or would like to suggest a topic for our next post, please email us at [email protected].