Sustainable food: reality or fantasy?
This article is also available here in Spanish.

Sustainable food: reality or fantasy?

My list

Author | David Bravo

Nutrition is one of the key factors for improving the health of the population. Likewise, the sustainable production of food and certain changes in eating habits can improve the environment. This has led to the recent emergence of sustainable food, a form of producing nutrients based on respecting biodiversity, terrestrial and marine ecosystems or the traditional ways of life and culture and of places.

According to the United Nations (UN), food production accounts for 30% of global energy consumption. This percentage is expected to rise notably by 2050, when the global population reaches nine billion people and 60% more food needs to be produced. This has led to sustainable food being included in some of the Millennium Development Goals , particularly those relating to the eradication of hunger and guaranteeing the sustainability of the environment.

sustainable food 36

Among the actions that best contribute to the achievement of sustainable food is consuming more fruit and vegetables, reducing the consumption of red meat, fish and dairy products, optimizing the purchase and cooking processes of food to avoid food wastage and acquiring products with green seals.

These certifications, issued by public or private entities, guarantee that the producer has followed a series of quality standards regarding the cultivation, processing, packaging, storage and distribution of the food. For example, that a high percentage of the ingredients are of organic origin, that animal welfare standards have been followed or that drugs have not be used in the breeding of cattle or pesticides on crops. However, although the effect on the environment is lower than that of other products, sustainable food that does not generate an ecological footprint is a fantasy.

The sustainability of food does not end with the food

sustainable food 37

According to the principles of sustainable food, these products should only be sold in nearby stores, to prevent the pollution caused by transporting them. Furthermore, although the product may be sustainable, this is not always the case for the packaging used or, at least, not to the extent that we are led to believe. Glass, for example, although it is a better option than tetra-brik —impossible to recycle entirely because of its plastic and metal composition—, requires a great deal of water during its recycling process.

Likewise, although glass may appear to be more respectful of the environment than plastic, the weight of a glass container is considerably higher than that of a PVC container. This increases fuel consumption during transportation, reducing the benefit of choosing a glass container.

sustainable food 38

Therefore, it seems that, in order for food to really be sustainable, apart from the products themselves, changes in consumer mentality are required, as they must get used to, for example, purchasing seasonal products in nearby stores that sell loose products, and which do not reject the product because of its appearance or size and which can be carried in reusable containers. An attitude that will require dietary habits to change and to be adapted, not so much to individual tastes, but to the requirements of the planet and of generations to come.

Images | Photosforyou, Detmold, Cristinamacia, Emil_erv

Related Content

Recommended profiles for you

YH
Yamit Huertas
Biospherapp
CEO
KH
Kateryna Hnedina
Chernihiv Polytechnic National University
AR
ARANCHA ROBLES
TE Connectivity
CS
Coll Moreno Sergi
Suez Water Spain - Synectic
My role in the company is to manage the commercial and digital channels projects
JR
John Restrepo
EPM
Innovation Manager
ER
EL SOUEIDI RITA MARINA
TN
Teri Nolan-Range
Nolan Energy Assoc
Founder
KK
kamal Kashyap
AugLi
CTO
LA
Luis Araújo Santos
Polytechnic Institute of Engineering
JK
Josip Križan
MultiOne j.d.o.o.
CC
Carlo Carlos Gomez
Free fire
Garena
AW
Abra Walsh
Mission 2030 for Sustainable Cities
Executive Advisor and Urban Strategist
JR
Júlia Rubert Tayà
Departament de Territori
MC
mohamad chebaro
ADD
Business Development Partner
KP
Karen Julieth Plata Jiménez
Independiente
CEO
MR
Manuel Ricote Redondo
Inversiones Herima,S.L.
Director
JJ
Jorge Gonzalez Segura jorgego
GREENYNG
CEO and CO-Founder
KN
Khant Min Naing
Singapore Management University
Student
JC
Juan Felipe Calderon
Isagen
It Manager
MY
Müge Yüksel
bty
Project consultant