Green Tucker
When we think about the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) production the first suspects that come to mind are usually electricity usage and transport. But what impact does the food we consume have? It’s a huge part of our life, so if we can reduce its environmental impact we could make a big difference.
Two members of the ATA team decided to take up the challenge of reducing the environmental impact of their food, with a focus on reducing GHG by sourcing produce with fewer food miles. Simply favouring locally produced food, however, doesn’t necessarily always provide the solution with the least environmental impact. Sometimes the impact of food miles for a particular product might be less damaging compared with other food factors, such as the water requirements of the crop.
Sticking with seasonality for fresh produce is important, but what are the options when a staple vegetable is only in season a few months a year? Information on seasonality and the source of some foods was often hard to come by, and the answers to queries about methods of production sometimes only raised new issues.
From this investigation comes this blog, which seeks to list and debunk facts and myths around the best ways to source environmentally friendly food, as well as discuss products that are available around Melbourne’s markets. It also contains links to further resources, including books, films and websites that feature helpful information.
