The Impact of Food Habits on the Environment

अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम् ।

उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् 

Planet belongs to every living identities but sadly, humans have set their monopoly and fences of their whims and desires have burdened the our beautiful Earth. Consequences are that humans have surpassed all the boundaries to damage the environment thus impacting other living species also. Beyond the industrialisation, modern living standard and construction of concrete jungles, our food habits are also acting as a biggest monster that is equally responsible for degradation of our environment. How and what we produce, consume, and dispose off goods and services, including food items, is a significant contributor to several environmental problems.

The Equations between Food and Environment :- 

Like mathematics algebraic equations, the equations between food and the environment is also complex, multi-faceted and commutative. 

Food systems, which include food production, processing, packaging, transportation, and disposal, are responsible for a whopping one-third of anthropocentric greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions contribute to climate change, which means food and climate change are also irrevocably linked. 

How Food is produced ? 

Way of producing food has a greater impact on the  proper functioning of environment. For example, intensive livestock farming, such as cows and pigs, generates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to deforestation and biodiversity loss, generates ample of methane gas. Excessive demand of food forces the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers in the production of crops, that causes soil and water pollution, and harm beneficial insects and wildlife. Advancing in the food cultivation is raising the e wastages therefore causing the environment issues. 

How Food is disposed ? 

Human behaviour plays an utmost significant role in disposal of food items. Wasting food is so common with the youth and abusing meals at canteen, mess and hotel finds youth very trending. When food waste ends up in landfills, it generates methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, when food scraps and waste are not properly disposed of, they can attract pests, and contribute to air and water pollution.

How Food is consumed ? 

Food consumption has a huge impact on the environment for example packaging and preservation of food items, when food is transported from one place to another covering longer distances needs lots of energy and resources which is contributing to the green house gas emissions. Diets high in meat and dairy products are typically more resource-intensive and have a larger environmental footprint than plant-based diets. This is because the production of meat and dairy requires more land, water, and energy than the production of plant-based foods and disposal of former food items are difficult as compared to later one. 

Compensating the pressure on the environment by taking individual initiatives :- 

Our food habits has enormous sway on significant environmental processes. Being a sensible and responsible human indentities, steps need to be taken to consciously regulate what we eat and how, we can reduce the pressure on the environment and, at the very least, reduce our contributions to climate change. Responsibility has to be shouldered by every person, small reforms in their own personality can bring some positive impact on mother nature:-

 

Following are some diet-based ways we can achieve that :- 

Switching to plant-based diets :- UN's Intergovernmental Panel on climate change has highlighted that if population switch to a plant based diet, it offers huge potential for lowering carbon footprints, combating climate change and improving human health. Plant based meals are generally locally sourced thus requires minimum of transportation and packaging. Diet that comprises of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses and legumes decreases the dependence on the meat, dairy and processed food, hence, contributing less to the environment and saving much of carbon emissions entering to the mother nature. 

Consuming seasonal foods :- 

We should not be consuming the foods that are generally stored in artificial environment i.e. cold store, as it is not healthier to eat and ample of energy and resources are wasted and offcourse impacting the environment badly. Distinct Fruits and vegetables are typically cultivated and harvested throughout the year at various places during different seasons. Eating seasonal foods reduces the need for transportation and preservation of food products. Fruits and vegetables those are seasonal and locally sourced if compared to fruit and vegetables that are imported or stored, don’t need artificial heating or lighting, refrigeration, and storage and generating fewer GHG emissions. 

Supporting organic farming :- 

Natural ways to embrace so that crop cultivation and preventing soil erosion, caused because of excessive pesticides and fertilizers, by using biological and natural manure is cited as organic farming. Such practice of organic farming is great for environment and produces much healthier crops. Using less of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides saves biodiversity which helps in protecting ecosystem and in conservation of natural resources. Natural manure attracts many usable insects, birds and other animals that boosts the ecosystem growth and helps in pollination. It upholds crop rotation and cover cropping methods, which help sequester soil carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Enhancing the organic farmers fascinates the youth to adopt agriculture as a carrier. By reducing the consumption of meat and dairy products, we can help to promote sustainable farming practices and conserve the environment.

Reducing food waste :-

New generation finds it's cool to waste the resources as by god's grace and their parents blessings' they are getting unlimited supply of resources. And if Food is wasted, it represents a wastage of resources such as water, energy, and land, which ends up being used to produce food that, in the end, is never consumed. When this waste reaches to landfills, it generates methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Food waste also wantons the significant biodiversity, attracting pests and wildlife that can harm natural ecosystems. Therefore, controlling the food waste is essential for creating a more sustainable food system and protecting the impact of environment. 

Let's make it implementable and viral :- 

Social media and trends are in vogue nowadays and we all know how influential the social media trends are. Need of the hour is to follow a flexible and adaptable dietary pattern that can be adapted to different cultures and dietary preferences, it has its fair share of criticism. As many people can't afford such diets because of limited financial assistances. Still continuing with plant based dietary plan and spreading the same food at the parties, get together and several other occasions is way forward to achieve sustainability in environment.

Secondly, the diet’s recommendation to drastically reduce meat and dairy consumption may not be feasible for farmers and may lead to job losses in the livestock industry. This is considerable bullet that needs government intervention where some sustainable solutions can be drawn. 

Closing words:- 

Absolutely measures might be difficult to adopt but the endeavours that are affordable at an individual level can make a positive change. Least concerned how we go about it—by reducing meat consumption, eating a plant-based diet, coordinating and helping local and organic farming, and reducing food waste—changing what we consume and how we produce what we consume can go a long way in protecting and restoring the natural environment. Food habits are crucial and every action of an individual genuinely matters.

Regards 

Bhawna Kapil