Earth Day Thoughts on Food - Food Matters April 2016

For a specialty food retailer to write about the dangers to our planet of food production and consumption may seem odd. But, there is little doubt that the current direction of the food industry coupled with unbridled population growth is and will continue to create negative and potentially devastating effects.

• Livestock account for 15 % of all greenhouse gas emissions - roughly equal to the entire global transport systems' contribution
• The average American eats 184 pounds of meat a year - more than double the recommended guideline.
• 90% os US croplands lose soil at a rate that is13 times greater than what is considered sustainable
• In the U.S., 40 % of food - worth an estimated $165 billion - is thrown out each year.

For some the solution is to become a vegan, but, for most, contributions to significant environmental impact reductions can be achieved through a new thought process about what we eat and behavior changes surrounding how much we eat and how much we waste.

Tim Zimmerman, writing for Outside Magazine (Jan 7, 2016) outlines the facts and thoughts, albeit from a vegan's perspective, that may be useful thinking about as Earth Day approaches. The video below gives a shorter thumbnail view of the issues.

Why is To-Table Concerned?

To-Table is a public benefits corporation with a mission to raise the awareness and availability of good food- produced outside of the current industrial food process - to the marketplace. Cooking with and consuming a much broader variety of foods is considerably more sustainable. And because one becomes satiated much sooner with unique and delicious items than with the ordinary foods typically available, one eats less, wastes less, and enjoys more. How knew doing your part to help save the planet could taste so good?

How does food production impact the environment? from WILL LORIMER on Vimeo.