The planet has sent out a code red and it is crying for your help! If we are to maintain our current way of life, then we will need 1.6 Earths, not just one.
Introducing the slogan for World Environment Day 2022: Only One Earth.
World Environment Day is an initiative started by the United Nations and is the biggest international day for the environment. It encourages people from around the world to fight the climate crisis on a government, business and individual level. To show you how easy it is to get involved, we have put the spotlight on food waste – one of the world’s biggest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The low down on food waste
Food waste is exactly what it sounds like; the edible food that we throw away in our homes, cafes and supermarkets. Over one third of the world’s food is wasted and food waste equates for 3% of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.1
Not only are the gases produced by food waste in landfill terrible for the planet, but it is costly for our wallets too, costing the economy approximately $36.6 billion each year –that’s equivalent to an average of $2,000 to $2,500 per household per year.2
By reducing your food waste, you can help save the water, energy and resources needed to produce what you eat, which can lead to a fairer share of food resources among underdeveloped countries.
What can you do to reduce food waste?
Use up your food
It might sound obvious, but the simple act of only purchasing what you need can significantly decrease the amount of waste in landfill. Try to use what you have before you buy more and don’t be afraid to get creative with your recipes – use stale bread for croutons and leftover carrot tops for a yummy pesto!
Compost
One of the easiest ways to reduce food waste is to start composting. You can compost anything from veggie scraps to teabags, and nowadays you can store your compost bin under the kitchen sink!
Grow your own produce
If you want to go one step further, why not use that lovely homemade compost to grow your own produce. Not only is permaculture beneficial for your health, but it is also a great mindfulness activity that can be done by the whole family. It’s also a great way to educate children on where their food comes from.
Shop in season
The shipping of food is costly for suppliers, and even more costly for the environment. So, why not try shopping for produce at your local farmer’s markets to help reduce your food miles. By eating food that is in season, you reduce unnecessary carbon emissions from shipping in overseas produce. Besides, we all agree that nothing tastes better than homegrown tropical fruit!
Here at Nurcha, we are constantly working on creative ways to reduce our food waste. Our cafe menu changes seasonally to ensure we source as many ingredients as possible from local suppliers, and we also ensure discarded fruit peels get composted when we are making our famous fresh juices.
We know that there is #onlyoneearth and we want to look after it for as long as we can. So, come and join us this World Environment Day for a plant-based feast at Cafe Nurcha, and let us know how you are reducing your food waste!
