How to Reduce Your Food-Related Carbon Footprint

What is a carbon footprint? A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.

Is Carbon Good or Bad? Carbon is both good and bad depending on where it is. When it is in the soil, or locked up in oil and coal, it’s good. When it’s in the atmosphere, it’s bad. Carbon-in-the-air i.e. carbon dioxide is something we need to breathe OUT. In the case of current planetary concerns, rising levels of carbon dioxide (or CO2) create rising greenhouse gases – too much of which contributes to climate change.

What You Should Know Eating habits in the U.S. generate 5% of the world’s total greenhouse gases. We can lower the total by knowing the difference among different foods. Eating a low carbon diet can really make a difference! Meat and diary products are high carbon foods because these animals naturally emit methane, a gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide! Air is the highest carbon method of transporting food.

General Rule of Thumb Buy in-season - avoid out-of-season produce because it will most likely have traveled a long distance to get to you. Buy organic - when plants decay, the carbon is stored in the soil; organic farmers use this natural cycle to replenish the soil. Buy local – think of the carbon produced from transportation Avoid highly-processed food - processing and packaging both require high-energy input Ex.] 6 oz. of OJ usually takes 4 oranges; than it has to be transported to a chilled container (usually a far distance). Compare that orange juice to a simple orange. If you're really keen to lessen it even more - grow your own food.

Work Citations http://www.carbonfootprint.com/ http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/# http://realfoodlover.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/eat-organic-reduce-carbon/