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Part 1 of the series Food Waste: Circular Economy of Food and how all of us can be part of it.
A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me how we could really make a change in the climate crisis if the important decisions depend on governments and companies. It’s very discouraging because it seems our future relies on the awakening of a few. After a long voice note conversation we agreed on one thing: some people are not considering the power of the consumer. As communicators we know that consumers can be the leaders of change. So how can we participate in the circular economy of food?
I did more research on the topic and realized that not even one of the most important leading foundations on the subject addressed the consumer as a key stakeholder.
Have you ever felt disillusioned because a good action that you worked so hard on was ruined? For me, there is nothing sadder than watching someone mix the trash I separated into organic and inorganic. It took me several days to convince my family of the importance of separating our waste and then the garbage man combined everything. I thought, there has to be another way.
Then, I discovered the circular economy, the most popular model that proposes to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use as long as we can, and regenerate natural systems.
Even though it is not a perfect model and it still has a lot of room for better ideas and development, so far it has proven to be the best option we have. What would happen if we started using this model at a consumers level? We can definitely migrate some outstanding ideas to our everyday life. So let’s not sit around and wait for the big corporations or governments to start acting.
So how can you participate in the circular economy of food?
Let’s start from the beginning.
Table of Contents
The linear model and the circular economy
We live in a take-make-waste model called a linear economy model. We extract, make products that last very few and then we dispose. No matter the industry, the linear model generates a lot of waste: fashion, plastic, construction, travel, food waste and more. Here you can learn how the throwaway culture began and what are the benefits of a sustainable lifestyle.
Every year the linear model causes thousands of tons of perfectly good food to go to waste. Additionally, more resources need to be extracted in order to compensate for what was lost and this goes on and on.
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, for every dollar we spend on food, we spend another 2 dollars in environmental and health impacts. These are divided into consumption and production costs.
Consumption costs focus on: obesity, hunger and micronutrient deficiency.
Production costs focus on: environmental, health and economic.
The circular economy is a model that wants to shift from a linear model to a circular one where we redesign, rethink and repurpose materials, production and consumption.
If the food industry as we know it affects the environment, our health and the economy, that means that we can work on and improve in these areas so we can have a better quality of life.
Even though many people say that the circular economy of food focuses on changes that have to be managed by stakeholders such as food brands, farmers, institutions and governments, there is room for us, the consumers.
By changing some habits, we will quickly improve our health, we can save money and help the environment.
Here are my top tips on how you can be part of the circular economy of food and how you can help reduce the extra 2 damaging dollars.
Buying Local Food
Buying local food does not only help local farmers improve their businesses but it can also help you eat more healthy food.
Depending on what product you buy, it can be fresher if it is local. Consequently, fresher food does not always need preservatives, or too many of them. In fact, a lot of fruit that is being imported from other countries comes with a lot of added preservatives in order to keep the fruit fresh for several months.
Preservatives are mostly chemical substances added to our food. This isn’t natural and there are many studies that demonstrate there can be health problems if you eat too many preservatives. Additionally, purchasing local food reduces the carbon footprint of each product because the product doesn’t require long distance transportation.
On the other hand, it is clear that we need to consume more natural food. This has to be regenerative which means it can return safely to the soil. Moreover, by prioritizing natural food free of contaminants, different industries such as the fashion, food and renewable energy industries can benefit from them and create new products before they turn into fertilisers.
Seasonal Food
Remember how we spend 1 dollar on diseases like obesity? The circular economy of food also focuses on eating healthier and consequently getting good quality food. So everything that is healthier should go into our priority list.
When you opt for seasonal food you are eating the nutrients that you really need. Globalization has brought us amazing opportunities and has opened new possibilities for consuming different types of food. However, we have forgotten to pay attention to nature.
Some seasonal food provides us the specific nutrients we need depending on the season of the year. Most people don’t know what fruit and vegetables are the ones you should consume each month. For example, you need more Vitamin C during the winter to protect us from the cold and viruses.
If you buy local and seasonal food, it means that the fruit was picked when it was fully ripe and had absorbed all the nutrients. Instead, fruit that has to be transported to the other side of the world is picked before it is ripe and sprayed with preservatives and more.
Moreover, if you consume local and seasonal food it is possible that you help maintain the biodiversity of the area. In Mexico many types of corn are becoming extinct because of the monoculture. That affects the land and the nutrients it needs to continue to be fertile. We are damaging biodiversity by only choosing to plant one type of fruit or vegetable, for example the apples or bananas.
A study published by the Cambridge University Press says that there is no clear evidence that shows if we should prioritize a global seasonal food production or a local one. It depends on the production process, the brand and the product itself. Therefore, there is no guarantee that if you buy local food you won’t buy genetically modified food with too many pesticides; it reduces the chances. It is important to verify what you buy even if it is local or has a green label. Eating seasonal food has its benefits but we still need to address more solutions to get a sustainable diet.
Eco friendly packaging
On one hand, you can purchase products that come in eco friendly packaging such as a compost package. This idea complements the circular economy of food because it gives a purpose to the package instead of just throwing it away or hoping it gets recycled.
On the other hand, if you choose packaging that helps you keep your food for a longer period of time you reduce the possibility of generating too much food waste. I suggest choosing products with eco friendly packaging or buying products in bulk and storing them correctly using glass or silicone containers.
If you want your fruit to last longer, never use plastic because it accelerates fruit ripening.
Support sustainable restaurants
Another great way to help accelerate the economy of food is to look for restaurants that prioritize local and seasonal food. Taking these steps reduces the possibility of eating illegal food coming from biopiracy.
People take and export illegal food and grow it in their own country. This also contributes to health problems for the consumer. If you want to know more about it, check out the minidocumentary called Zac Efron: Down to Earth and specifically the episode in which they visit Lima.
Moreover, you can visit restaurants that are members of apps where they save food waste. Many entrepreneurs around the world have developed apps where people can buy food that is going to be thrown away for a lower price. This was created in order to tackle the huge amount of food thrown away by restaurants.
Recently, I downloaded one of these apps where I paid 1/3 of the price for fruit and vegetables that were going to be thrown away because they weren’t going to last for another 2-3 days or weren’t as pretty as people are used to buying them.
The food was in perfect conditions and I cooked 4 dishes with only $2.50 dollars that would’ve cost me $ 7.50.
Food Waste: Composting
When we think about food waste we normally think that we can only help by separating organic and inorganic waste. However, going one step further, it is possible for everyone to compost food waste. The best thing is that you don’t need to buy anything and you can start right away!
What is composting? Composting food waste means creating a rich soil when putting together organic matter to decompose and use it as fertilizer for plants or gardens.
Some compost types:
- Dry composting: It consists in a combination of layers of dead leaves and the organic material. The container needs to have a hole for water to come out. Occasionally, you have to mix it so it decomposes faster. You can use a special pot as a container. Dry composting takes several months to be ready but it is easier to have a dry compost in an apartment or in small spaces.
- Worm composting: Worms eat the organic material, process it and it exits through their tail. Some people use buckets as bins for the worm composting.
- Hot composting: It is a more complex process but it is ready in 18 days. Additionally, the compost volume stays the same compared to the dry compost where the volume reduces significantly. You can add any organic waste you want and you need to maintain a temperature of 55-65ºC (131-149ºF)
Which compost type is the best? For me, it is the one you can maintain and take care of. If you don’t like worms, then just do a dry compost. The problem is that if you are not enjoying it, you’ll stop doing it. The important thing is that you are taking care of your food waste.
Composting myths:
- It smells: No. No. No. In fact, if your compost smells it means you are not doing it right. Something must have spoiled your compost like excess moisture. It is supposed to smell as soil or like the woods.
- It will attract rats and insects: No, because you cover your compost and no animal is attracted to it. Well, maybe two mosquitos but that’s it.
Composting benefits:
- Depending on where you live, you can pay less for getting your trash picked up.
- You have rich fertilized soil for free. You won’t need to buy more for your plants ever again.
- You become more responsible: One of the sustainable living pillars is to create committed people who take responsibility for their own actions. We are used to throwing away anything we like without thinking how it’ll affect us and the environment and most importantly, we think some else will take care of it. Truth is, no one will. There is too much waste.
- If you want to continue to compost but you don’t have anymore space, you can always join a community compost program where an organization picks up your food waste and takes care of it. You contribute to your community by putting your waste to good use. They’ll use it as a fertilizer for some land that needs it.
If you are interested in a specific compost type, look for more tips on what food waste goes in a compost and what doesn’t belong. For example, in the dry compost you can add eggshells but you can’t add any other prepared or animal-derived food. Moreover, you can’t add citrus fruit but you can add its peels. On my instagram you can find more tips on what to add to your compost and how to take care of it.
Here are some things you can add to your compost that you have never thought you could!
If you can’t compost, join a compost community program, or have organic waste that doesn’t belong to the compost, please make sure that you separate your waste. Remember that throwing away food means more methane will be released into the air and increase pollution.
What else can you do? Well, the economy of food also focuses on sharing with others in need.
Help the Hunger and Micronutrient Deficiency Problem
Hunger and micronutrient deficiency are huge problems around the world. Nevertheless, each year we waste a growing area the size of Canada and India together worth of food.
Did you know that there is enough food for everyone on the planet but the problem is that it is not distributed correctly? According to the World Food Program USA, we waste 1/3 of all the food produced in the world.
Major actions need to be done in order to end hunger worldwide, and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals have established specific objectives governments and companies need to take care of. There is still so much you, as a consumer, can do.
You can find thousands of organizations that accept food donations in good conditions. Try not to donate only food that you no longer need, but by supporting these organizations with cash donations or buying food they need.
Other organizations rescue food and use it for their social kitchen, where they train and employ people with difficulties such as homelessness, disabilities, domestic violence and more.
There are thousands of organizations you can support in order to help people in need. All of this is a perfect option if you want to help further and get more involved in the circular economy of food.
There are more individual actions you can do to speed up the circular economy. This article is only the first one of the circular economy of food series. If you want to receive a notification when the next articles are published, subscribe to our newsletter or follow Green Reconnection on social media.
Let me know in the comments if you know of any more actions we can all put into practice.
