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This article is Part 2 of the Series: Food Waste: How Can You Participate in the Circular Economy of Food? If you want to read part 1 click here.

Eliminating food waste is one of the major challenges of the climate crisis. It’s a Rubik’s cube where we need to make changes on one side in order to organize the others. Additionally, food waste is only one step of the circular economy of food. 

As mentioned in part 1, 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 costs. 

As discussed in part 1, there are several actions each of us can do in order to help eliminate the extra expense that harms the environment and all of us. Here are the top tips you can follow right away to be part of the circular economy of food. 

What is the circular economy of food?

The circular economy is a model that wants to shift from a linear model based on a take-make-waste principle to a circular one where we redesign, rethink and repurpose materials, production, habits and consumption. Not only does every industry have to change but also all stakeholders including us, the consumers.

Here are 6 steps you can take today to be a part of the circular economy of food and reduce your food waste.

Honey Bees vs the Environment

We know that without bees, all nature would destabilize which is why we should eat more honey to save bees, right? Actually, we need to do the opposite. If we consume honey, in some way we are destroying the environment and decreasing the bee population.

Eating more honey to save bees is one of the most dangerous myths. Additionally, it is important to analyze honey production because it is one of the main transformations we need to make if we want to successfully establish a circular economy of food. 

On one hand, there are serious ethical problems with beehives. Every winter, some beekeepers kill hives by gassing them or burning them to death. They do this because for some of them it is cheaper to destroy the hive instead of providing food during the season. Others cut the queen bee’s wings so identifying it is easier.

Moreover, the queen bee and hives are sold online. They are transported in cardboard boxes which can spread disease. Furthermore, some beekeepers feed the bees with artificial syrup. 

Vegetables, nuts and fruit are pollinated by bees. According to GreenPeace, 90% of the world’s food crops are pollinated by bees. So saving the bees is not only a matter of ethics but also because without them we are in serious trouble. 

When we transform forests to monoculture farms, the area is permanently destroyed because of the agricultural practices. Some of these practices include toxic pesticides and other chemicals. Consequently, bees have less space where to pollinate naturally. 

On the other hand, there is a huge difference between honey domestic bees and wild bees. During the last decades the honey bee population has actually increased and  has caused dangerous changes to the ecosystems. All of this has happened because the wild bee has been expelled by the honey bee from different territories. 

How can you save the bees?

On one hand, it is important to stop consuming honey. You can also support ONG’s petitions that demand change in the agricultural business.

You can also help by consuming products free of pesticides like organic ones. By consuming sustainable crops, you reduce the amount of pesticides that reach bees by water, soil and even by air. 

One of my goals is to show the interconnection of everything.  All of our actions and decisions have an impact in one way or another. If we really want to accelerate the circular economy of food we can’t just act alone and focus only on this issue.  We need to start addressing step by step all the other circular economy topics.

For example, one way to save bees is by reducing air pollution because it interferes with the scent molecules they need to identify in order to pollinate. Consequently, pollination slows down and it has an impact on their navigation pattern. 

Save the bees, one sunflower at a time. Two more tips to help save the bees: 

Firstly, you can plant sunflowers or other plants such as mint or lavender to attract bees. It is better to choose native plants and to take care of them all year round even if you find less bees during some months. This is an excellent idea if you have an orchard because the bees will help you keep it growing. Don’t forget to leave a place with water so they can hidratate.

Secondly, avoid pesticides and herbicides.
If you have a garden or several plants, never use chemicals. The pesticides are not exclusively harmful for bees but for insects in general. Try natural alternatives and do some research before you buy organic pesticides because sometimes these are poisonous too. 

Purchasing psychology

The best way to reduce food waste is by making a list and trying to stick to it by only purchasing what you really need. Supermarkets are designed in a way people buy more than they have planned to. The products that are the most commonly bought are the ones that are at the end of the supermarket so you have to go all the way through every aisle to find what you need. 

There are marketing specialists that strategically plan all of this. All of the candy and sodas that you find at the register are there for a reason. For example, the products’ arrangement on the shelves is perfectly designed so you buy the most expensive product which is normally at the height of your eyes. 

By sticking to your shopping list you will also save a lot of money because you will not be tempted by all of these persuasive messages. I recommend looking at the top and bottom shelves in every aisle where you can sometimes find better quality products. Brands pay for their shelf location so normally the most popular ones and the brands that have more money are the ones that are better located. That doesn’t mean that their product is the best option, it just means that they have more marketing budget.

Optimize your fridge and pantry

One of our followers gave us another great idea which is to organize the food in the pantry according to their expiration date. However, sometimes when food has “expired” it means that the food is not as fresh but it is still safe to eat. If you buy bulk products or package free, you’ll have to be more careful and identify on your own when food goes off. You can also do this with your fridge and arrange each level for different products.  

The temperature in your fridge can vary, therefore I recommend using the top shelf for cooked meals or dairy products. If you want to keep your food fresh, use the coldest part of your fridge, which is the bottom shelf, to store fish and meat. The drawers are perfect for fruit, vegetables and prepared meals like salads.  Finally, only use the fridge door for sauces and juice because the temperature is inconsistent. 

Even after organizing your pantry and your fridge, it can be difficult to remember what you have. You can try having a list on your fridge which tells which products will go off sooner so you can keep a better record.

Upgrading our food consumption

If you have a balcony, a small garden or an empty area with sunlight, you can start your own orchard. You don’t have to grow every single vegetable you eat but you can start by growing your favorites. 

If you are looking for a new hobby or want to spend less time using screens, having an orchard is the perfect way to go. It has been proven that manual work and taking care of plants is therapeutic. Moreover, growing your own food makes you more aware of the challenges of maintaining it and makes you appreciate food even more. 

I recommend getting organic seeds and maintaining the orchard as naturally as you can. Don’t use any chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers.

Improve your cooking skills

According to the World Food Program USA,  we waste around 20 pounds of food per person per month.  By learning how to cook each part of the vegetables and by taking advantage of food leftovers we can reduce the statistics. For example, we normally throw away some parts of a vegetable, but these are actually in perfectly good shape and we can eat them.

As I mentioned before, the circular economy of food is not all about food waste. However, it is easier to start by reducing and eliminating our food waste at home and then to start other habits. 

Reducing our meat consumption

Veganism and vegetarianism have become very complex debates. Some people even get annoyed by only reading these words. (I really hope you don’t close this tab). My point is not to tell you that you need to be a vegan, however, I do think it’s important to look at some data and reconsider our diet.

We are using more land for livestock and destroying ecosystems with each passing day. There’s a debate on whether a part of the Amazon rainforest should be used for livestock or not. Nature magazine published an article where they expressed their concern for the Amazon, one of the most important cooling temperature rainforests, if it was deforested due to an increase of livestock areas. The Amazon would turn into a desert and there would be irreversible consequences for the planet. 

It is important for every single one of us to reduce our meat consumption. Whether you want to go vegan or not, it is a fact that we can’t continue to consume the amount of meat we are eating because it is destroying our planet. 

Additionally, here is a list of some eye-opening documentaries that explain thoroughly how meat consumption affects your health and the environment. 

1. Cowspiracy
2. What the Health
3. Before the Flood

So if you don’t want to stop eating meat, please try and reduce your meat-based meals and opt for a more sustainable diet at least one to two days a week. This will make a huge difference and will reduce your carbon footprint. 

You can find hundreds of  carbon footprint online tests where you can measure your impact on the environment. Here is a link to my favorite carbon footprint calculator test. The test shows how many Earths we would need if everyone started living like you. I highly recommend to answer honestly so you can see in which areas you can improve. After a few months of trying new eco friendly habits you can compare both of your results and see your progress. This test is one of the most incredible exercises I have done, and of course, one of the most eye-opening. 

After answering the test

If you don’t know how to start living sustainably you can get my free guide “ Turning Zero Waste Into a Habit”. It is a 30 day challenge with which you’ll learn the most important actions you can start doing today. Each day is fully explained and has extra tips about different subjects such as reducing food waste. At the end of the guide you can find a monthly calendar with all of the eco friendly habits.  

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