A couple weeks ago we wrote that the number one thing we as consumers can do to reduce our environmental impact is to eat less meat and specifically beef and lamb. The response was overwhelmingly positive and many of you asked about further steps we can take to reduce our impact. While it’s difficult to rank the importance of certain actions, reducing our food waste is another impactful step we can take to reduce our household emissions.
Food waste accounts for a whopping 6% of the world’s GreenHouse Gas Emissions (GHGs). A shocking 25% of all food that we produce is wasted. To put this in perspective, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest GHG emitter in the world, behind only China and the US.
While consumers aren’t solely responsible for this waste and subsequent emissions (much is lost in transit due to spoilage, thrown away by retailers after expiration, etc.), we can have a direct impact on the world’s GHGs by minimizing the food that we throw away.
A couple quick and easy tips to reduce food waste and to support companies focused on tackling the issue:
- If fresh foods are about to spoil, freeze them! Most fresh foods can be frozen and turned into something delicious at a later date.
- Do a little planning. Having a basic outline of the meals you’ll make for the week can help you reduce overbuying at the grocery store.
- Look for UpCycled certifications in the grocery store. The Upcycled Association helps brands utilize foods in their products that would have otherwise been thrown away. For example, fruits and veggies that are too misshapen or bruised to sell at retail can be frozen for smoothies or dried for snacking.
- Download apps like Too Good To Go which allow you to buy, at a discount, food from your local restaurants, cafes, bakeries and retailers that otherwise would be thrown away.
Lastly, we often get asked how long Brave can last in the fridge once you’ve added milk overnight or boiling water in the morning. Our suggestion is to eat the product within three days after making it. So, if you can’t finish your Brave for whatever reason, don’t throw it away! Save it as a snack for later in the day or finish it off the next morning.
