I’m fed up with talking about the weather, but I can console myself with the fact we have grabbed every opportunity so far and progress is not too bad.Benn offers alternative to going vegetarian
THE British public should buy seasonal fruit, vegetables and meat and stop binning good food if they are serious about tackling climate change.
In a new campaign, which forms part of the Government’s Act on CO² campaign, Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, has urged consumers to change their food buying habits.
The agricultural industry will welcome Mr Benn’s comments as a more measured response to climate change than Lord Stern of Brentford’s suggestion last week to cut meat consumption.
Farmers work around the clock to deliver food to Britain’s tables but Government figures have revealed the average household throws £50 of good food into the dustbin every month.
Consumers are also obsessed with buying out-of-season food from abroad when locally produced, seasonal food would have a much lower carbon footprint.
Given that producing, transporting and consuming food is responsible for nearly a third of individuals’ contribution to climate change, Mr Benn told consumers to buy seasonal food and to cut waste.
“Making better use of everything around us will really help us to tackle the impact our waste has on climate change, and save us money too,” he said.
Mr Benn also backed anaerobic digestion as a key technology to create energy from food and farm waste.
He said: “In ten years time 75 per cent of household waste will either be recycled or used for energy, and over time this figure will increase even further. Aiming for zero waste is the way we have to think to get us to where we need to be.”
The £800,000 campaign covers everything from food waste to furniture recycling and includes a website - www.direct.go.uk/waste - to give consumers advice online.
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Readers' comments (6)
Stephen | 3 November 2009 11:30 pm
With the latest research showing livestock responsible for 50% of global warming (http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/meat-creates-half-of-all-greenhouse-gases-1812909.html) the government will have to be braver in dealing with the livestock industry than they have been with air travel and cars, which has been laughable. Our grandchildren will look upon us as such selfish people - we had the evidence but refused to act.
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SouthernSkye | 4 November 2009 7:46 am
Stephen. So what do you suggest? Whole-sale slaughter of all "domestic" liverstock and wildlife such as deer? This, of course, would include dairy animals. then, in order to satisfy our needs, we allow, as is happening now, more and more rain-forest to be hacked down so that soya can be produced for veggie milk and cheese? We stop using leather and use synthetic (oil based!) materials as replacements?
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Joe | 4 November 2009 5:57 pm
Southernsky - the vast majority of soya that is grown is fed to livestock. Big decisions have to be made. The meat/livestock industry needs to be cut back dramatically. People will find that having a veggie diet is very good for them and that it is as tasty if not tastier than a meat based diet.
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SouthernSkye | 5 November 2009 8:02 am
Joe. Yes, i understand that, currently, around 80% goes for animal feed. This is why we need to move to a more extensive form of farming. However, my point was:: "if the numbers of livestock are so reduced then there would need to be an increase in products such as soya milk. how do we balance that equation? Do you have an opinion on the other points I raised?
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Mr Poopoo | 5 November 2009 10:43 pm
Let them eat cake :)
Yeah good idea Hilary sweet and opportunity to tax imports too in the name of climate protection.
Time someone actually tackled the real problem...too many people. A war would be a good idea....hey!!!! you Labour lot do that anyway....North Korea and Iran next ??
Anyway I'm off to tuck into a sprout and bit of lettuce :)))))
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Yvonne Griffiny | 6 November 2009 11:19 am
Hilary has it spot on, local produced food is a damn sight better than 'organic' food produced in Kenya. The organic hype is all rubbish anyway, scientific research shows there is no nutritonal or taste difference between organic food and conventionally produced food.
Veggie's use the taste argument as an excuse for there squeamishness, fair enough don't eat meat, but stop telling us that we should give it up, I don't mind if the animal is cute or has feelings, it tastes nice.
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