Sustainability is all about meeting the world’s needs today without sacrificing our children’s tomorrow. It’s a crucial word, defining the current lifestyle of today’s generation.
As global warming continues to be a threat, the need for sustainability has become more pressing than ever. And it’s not just about the environment – it’s about social and economic sustainability, too. For example, it’s the main reason people’s meals need to become more sustainable.
Carbon Footprint in Food Making
It’s estimated that the food industry emits over 17 billion metric tons of carbon emissions. That’s about 20% of overall carbon emissions worldwide, and that’s still not adding the carbon emissions that your kitchen makes when you still have to cook your meal.
The food industry’s high carbon footprint is due to many reasons, but the main ones are:
- Fertilizer: It takes a lot of energy and resources to create nitrogen-based fertilizers, responsible for about half of the world’s agricultural emissions.
- Livestock: Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.
- Transportation: The food industry ships food worldwide, using up a lot of fossil fuels in the process.
- Packaging: Many packaging materials are not recyclable or compostable, meaning they end up in landfills where they release methane gas – a greenhouse gas that’s even more potent than carbon dioxide.
- Cooking: Cooking food emits smoke and increases energy consumption within a household.
If you want your meals to be more sustainable, you’ll have to be creative. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a lot. Instead, start by using more smart devices in your kitchen.
Install Smart Devices in Your Kitchen
One of the leading causes of a meal’s high carbon footprint is the cooking process. But you can lower your carbon footprint by using smart devices in your kitchen.
For instance, you can use a slow cooker instead of an oven. A slow cooker uses less energy than an oven does, and it also cooks food more evenly. You can also use a smarter stovetop. Induction stoves use less energy than electric or gas stoves, and they’re much more efficient.
You should also take advantage of your fridge’s smart features. For example, many refrigerators now have a feature that automatically defrosts food. This means you won’t have to waste any energy or food by manually defrosting your fridge.
You can also use smart devices to help you save water. For instance, you can get a smart faucet with a built-in water filter. This way, you won’t have to waste any water or money on bottled water.
Installing smart devices in your kitchen is one of the best ways to make your home more convenient and even save on electricity. However, it can be a complex process than can take days if you do it yourself. Instead, consider hiring some custom kitchen contractors to do it for you. These contractors can customize your kitchen according to your needs and preferences, and they can install all the necessary appliances and devices for you. They’re also great if you want to build a commercial kitchen.
Start a Sustainable Garden
One of the best ways to make your meals more sustainable is to start your garden. This way, you can grow your food and cut down on your carbon footprint.
If you don’t have a lot of space, you can start a container garden. You can use recycled materials like plastic bottles or cans as pots for your plants. You can also use an old shipping container as a garden shed.
If you have more space, you can start a traditional garden. You can grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs. You can also raise chickens for eggs. Chickens are low-maintenance animals, and they provide a lot of fertilizer for your plants.
Sustainable gardens are great for the environment, and they can also provide you with healthy food. Gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby, so it’s worth considering if you want to make your meals more sustainable.
Buy Local and Seasonal Foods
Another great way to make your meals more sustainable is to buy local and seasonal foods. This way, you can cut down on your carbon footprint, and you’ll also be supporting local farmers.
Local foods are usually fresher and tastier than supermarket foods. They’re also more nutritious because they haven’t been shipped long distances. Seasonal foods are also a great option because they’re usually cheaper than non-seasonal foods.
Of course, it’s not always possible to buy local and seasonal foods. But you can try to do it as much as possible. You can also grow your food if you have a garden.
Sustainability is a crucial issue in today’s society, and it’s something that we should all be thinking about. Thanks to technology, it’s now easier than ever to make our meals more sustainable.
There are many different ways that you can make your meals more sustainable. For example, you can install smart devices in your kitchen, start a garden, or buy local and seasonal foods. You can also try to reduce your meat consumption. Whatever you do, every little bit counts for saving the environment.