Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at the Supermarket

The imminent environmental crisis for Planet Earth is rapidly increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If you want to help preserve the planet, reduce your role in making more CO2. Here are five ways to lower your carbon footprint when you shop for food:

1. Eat less meat, especially less red meat. In North America, raising, slaughtering, and distributing meat from cows and sheep requires enormous amounts of fossil fuels. The amount of carbon dioxide generated in providing you with a kilogram (2.2 pound) of lamb is the same as driving your car 93 miles (150 km). The amount of carbon dioxide generated in providing you with a kilogram of beef is the same as driving your car 63 miles (97 km). Eggs, nuts, and tofu require just 5 to 10 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions as red meat.

2. Cook your meals at home. You will save money on food and fuel and you will generate less carbon dioxide. Cooking at home is more work but you have greater control over the ingredients in your food and the flavor of your food, and you will save money.

3. Plan your meals. Don't wait until it's time to make dinner to see what you have. Make a list of the meals you want to have and the foods you need to prepare them so you don't waste food, which also drives up your carbon footprint. Families in the US and UK waste about one-third of the food they buy.

4. Cook smart. A gas oven only uses about 6 percent of its energy to cook food. An electric oven is slightly more efficient. About 12 percent of the energy used by an electric range actually cooks food. Microwave ovens waste less energy and, surprisingly, destroy fewer vitamins and plant chemicals in the process of cooking. Overall, a microwave oven uses 50 percent less energy than a conventional electric oven and 75 percent less energy than a gas oven. Eat raw foods as often as possible. Avoid preheating and reheating. Cook on the stovetop in a Dutch oven. And, especially if you are American, get an electric kettle for boiling water. It's faster and uses less electricity.

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5. Save water. Pumping and purifying water takes enormous amounts of energy. It's more energy efficient to wash dishes in the dishwasher than to wash them in the sink, but it's important only to run the machine when you have a full load. Use filtered tap water for drinking and cooking rather than bottled water. Turn off the tap when brushing or shaving, turning it back on only when you need to rinse. 

What else can you do to reduce your burden on the environment when you shop for food? Buy in bulk. Less packaging requires less energy. Avoid impulse purchases. You will save money and calories and reduce your carbon footprint. Avoid frozen food. Keeping it frozen requires lots of energy. And please don't buy bottled water.