FOOD

SUSTAINABILITY

By Maria, Erica and Marie Claire

The Earth's increasing population means more pressure

on finite resources. It is estimated that if all six billion

people on Earth lived a European lifestyle, we would

need more than two-and-a-half planets' worth of

resources to support us.

Rather than steaming ahead at the current rate, with little

thought for future generations, sustainability is about

seeking ways of providing food, water and energy that

are long-lasting and have less of an impact on the

environment.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT WHAT I EAT?

Eating according to the seasons has disappeared

for most people in the developed world. You can

buy asparagus and strawberries all year round

thanks to refrigeration, heated greenhouses and, of

course, global food transportation.

All these technologies and so-called "food miles" - the

distance the food travels from producer to consumer - bring

with them implications for greenhouse-gas emissions and

consequent effects on the climate. Although eating local

food according to the seasons is the most sustainable

option, if this cannot be done it is important to consider how

producers make the food available out of season. For

example, some studies show importing items such as

lettuce from abroad results in fewer emissions than freezing

locally grown produce.

WHAT DOES SUSTAINABLE FOOD MEAN?

Sustainability takes into account the process from

field to plate. A key word in the sustainable food

dictionary is "local" - minimising energy used in

food production, transport and storage.

Food should be produced, processed and traded in ways

that:

Contribute to thriving local economies and sustainable

livelihoods at home and abroad

Protect the diversity of plants and animals and avoid

damaging natural resources and contributing to climate

change

Provide social benefits, such as good quality food, safe

and healthy products, and educational opportunities

SO WHAT FOOD IS SUSTAINABLE?

If you are not about to go to the extremes of rearing

your own livestock and growing your own

vegetables, buying with sustainability in mind is a

matter of finding the right balance.

Sustainability campaigners recommend buying

local food from farming systems that minimise harm

to the environment, such as certified organic

produce.

SHOULD WE EAT FISH? Fish stocks are threatened by overfishing and practices that destroy

habitats, and by quotas that result in overcaught or undersized fish being thrown back dead. Some quota systems have helped dwindling populations of some species restock.

The Marine Conservation Society has identified species that are at risk and others who are in healthy abundance.

For example, Atlantic halibut has been overfished, which means it is caught in such high numbers that a sustainable stock cannot be maintained and the species is classed as endangered by the World Conservation Union. The MSC recommends choosing Pacific halibut or farmed Atlantic halibut instead.

In the UK, the flatfish dab has healthy stocks and is recommended as a fish to eat, especially if caught by seine netting, which causes less damage to the seabed than other methods of trawling.

WHAT ABOUT FOOD FROM ABROAD? Fairtrade food often comes within the wider definition of

sustainable food. And it is the developed world markets that

sustain many producers in poorer countries.

So if you are buying foreign foods out of season, campaigners

say the sustainable option is to choose Fairtrade-certified

products imported from poorer countries, to ensure a fair deal

for disadvantaged producers.

The Soil Association, which certifies 70% of the UK's £1.9bn

organic food sector, requires foreign farmers to prove they

provide employment at fair pay and that they are trying to

lessen dependence on air travel. It wants all air-freighted food

to meet tough "ethical trade" standards.