We are what we eat, and what we eat affects both our health and the wellbeing of the planet. The Environment on a Platter In fact, food is one of the three main culprits in the pollution of the environment, together with housing and traffic. When determining the environmental impacts of various foods, the key factor is how the food is produced and processed, including cultivation, fertilizing, harvesting and preparation methods.
Carbon footprint kg The carbon footprint of food indicates how much greenhouse gas emissions are released into the atmosphere from the production, transport, preservation and processing of food. The carbon dioxide equivalent ( e) represents all the greenhouse gas emissions. Of all the domestic environmental factors, the food production chain is responsible for over 5 percent of the eutrophication of our water systems. It contributes well over half of the nitrogen and phosphorous runoff. The impact of 1 kg of phosphorous contamination in the water is expressed with the phosphorous equivalent ( e). This brochure describes the impacts of food on the environment, including carbon emissions and eutrophication. The effects are very similar for all foods, with the exception of fish. Fish caught in the wild reduce eutrophication while farmed fish have the opposite effect. The preparation of food plays a significant role in its environmental impact. For instance, the heating of ovens and stoves requires electricity. Cooking oatmeal on a stove accounts for almost two thirds of its entire environmental impact, while preparing it in a microwave reduces this impact considerably. When using an oven to prepare food, it is recommended to heat the oven only once and to use the resulting heat to make several dishes. Throwing away food is not only a burden on the environment, it is also a waste of energy and money. Before preparing meals, it is worthwhile to estimate as precisely as possible the amount of food that will be consumed. If anything is left over, you can use it the next day, take it to work as lunch or turn it into a new dish. The plate model provides guidance on eating in an environmentally-friendly manner. Foods can be divided roughly into two groups based on their environmental impact. Crops and vegetables grown on farmland have been shown to have the lowest carbon footprints and eutrophication impacts. In contrast, animal products and plants that require a lot of energy to grow have high impacts. Also the packaging and cold storage of food, requires a lot of energy. To best take the environment into account when choosing your meals, fill your plate with vegetables that are in season, and add only moderate amounts of dairy products, meat or fish. It is the meal as a whole that counts. Choose ingredients for your meals based on the current season. In the summer, opt for farm-grown vegetables, and in the wintertime, pick foods that can be stored without freezing, such as carrots, beets, cabbage, rutabagas and turnips. Complete your diet with berries, fruit and fish from the wild when they can be enjoyed fresh from nature. Plate model» In the model, half the plate is filled with vegetables, a fourth with meat, fish or legumes, and the remaining fourth with potatoes, pasta, rice or grains. A glass of milk or buttermilk, bread and a bread spread and a dessert also belong to this example meal.» The portion size has been calculated for women and teenage girls doing light work and engaging in moderate exercise. One portion corresponds to about 1/3 of your daily energy needs (around 65 ). Portions for primary school-aged children can be attained by reducing about 1 from the example meal, and portions for teenage boys and men by adding about 2.
Vegetable puree soup 65 Vegetable puree soup 3g 5 g Beetroot and apple slaw 5 g Dressing 5 g 2 dl Rye bread 2 x 3 g 2 x 6 g Curd cream with berries 15 g,75 Vegetable puree soup Beetroot and apple slaw Dressing/oil Rye bread Curd cream with berries Vegetable puree soup Beetroot and apple slaw Dressing/oil Rye bread Curd cream with berries Carbon footprint kg,21,7,27,16,1,2,3,4,5,6,22,7,11,66,48 Fruits and vegetables» Seasonal fruits, vegetables and berries are the basics of an environmentally-friendly meal. Domestically grown potatoes and root vegetables have the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per kilogram, under.4 kg e/kg. Increasing the portion of fruits and vegetables in one s diet reduces its environmental impact and is also better for one s health. 1,61
Broad bean steak 65 Broad bean burgers 13 g Mashed potatoes 2 g Sour cream sauce 5 g 1 g Salad dressing 15 g 2 dl 3 g 6 g Apple 185 g,72 PO4 1,58 Broad bean burgers Mashed potatoes Sour cream sauce Salad dressing Oat bread Apple Broad bean burgers Mashed potatoes Sour cream sauce Salad dressing Oat bread Apple Carbon footprint kg,1,12,8,27,6,1,2,3,4,5,6,21,21,3,66,37 Cereals» Cereals are an important part of our daily diet. In Finland, wheat is the most common grain grown for human consumption.» Almost all cereals are environmentally-friendly and have a carbon footprint of under 1 kg e/kg. Rice is the only exception, with various research placing its carbon footprint at anywhere from 2.5 to 6 kg e/kg. Rice can be replaced with domestic alternatives such as barley. Remember to select whole grains, when possible.
Baked pike 63 Carbon footprint kg Fish Baked pike 2 g 15 g Boiled peas 65 g 2 dl 3 g 6 g 15 g Sugar 1 g,81 -,98 -,9 -,8 -,7 -,6 -,5 Baked pike Boiled peas Sugar -,4 -,3 -,2 -,1 Boiled peas Sugar,9,3,27,34,1,2,3,4,5,6 Baked pike,1,11,66» Domestic fish is an excellent choice for an environmentally-friendly plate. The size of the carbon footprint depends on the origin of the fish. Catching fish in the wild removes nutrients from the waters and reduces eutrophication. Wild fish also do not consume fish feed, so their environmental effects are much smaller than those of farmed fish.» Pike and Baltic herring, for example, are easy on the pocket and also environmentally-friendly. However, old and large specimens should be consumed in moderation since they may contain higher levels of dioxins or mercury.
Baked rainbow trout 63 Baked rainbow trout 2 g 15 g Boiled peas 65 g 2 dl 3 g 6 g 15 g Sugar 1 g,84 2,89 Baked rainbow trout Boiled peas Sugar Baked rainbow trout Boiled peas Sugar Carbon footprint kg,9,3,1,11,27,36,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 1 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 1,9,66 1,89» Farmed fish only contain small amounts of harmful substances since their feed is regulated.» Compared to beef, farmed rainbow trout in Finland has a carbon footprint of only one sixth, but the numbers flip the other way when it comes to eutrophication effects. One kilogram of rainbow trout has triple the eutrophication impact of one kilogram of beef, and quadruple that of one kilogram of pork. The environmental impact of rainbow trout has fallen by about a fifth over the last ten years. This is mostly the result of a more efficient use of feed.
Pork fillet Carbon footprint kg Meats 66 Pork tenderloin 14 g 165 g Brown gravy 5 g Boiled vegetables 1 g 2 dl 3 g 6 g 1 g 1,28 3,12 Pork tenderloin Brown gravy Boiled vegetables Pork tenderloin Brown gravy Boiled vegetables,66,9,11,27,3,11,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,35,66,32,9 1, 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,65 Carbon dioxide emissions from pork production are nearly 6 kg e/kg, while poultry production causes 4 kg e/kg and egg production 2.7 kg e/kg.» The production of meat has the highest environmental impact of all food items. This means that the easiest way to reduce environmental impacts is to limit the use of meat.» The production of beef has the largest carbon dioxide emissions, reaching as high as 2 kg e/kg in Finland. On the other hand, cattle grazes on grass that people cannot eat, and grass binds nutrients in the soil and prevents their runoff into the waters. Grazing can also preserve traditional landscapes.
Meatballs 64 Meatballs 1 g Mashed potatoes 15 g Brown gravy 5 g 6 g Orange juice 15 g 2 dl 3 g 6 g Orange 3 g 1,66 3,12 The protein from meat can also be replaced by eating mushrooms and various protein-rich legumes such as beans and peas. Meatballs Mashed potatoes Brown gravy Orange juice Orange Meatballs Mashed potatoes Brown gravy Orange juice Orange Hiilijalanjälki Carbon footprint CO ² kg 1,8,9,27,3,15,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 1, 1,1,97,16,66 1,17 Dairy products» Emissions from milk are less than 2 kg e/kg. Approximately 1 liters of milk are used to make one kilo of cheese, which increases cheese s carbon footprint by more than 1 kg e/kg. In other words, it is worth limiting the consumption of dairy products in your daily diet to milk, buttermilk, yogurt and similar products. Leave cheese aside for those special moments.
Ham pizza 65 Pizza with ham and pineapple 26 g Green salad 5 g 5 g Salad dressing 5 g 2 dl Apple 185 g Pizza with ham and pineapple Green salad Salad dressing Apple Pizza with ham and pineapple Green salad Salad dressing Apple Carbon footprint kg,7,27,37 The best sources of healthy unsaturated fats are rapeseed oil and fish.,68,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 1, 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8,66 2,68 2,75 1,63 1,67 Fats, butter, rapeseed oil, and olive oil» When it comes to fats, margarine and rapeseed oil have the lowest environmental impacts. Their carbon footprint is about 1 kg e/kg. The environmental impact of olive oil is less than that of butter, which has a carbon footprint of about 4.8 kg e/kg. Since unsaturated fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, remember to include them in your meal plans. Sources of fats include not only oils and butter but also meat and fish.
Hamburger 65 Mince meat burger 1 g Wheat bun 7 g Hamburger sauce 1 g Iceberg lettuce 3 g Ketchup 1 g Onion 1 g Green salad 8 g Pickles 1 g Fries 5 g Soft drink 2 dl Mince meat burger Wheat bun Hamburger sauce Iceberg lettuce Ketchup Onion Green salad Pickles Fries Soft drink Carbon footprint kg 1,8,12,3,22,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 1, VERTAA CO2 PO4 Rye bread 3 g,3 Wheat bun 7 g,11 2 dl,27,66 Soft drink 2 dl,22 1,58 1,3 Mince meat burger Wheat bun Hamburger sauce Iceberg lettuce Ketchup Onion Green salad Pickles Fries Soft drink,11,12,97 Compare CO2 PO4 Mashed potatoes 15 g,9,16 165 g,9 Boiled rice 7 g 1,4 2,27 Broad bean burger 13 g,1,21 Mince meat burger 1g 1,8,97
Check list for friends of the environment» Don t waste food» Choose berries and mushrooms from the wild» Choose locally-produced and seasonal food» Choose vegetables grown on farmland» Eat meat in moderation, especially beef» Use domestic fish caught from the wild» Have at least one vegetarian day per week» Choose beans, peas, lentils» Use rapeseed oil» Select domestic cereals and potatoes» Reduce your consumption of rice» Plan trips to the grocery store carefully if using a car www.foodweb.ut.ee www.mtt.fi www.syke.fi www.martat.fi Food pictures Teppo Juhanson/ Ateljee Unlimited Layout The Martha Organization, 213 This report reflects the author s view and the Programme s Managing Authority cannot be held liable for the information published by the project partners.