Sustainable food

Your diet might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about climate change, but it can have a huge impact. Agriculture is responsible for 11% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and meat and dairy production generate 14.5% of all greenhouse gases globally. There are many things you can do to cut the emissions from the food you eat.

Cut down on waste

An astonishing 6.6 million tonnes of food is wasted by UK households every year, and all the emissions associated with producing, packaging and transporting it are wasted too. Simple measures such as planning your shopping, storing food appropriately and turning leftovers into delicious new dishes can massively reduce the amount of food wasted, and would save the average UK family with children £730 per year.

Keep it local

Eating more locally produced food and seasonal fruit and veg will cut down on the emissions from transporting food and growing it in heated greenhouses. If you have a garden then growing your own can be incredibly satisfying and much cheaper than buying it. If you don't have a garden you don't have to miss out as we have ten allotment sites in Gosport.

Try a climate friendly diet

Reducing meat consumption can improve your health and help to tackle deforestation and ocean dead zones as well as cutting emissions. Giving up beef alone could reduce your carbon footprint more than giving up your car - it can generate five times more emissions than chicken, not to mention using 28 times more land and 11 times more water. Or why not experiment with some delicious vegetarian or vegan recipes one day a week, which will not only help the planet but also add variety to your diet. To really make a difference, a fully vegetarian or vegan diet is one of the most effective changes you can make.

Try out this simple calculator to see the climate impact of different food choices - it's also worth scrolling down to see the range of impacts foods can have, since the way they're produced can make a big difference.