Archive for the ‘Environmental’ category

Trends For Sustainable Food Consumption

July 14th, 2011
By Kevin Long

Consumption of seasonal and locally grown food has become one of the latest trends as far as the sustainable food movement is concerned. Consumers across the world are realizing the importance of buying food produce from local farm markets as health experts believe that local is healthy. If exotic fruits and vegetables available in the supermarket have travelled miles to reach the market it cannot be considered sustainable because it has resulted in burning of fuel and emission of greenhouse gases.

Growing sustainable food in kitchen gardens:

There are many consumers who have started growing vegetables and fruits in their gardens. This can be considered another latest trend in the context of sustainable food. In an attempt to encourage the production of organic produce Michelle Obama recently planted an organic garden in a 1,100 square foot plot at the White House. This is being considered one of the most remarkable efforts towards ensuring environmental sustainability.

Buying seasonal produce:

Another latest as sustainable food trend is the purchase of seasonal produce by consumers and restaurants. Several hotels and restaurants across the world are extending support to the environment and local farmers by purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables. The entire menu includes recipes made from seasonal products. There are many people who want healthy food on the go as they don’t have the time to prepare. Supermarkets as well as restaurants are addressing this demand for the consumers and providing them sustainable food choices on the go. They have especially hired dieticians in order to consult with them and offer food items to the consumers. Some supermarkets have hired a dietician for shoppers so that they can consult on special diets and recipes that can be prepared with sustainably grown produce. » Read more: Trends For Sustainable Food Consumption

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Posted in Environmental

The UK Needs a Strategy for Farming and Future Food Production

July 14th, 2011
By Ali Withers

The UK’s largest manufacturing industry is food production is but the final report from the soon-to-be-abolished Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) released in late March has criticised the lack of Government plans for its future.

Its review of the last decade argues that the Government must be actively involved in promoting sustainable food production and feeding growing populations healthily from locally grown food in order to meet the rising challenge of food poverty rather than relying on a “leave it to the market” approach.

The NFU (UK National Farmers’ Union) had also highlighted the issue of a lack of Government involvement at its annual conference in February 2011, where NFU president Peter Kendall, argued that the country needs a properly thought-through food strategy.

Otherwise the country will depend more and more on food imports, he said,.

Escalating prices since 2008 have affected not only consumers but also farmers, who are having to pay more for both animal feed and fuel. Farmers also consistently complain about the pressure from the major superstore retailers driving down prices to unsustainably low levels, where the return to farmers is lower than the cost of producing foods. » Read more: The UK Needs a Strategy for Farming and Future Food Production

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Posted in Environmental, Healthy Food