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For most, this holiday season will be like no other we’ve experienced to date.
As the holidays draw near, despite the ongoing presence of COVID-19 across our communities and the need to abide by public health guidelines, we are cheered by thoughts of those delicious, special meals we traditionally share with friends and family at this time of year. It’ll just be a little smaller group this year.
Unfortunately, the environmental crisis won’t be taking a holiday. However, with a little planning, we can ensure that our holiday fare is as delicious as ever, with a sustainable touch.
Before sharing some practical tips, let’s talk about food waste on a more global level. As has been mentioned many times, food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Worldwide, it is estimated that there are 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year, which in turn produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide equivalents escaping into the atmosphere. This equates to approximately eight per cent of all annual greenhouse gas emissions every year. Given that close to one-third of all the food produced never gets consumed, it is a tragic reality that 800 million people worldwide experience hunger as an ongoing condition.
Although there is always more we can do, thankfully, here in Orillia, we have dedicated community services helping to redistribute food that would otherwise go to waste.
Organizations like The Sharing Place, the Lighthouse, the Salvation Army and others join with Orillia businesses, service clubs, churches, families and individuals to ensure that we continue to reduce hunger in our community. A big thanks and shout-out to everyone who helps ensure greater food security in Orillia while avoiding unnecessary food waste.
With that in mind, as we approach one of the festive high points of the year, this is a good time not only to contribute to these important community services and to the families and folks they support, but also to double-down and pre-empt food waste before it happens.
Michael Pollan, a best-selling author on this subject (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), summarized his guidelines for a healthy, affordable diet that reduces food waste as follows: “Eat food, not too much and mostly plants.”
Good, broad guidelines for any time of the year, and particularly during the holiday season, when we can:
Plan ahead. Given the current public health guidelines, we are being asked to limit sharing our holiday meals with our immediate households — which for many of us will be a smaller group than normal. So, if you are going to serve meat (and many of us will), then this is the year to buy smaller cuts, or opt for smaller selections of poultry or fish. Happily, turkeys are one of the greener choices we can make for an entrée, although you may want to try to source organically raised turkeys.
Plan for leftovers and make sure there’s room in your freezer come Christmas Day.
Challenge your creativity. Have fun and plan meals that use local produce and reduce meats on your menus as much as possible. Shop the farmers’ markets and do your best to avoid foodstuffs that have travelled halfway around the world as part of your menu.
Buy your trimmings in recyclable containers/packaging. Continue to avoid plastic wherever you can, purchase fruits and vegetables loose and bring your own reusable shopping bags when you go shopping.
And, if you can, compost. All those vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and food scraps will pay dividends in your garden next spring.
All of the above helps reduce your carbon footprint, and ours, over this holiday season, so let’s make this 2020 holiday season one of goodwill and not landfill.
Best wishes to you all for a happy and green holiday season.
