Eating sustainably

Did you know around a third of UK greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food production and consumption and food waste*?

You can calculate the carbon footprint of your food here.

You could try some of the following to reduce the carbon emissions of your food choices

• Buy local – shorter food journeys from farm to table mean lower emissions. Try farmers markets or shops. Find your local market here.  
• Eat less meat – meat and dairy have a very high carbon footprint, particularly beef and lamb, and even a small reduction in your consumption can have a big impact. If you do eat meat, try and buy it from a local source.
• Buy what you need, eat what you buy – reducing your food waste will cut carbon emissions and will also save you money as the average UK family wastes £730 a year on food that’s never eaten. Try Love Food Hate Waste’s food portion calculator to help you cook the right amount, plus other food saving tips.
• Recycle any food waste in your food recycling caddy that we collect every week. We take it to an Anaerobic Digestion facility in Wallingford where it is turned into fertiliser for local farmers and energy to power 4,800 homes.
• Buy unpackaged products such as loose fruit and vegetables. Take a reusable coffee cup if you’re getting a takeaway drink. And if you’ve got a water bottle with you when you’re out, get the Refill app so you’ll always know where you can refill for free, including from our own buildings like Abbey House in Abingdon.
• Grow your own fruit and vegetables as this will save you money and energy. Try planting in your garden or apply for an allotment through your town and parish council.
• There are lots of Community Action Groups (CAG) in Oxfordshire which focus on growing food, including community owned allotments and gardens – look here to find a CAG near you.

Don’t forget community fridges and larders provide access to surplus food from local supermarkets and businesses to anyone who needs it, thereby cutting down food waste and helping those who need it.

*Figures are from waste and reuse charity WRAP

Contact us - Climate and biodiversity team

climateaction@southandvale.gov.uk

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE