With industrialisation, the travelling and exchange of products around the world has increased. We can eat fruits and vegetables that come from the other side of the planet; we can easily access meat, eggs, and milk through animal breeding; we can taste foods from countries we have never been to.
Nevertheless, this easy access has a cost. We enjoy this system without really considering the impact it can have on the environment. Because it has an impact! And of course, there are some solutions to change our habits for the better.
First of all, the pollution we talk about is in the production. For example, with meat, we take into consideration breeding: feeding animals and the infrastructures to take care of them. The fact is that for products of animal origin, there are more greenhouse gases produced than for vegetal products. Studies have shown that producing 1kg of beef gives out 50 to 80 times more greenhouse gases than producing 1kg of wheat. This is why some scientists advise becoming vegan or vegetarian, or at least reducing our consumption of meat. For example, eating it only once a week. You can replace it with other sources of protein such as lentils, tofu, or nuts. It is not necessary to give it all up, of course.
Second of all, the pollution is in the travelling of the products. In stores, you can find fruits that come from different countries and that are not growing in your country at that time of the year. The carrying of these products is made by plane, container ships, or trains. You can’t decide how your products are being transported, but you can choose the origin of your product in stores and choose the closest countries. It will also be helpful economically for your local farmers.
To finish, agriculture also causes pollution of the soil with pesticides. To reduce that, organic agriculture is the solution. Of course, the cost of these products is higher than normal products. But if from time to time you can choose this type of product, it is always nice. It can also be beneficial for your body and health in the long term.
To conclude, the little advice to keep in mind and to gain better habits for the environment is: to look out for information about seasonal fruits and vegetables, to choose products that come from your country or from nearby countries, to try to reduce your meat consumption, and to try to turn to organic food from time to time.