Be An Ethical Eater

You make nutritious food choices for your wellbeing and your waistline – but what about their impact on the environment? Hannah Ebelthite investigates

- Hannah Ebelthite

Have you thought about the environmental footprint of the food you eat? Whether you’re a practising reductarian, follow a plant-based diet or are trying to reduce food waste, most of us are becoming more conscious of the impact our food choices have on the planet as well as our health.

Most elements of a healthy diet are aligned with environmental concerns – eating fewer processed foods, more fruits and veg, and choosing organic. The health food shop is where you’re most likely to see Fair Trade produce and pick up eco-friendly toiletries and cleaning products alongside your dinner. But, occasionally, a trend for a new superfood will skyrocket, demand increases and consumers might not think about food miles and the impact on local workers and the environment until the negative effects hit the headlines. In December, for example, The Independent reported on trendy cafés banning avocados for ethical and environmental reasons. ‘Rest assured it is possible to be environmentally friendly and eat healthily, and we think it’s really important to take this holistic approach,’ says Clare Oxborrow, senior food campaigner at Friends of the Earth. ‘There are lots of small but significant changes to our diets that will help lessen the burden of agriculture on our precious environment.’

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is tackling this issue head on by producing its One Blue Dot toolkit – a resource to help dieticians consolidate nutritional and environmental science, and give the public helpful, consistent information on following a diet that’s healthy, varied and sustainable.

‘Eat food, not too much, mostly plant’