Kitchens, canteens, restaurants and supermarkets – these are the places where we manage our 2000m² field: Every meal we eat, every food purchase we make, can be seen as an indirect order to our agricultural producers. However, what each of us really consumes varies enormously.
Our eating habits differ according to age, income, culture, energy requirement and many additional factors; however the average European consumes nearly a tonne of food a year.
Expressed in energy, this works out at around 3,500 kilocalories a day. This amount might see the kitchen slightly cramped, and you certainly don’t want to eat that much every day! So isn’t it a consolation that we throw away nearly half of our food on its journey from farm to plate?
Useful Links
LiveWell – Looks at health, nutrition, carbon and affordability of food, and demonstrates how healthy diets can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Hungry Planet: What the World eats
– 30 families, 24 countries, 600 meals: Family Food Portraits by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio
Slow Food
– Encourages people to choose good food that is produced in harmony with the environment and local cultures
European Handbook on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – Describes the key aspects of this partnership between a farm and consumers, and offers tips on how to get a CSA project started
Soil Association
– Aims to give everyone access to food that is good for them and good for the planet
Eating Better – Encourages a culture where we place greater value on the food we eat, the animals that provide it and the people who produce it
