How to be a sustainable food tourist
Sustainability has never been more important or more widely discussed. The broad definition of sustainability is “the quality of being able to continue over a period of time”, while in an environmental context it’s defined as “the quality of causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time”. It’s this second definition that we’ll focus on. Here are some ways you can be a sustainable food tourist.
Dine in restaurants where the ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible
The carbon footprint will be much smaller as they won’t have had to travel as far. Plus, you’ll get the freshest taste, so it’s a win for your tastebuds too.
Minimise food waste and don’t over order
While it can be tempting to try as much as you can, food waste generates a greenhouse gas called methane when it’s sent to landfill. Not sure about portion size? Speak to the waitstaff or vendor, who’ll be able to give recommendations.
Take a cooking class
You’ll learn exactly what goes into making the local cuisine, take away tips you can use back home and you get to eat your creations at the end, too.
Visit local markets to sample produce and use it to try making a traditional disH
Don’t discount vegetarian or vegan dishes
(This will be easier in some places than others, especially if they have very meat or fish-heavy cuisine.) The rise in plant-based eating has given chefs the chance to be more creative with their recipe creation, plus a recent study has shown that a vegan diet:
- Results in 75% less emissions, water pollution and land use (than diets where over 100g of meat is consumed per day)
- Cuts the destruction of wildlife by 66%
- Cuts water use by 54%