Sustainable Food Systems: 6 Ways To Improve Them

Having a sustainable food system nowadays is of great importance. We are faced with numerous dangers caused due our careless lifestyles. People have started to take care of the environment in many ways, such as reducing plastic waste that is harmful to our planet. Our planet is our only home, and it is time we start taking good care of it.

One of the ways to keep our planet clean is a sustainable food system. However, what is this system exactly? It includes many processes related to food production, from the seed to the plates. The sustainable food system is not just about keeping our planet healthier but also about economic and social justice.

Luckily, there are ways to make the food system more sustainable, as presented below.

Purchase from sustainable farms

When shopping for food in your hometown, consider purchasing local produce grown and developed using sustainable farming practices. These practices are the cornerstone of any sustainable food system. Sustainable farming is the best way to approach growing food as it is more natural. It preserves the fertility of the soil, prevents excess water usage, and promotes biodiversity.

Some sustainable framing practices include (but are not limited to) aquaponics, where food is grown in aquariums with fish, urban agriculture, where food is developed in urban areas, permaculture, food forests, etc.

Purchasing food grown using these practices will further help in promoting this type of agriculture.

Grow your own food

If you have the conditions for growing your food, you might be one step ahead in the sustainable food system. If you don’t have a garden or live in an apartment, you can grow some vegetables inside. It’s a good idea to try to produce something of your own.

This home production will be enough for your needs. Moreover, the fruits and vegetables you grow in your own home will be healthier than the store-bought ones because you probably won’t use as many chemicals.

Support small producers

Sometimes, the only choice that food producers have is to sell their products to bigger companies. Many of these people don’t have enough assets to start their businesses and earn a profit for themselves. However, you can help with this problem.

Purchasing food from small producers can make a difference and improve the food system’s sustainability. By supporting small and local producers, you will help the new generations of farmers, and you will be able to buy cleaner and healthier food. Your mindful purchase can help with the general issue of making the food system sustainable.

Protect Agricultural land

Many farmers across the globe decided to sell their land because they ran out of business. The food production industry is a difficult job, and we understand that it is sometimes unmanageable. However, when these people sell their land, it will most likely be used as a construction site for a new industry.

It is vital to keep the land we have for producing food. To protect the land, you can protest against building new industries and support agricultural purposes. When someone buys land suitable for growing food, there is no need to ruin it and create something that will further endanger our planet.

Avoid food wastage

Wasting food has become one of the biggest problems of the present day. Around one-third of all food is thrown away or wasted. Food wastage can cause severe problems for our planet since it can create greenhouse gas emissions, increasing global warming.

To reduce food waste problems, buy only the amount of food you need and nothing more. It is always better to run to the store and buy more if needed than to throw your food away. It might seem like you are throwing away small amounts of food, but that amount is also dangerous. We can make the planet healthier one step at a time.

Educate yourself and others

To make the food system sustainable, we need to get the word out and educate people about all the dangers we face. More people should know how vital it is to make our food system sustainable for the environment and people. Many people worldwide are unaware that food can cause significant societal problems, and you should educate others about it.

Moreover, by spreading the word, you will get more people to start living a sustainable lifestyle. If all of us took matters into our own hands, we would surely make our planet a better home for our families.

Conclusion

A sustainable food system can cause many troubles in our society and on our planet. Food waste can represent one of the best friends of global warming. However, people have started to pay attention to the food system’s sustainability. We have covered some things you can do to change the food system.

The food producers and our planet will thank you if you follow these steps. Moreover, you can go one step at a time to make a visible change. The crucial thing is to spread the word and make others aware of the food system’s impact.