Questions tagged [food]
substance consumed to provide nutritional support for humans and animals. Use this tag for questions on the sustainability aspects of food in general. See also [meat],[fish],[cooking]
110
questions
45
votes
5
answers
13k
views
How to preserve meat during warm months without electricity?
It's so easy to preserve food with a fridge. But if you don't have electricity, because of some big disaster or resource depletion, how would you handle preserving meat?
In winter it is relatively ...
- 2,463
25
votes
10
answers
886
views
How can I manage my fridge's contents better?
Sadly, about 30-50% of the Western world's food is thrown away. Personally, I waste about half of my food, due to poor fridge management. I forget what I have bought and find expired food located in ...
- 521
24
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Why does cheese have such a high carbon footprint?
(Source of information here)
As you can see, cheese has the third highest carbon footprint. Only beef and lamb have a higher footprint.
Several other sources (such as this) corroborate this.
Why is ...
- 801
22
votes
2
answers
442
views
Local greenhouse/hothouse vegetables vs. remote naturally-grown vegetables
I've often wondered what is ecologically better:
A tomato from the region grown in a (heated) greenhouse/hothouse
A tomato from several thousand km away grown naturally
Ceteris paribus, are there ...
- 2,526
19
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Meat or fish, which requires more energy to produce?
In general it is assumed that the energy that is required to produce a certain type of food is a good surrogate for the total environmental burden of food products. I scanned some studies to compare ...
- 1,708
18
votes
4
answers
14k
views
What kind of nuts are eco-friendly?
I'm vegetarian but I need a high-protein diet. I was eating a lot of beans but they're not so great for my digestion. My belly really prefers nuts instead.
I know a lot of veggies eat cashews, but ...
- 183
18
votes
1
answer
700
views
How much space do I need for a colony of grasshoppers?
Grasshoppers are a valuable source of protein, and they eat many different types of plants.
But how large an area do I need for a colony of grasshoppers providing about 100kg of "meat" a year? In a ...
- 2,463
17
votes
5
answers
2k
views
What is the most sustainable way to handle food waste...throwing food scraps into garbage or down my sink's garbage disposal?
Every night when I wash dishes, I either throw food scraps down the garbage disposal or throw it in the trash.
Is it more sustainable to throw food scraps down the garbage disposal? I think things ...
- 569
17
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What area is needed to grow enough food to sustain a person for a year?
I was wondering, what area space (m²) do I need to plant rice/bean in order to sustain one person for a year?
- 271
17
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What to do with expired food?
When I last visited my grandmother I found a couple of expired cans of peaches. Given that they should have been consumed three years ago I don't think it's safe to eat them.
I was thinking about ...
- 1,502
17
votes
1
answer
208
views
How can I save seeds from a tomato for replanting?
I am a first time seeder and I am trying to save the seeds from the fruits and vegetables I consume so I can plant them later. I understand how to properly save most seeds like. However, I am unsure ...
- 1,414
16
votes
9
answers
44k
views
Alternative to paper towels for draining fried food?
When frying food, what's a good alternative to paper towels for soaking up/draining excess oil?
- 384
14
votes
3
answers
249
views
Is eating beef unsustainable?
I recently saw a poster somewhere saying that some type of emission or byproduct that comes out of cattle production is extremely wasteful and harmful to the environment. What exactly is this ...
- 141
14
votes
2
answers
233
views
How to utilize a boreal forest for animal husbandry?
Forests are the great producers of oxygen, and sustainable living is hardly imaginable with meadows and farmlands only.
But how to best utilize a forest for animal husbandry, in the way that ...
- 2,463
14
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Which is more sustainable: Almond, Soy, Coconut, Cashew or Other Milk?
As my question indicates, what is the most viable dairy alternative from a sustainability perspective (ignoring the importance of nutritional value)? From a life-cycle analysis are some options more ...
- 143
13
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Is it legal to have chickens in NYC?
I have a small backyard and live in a densely populated part of Brooklyn. I'm interested in exploring the possibility of getting two chickens for eggs. I was wondering if anyone has any advice for ...
- 331
13
votes
2
answers
131
views
Should I raise my own animals, or support a local farm?
This winter we raised two hogs. We don't have too much land, and don't grow the grains that would be required for fully feeding them from products grown on our hobby farm.
My question is whether it ...
- 603
13
votes
1
answer
225
views
Is plastic food packaging 100% reusable?
There is the prominent argument that we should buy food without plastic packaging because plastic is made of oil and thus bad.
I'm wondering, however, what if the plastic packaging remains in the ...
- 1,379
12
votes
1
answer
91
views
How much area to feed the colony of snails?
Snails are good source of proteins. How much area should I have to provide food for the colony of snails producing about 100kg of "meat" every year?
- 2,463
12
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How food producers calculate "best before" date?
How food producers calculate "best before" date?
Why I'm asking on SL? Because I'd rather not waste food to be sustainable. And many times I'm advised (by "best before" date put on food package) to ...
- 713
11
votes
5
answers
424
views
Yeasts - Home production for alcoholic beverages / Baking / etc
Yeasts are used to produce "alcoholic beverages" / beer / wine, to bake, yogurt/cheese, etc....
Going to a shop and buy some baker's yeast is easy but not a long term solution, at least the ones I ...
- 209
10
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Sustainable way to get rid of rats?
Here where I live, there is a food store located beside my home.
Due to that, there is a problem with rats and because of the rats, lots of other problems occur. They cut up many things and defile the ...
- 1,777
10
votes
1
answer
132
views
Does vegetarianism help in protecting nature?
Recently I saw a documentary in youtube 'Home'. It points out that in America, for feeding cattle, a lot of wheat and other food products are used and these animals are then killed for food. What are ...
- 509
9
votes
5
answers
324
views
Any food and grocery buying systems that lead to less food waste?
I am not asking for specific diets or reducing plastic waste. Many people may not want to change their diets.
How do people buy food so that they throw away as little food as possible? There must be ...
- 947
9
votes
2
answers
254
views
What are the greenhouse gas benefits of vegetarianism?
I'm looking for a range, or better yet, likelihood distribution, compared to:
The average US meat consumer.
The average world meat consumer.
How significantly are those averages affected by:
...
- 1,192
9
votes
1
answer
980
views
Olive oil versus sunflower oil
I wondered what was the best, in one hand for the health (but I guess the question should be asked somewhere else, shouldn't it?) and in the other hand for the earth.
Which one, if there is one, is ...
- 279
9
votes
3
answers
329
views
What is the environmental impact of meal kit subscriptions (Blue Apron, etc)?
According to Wikipedia, a meal-kit is...
...a subscription service that sends customers pre-portioned food ingredients and recipes for them to prepare homecooked meals.
Well-known examples include ...
- 11.7k
9
votes
1
answer
369
views
Indoor tilapia aquaponic farm in condo/apartment?
Are there problems with an aquaponic tilapia farm for a condo/apartment living space? Is this sustainable and safe?
I'm thinking there might be problems with humidity/mold and possible water pump ...
- 601
8
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Can real straw be used as a natural drinking straw?
I'm wondering if grass (or something else) straw was ever used for making drinking straws before plastic ones were made.
My daughter loves having a straw in her drink but it irks me to have to throw ...
- 8,735
8
votes
3
answers
480
views
Optimising crop yields without using fossil-fuel-manufactured fertiliser
The green revolution produced a step change in crop yields. Although nitrogen-based fertilisers have been produced without fossil fuels, a very large proportion of global fertiliser production depends ...
- 14.7k
8
votes
3
answers
266
views
Avoid eating tuna (as it is endangered)?
I heard that tuna is disseaparing, I "verified" on the Greenpeace link. It seems hard to believe it, is this for real? The "pig" of the oceans, one of the most common, one of the favourites? Or it's ...
- 133
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to ripen fruit fast without harmful chemicals?
I want to know that how I can ripen fruit as fast as possible. Fruit sellers are using chemicals to do that which is harmful. I would like to know if there are any safe chemicals or other techniques ...
- 1,777
8
votes
2
answers
228
views
Would a tax on non-organic meat have environmental benefits?
The production of livestock is responsible for a massive share of the methane that is released into the atmosphere, and is a major contributor to global warming.
Sources:
The Lancet: "Food, ...
- 11.7k
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How environmentally friendly is the production process of vitamin B12 supplements?
A vegan diet recommends the use of fortified foods and supplements (Wikipedia).
How environmentally friendly is the production process of these vitamin B12 pills? Might it maybe even be better for ...
- 1,379
8
votes
1
answer
350
views
How can I clean old cooking oil for use in candles?
I have a tupperware of old cooking oil in the fridge that I've been debating throwing away - but I would rather re-use it than just toss it. Can I render it and make it into jar candles? It's ...
- 634
8
votes
4
answers
21k
views
How can we detect if a water melon contains artificial colouring?
Recently I heard at the market that water melons are injected with artificial colouring to make them look fresh and attractive, even though it is very harmful for anyone who consumes them.
Is there a ...
- 247
8
votes
2
answers
760
views
How safe is it to manufacture and use silicone?
Silicone seems to be used in more and more products over time. At home, I have a silicone oven mitt, silicone bakeware, (partly) silicone tongs, and a silicone bowl-scraper.
It seems like a very ...
- 8,735
7
votes
3
answers
551
views
When buying beer is refilling growlers better than recycling bottles and cans?
I'm trying to decide if it's worth buying all my beer in reusable growlers (32-64 oz. / 0.9-1.9 liter reusable glass containers). I live in New York, so doing so requires me to go out of my way but is ...
- 125
7
votes
3
answers
512
views
What is an environmentally-conscious replacement for white yogurt?
I am looking for an environmentally conscious replacement for white yogurt. I do have a couple of ideas for foods that could work well, but I have very little clue if they are a better choice from the ...
- 171
7
votes
1
answer
104
views
Rye cultivation and rye flour
In view of the possibility of cultivating rye to become self-sufficient in bread and flour, I am looking for a good estimate of the following quantities:
the surface of area planted with rye needed ...
- 1,121
7
votes
1
answer
843
views
Storing whole chickens without plastic?
Inspired by this comment:
Try to replace [ziplock bags] with something else, and reuse the ones you have until they fall apart. I haven't used ziplock bags in over 5 years and haven't missed them. –...
- 3,337
7
votes
2
answers
433
views
Are there any experiences with small-scale duckweed farming using domestic wastes or wastewater?
Duckweeds are among the fastest growing higher plants, edible and rich in protein. They grow in lakes that are rich in nutrients, for example from fertilizer runoff. They have been used as tests for ...
- 2,836
7
votes
2
answers
265
views
Is cheese as bad as beef for the environment?
Among foods, beef is frequently noted as one of the biggest causes of global warming, particularly because cattle produce methane as part of their digestion. Cheese is less frequently discussed in ...
- 338
7
votes
1
answer
117
views
Freezing Ice Pops Sustainably
When storing ice pops for retail customers, I need to package them in a freezer-safe ,clear wrapping. I would like for it to be compostable, but apparently the compostable cellophane options are not ...
- 71
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there a cheap, sustainable alternative to newspapers for wrapping food?
Here where I live a worker who used to sell some soft snacks like bread etc. uses newspaper to wrap and pack the snacks. I have read that the ink of the letters typed in the newspaper may mix with the ...
- 1,777
6
votes
1
answer
120
views
Preserving opened canned food
I am living by myself since the end of last year. When grocery shopping, I've noticed that canned food (beans, peas, salsas, etc.) is usually 500g or more, which is too much to eat for one seat.
I've ...
- 163
6
votes
4
answers
763
views
How should I store fruits and vegetables in the fridge?
I currently use plastic food containers like those in the below picture of different sizes.
Is it better (in terms of energy consumption) for the fridge?
Should the containers be sealed or not?
...
- 1,121
6
votes
2
answers
303
views
Most eco-friendly staple food
I was wondering what the most eco-friendly high-starch food is — not per kg but per calorie — I am looking for something to eat large amounts of when hungry after my main meals. Thanks.
Grains and ...
- 163
6
votes
1
answer
196
views
Do the veggies you eat today have the same amount of vitamins and minerals as they used to twenty years ago?
The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) recommended to us by health experts are based on the amount of nutrition in fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. The RDA hasn't changed since decades.
Are any ...
- 163
6
votes
2
answers
341
views
How can people afford to be self-sufficient and sustainable?
One thing I constantly battle with is money and affording to be more self-sufficient. Don't get me wrong – I earn good money, I have managed finances and a few debts but this post isn't really about ...
- 61