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
6
votes
1
answer
73
views
Reference request - Farm level, multi year comparison between organic and conventional agriculture
This meta study on the crop yield gap suggests that organic farming has about 80% the yield of conventional farming at the field level, yields may vary widely and organic yields can surpass ...
- 2,836
1
vote
2
answers
324
views
What type of guinea pigs will keep a food forest well cleaned?
I'm building a food forest, and was wondering what type of guinea pigs would work best to keep a food forest floor clean while not harming my plants so I can have plenty of food as well as getting ...
- 573
0
votes
4
answers
296
views
Using other peoples resources for basic living
For at least a few weeks, I've been living using others resources. I do not own a cellphone and have no expenses except my car insurance. I'm currently using my car for sleep and transportation. For ...
- 19
6
votes
1
answer
96
views
Best vegetables for roof top garden?
I have a small garden on the roof of an appartment Building, and I have an area of 3 square meters to plant crops. Last year I planted carrots and got around 100 distributed over the year.
This year ...
- 63
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
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
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
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
5
votes
1
answer
194
views
Energy requirements for sustainable food production system
Overview
Consider the following system for sustainable food production:
The purpose of this system is to provide an environmentally-friendly, semi- (or fully-) automated means to produce food for ...
- 185
5
votes
5
answers
5k
views
What's the best use for pig fat (lard)?
We have two Tamworth pigs coming back from the butcher tomorrow with a decent amount of fat (don't know how many pounds yet). What are the best and/or most economical uses of pig fat or lard?
I'm not ...
- 153
6
votes
1
answer
514
views
What's the largest polyculture farm out there?
I'm curious if anyone has an information about the largest polyculture farms that have been able to be successful. Are planning and harvesting techniques good enough to make polyculture economically ...
- 161
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
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
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
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
5
votes
2
answers
5k
views
What depth of soil is required for a roof top garden?
What depth of soil is required for a roof top garden?
In particular I am looking to grow plants that will produce food without requiring re-planting yearly (like strawberries and chives). However I ...
- 195
5
votes
2
answers
188
views
Aquaculture from nothing
I'm in the process of setting up an aquaponics (recirculating aquaculture) system. The main fish being raised are Channel Catfish, and in a separate tank I am also attempting to raise Guppies as a ...
- 161
4
votes
1
answer
114
views
How many people depend on food banks worldwide?
A large amount of edible food is wasted by households (corresponding to unsustainable behaviours) that could potentially be diverted to food banks. I am interested in the potential of people who could ...
- 1,379
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
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
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
5
votes
2
answers
125
views
When transporting high-end food stuff from Chita to Moscow, which method is more fuel efficient, by rail or by air?
Chita is a Russian city nestled between Mongolia and Manchuria. Although Chita is located on the trans-siberian railway, I wonder if it is more energy efficient to ship 100 tons of cut beef every day ...
- 525
4
votes
3
answers
310
views
Why were meat, shrimps, vegetable, fruit in the past more delicious than they are now?
I traveled to many countries in the world and I found that generally meat, shrimps, vegetable, fruit in the past (like 30 years ago) were more delicious than they are now.
Is that because people try ...
- 165
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
6
votes
1
answer
507
views
How does yerba mate stack up against tea and coffee?
Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system - as most coffee drinkers will attest, it provides a boost to our productivity and creativity. It has also been associated with lower ...
- 1,192
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
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
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
5
votes
2
answers
95
views
Which ecolabels take the whole life cycle of food products into account?
Many ecolabels that certify certain sustainability aspects of food products only consider a small portion of the food product's life cycle.
A prominent example may be the MSC label which addresses ...
- 1,708
6
votes
2
answers
127
views
Indoor Urban Garden Lighting
Is there a specific type of light source that outperforms others for indoor urban gardens?
This could be a combination of power usage and its effect on growing plants (i.e. spectrum it produces).
- 231
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
4
votes
1
answer
111
views
Are broiler chickens raised in "chicken tractors" less likely to get hock burn?
There is a discussion on the James Oliver site asking if a free-range bird can have hock burns. There are statements that a free-range chicken could develop hock burn due to exposure to mud.
A ...
user290
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