15 Nov How Chef’s Compliments is playing it’s part in protecting the planet
The world’s attention has been on Glasgow with COP26 taking place there and we’re all becoming more aware of the climate change crisis and things we can potentially do to help. Working in the food industry we are aware that food produce and the waste of it is one of the biggest strains on the planet which is why we have taken action to reduce our impact.
We have minimised our negative outputs in two main ways;
· 2 years ago we went paperless
· All our events are zero food waste
Going paperless
For our events we produce menus and recipe cards which we used to provide to client’s in paper form. We realised cutting down our use of this resource is just one way our work can have less of a burden on the planet. This was an area where we could make a change but not compromise on the service we offer to client’s as we still provide menus and recipe cards however these are now in digital form.
Although paper is a resource that can be recycled we recognised that cutting out use of it was the best thing when it comes to climate change. Not only does production of paper impact the environment, being made from trees means they are cut and killed by being burned which emits harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, then if paper is not disposed of correctly it either rots producing methane (a greenhouse gas) or it’s burned which again produces carbon dioxide.
Zero food waste
Around a third of food produced goes to waste and this has a negative impact on the environment. Working in this area this is something we can ensure we don’t contribute to by making sure all our events are zero waste.
Food waste sounds like an ethical problem because there are so many without food but this issue is not only an injustice for individuals but also for the impact it has on the planet. When food is wasted and goes to rot in landfills, like paper it produces potent methane. We could cut up to 8% of human caused greenhouse gas emissions if food waste came to an end.
At Chef’s Compliments we are doing our bit to stop food waste but here’s a few tips on what you can also do to help;
· Make a list- when we shop for food without one we can end up buying things we don’t need which then don’t get eaten, spoil and have to be thrown away.
· Freeze- make a switch to buying some of your items from the freezer, they will last longer reducing the potential of them being thrown out because they weren’t used by the date.
· Experiment- use what you already have before you shop for new items by researching recipes based on what’s in your fridge and cupboards. Don’t let fruit and veg that’s on the turn end up in your bin! These can often be used in baking, jam or soups. To get inspiration on how you can get creative to cut down on food waste we can also help with one of our tailored cooking lessons.
The last word- seasonal eating
One final thing to consider when it comes to food and climate change is adopting a seasonal diet. This is something we have promoted for many years now and you can read more about it in our previous blogs.
Seasonal eating has benefits for us individually but can also help the planet as we reduce our carbon footprint. When you make the switch to seasonal eating it means you’re eating more locally based on what is in season in the part of the world you are in. Consuming local produce has a lower carbon footprint than for example eating fruit and veg that has had to travel on a plane to get to your plate.
If you’re interested in making the switch to seasonal this is something Chef’s Compliments can assist with also. We can do a dinner party with a menu based on what is in season now or a cooking lesson teaching you how to make the most of the current produce.
If you would be interested in any of our services which could help you become a bit more eco friendly then contact us today.
