Run your own Supermarket Tours
Further Information
Context
1. Unseen
An example of how the impact of our purchases are unseen is the Australian
Conservation Foundation's “Consumption Atlas”, found at www.acfonline.org.au/consumptionatlas,
looks at the carbon and water footprint of households and compares different
areas. In terms of carbon, Transport (cars) and Ultilites (power), usually seen
as biggest contributors, only contributed 30% combined. Just the tip of the
iceberg. The unseen carbon footprint behind food contributed
another 30% and another 30% was in the goods we buy. (remaining
10% is for home renovations).
Our water footprint has a similar % breakdown, so you could reduce shower time
from 7min to 4min and save 60 litres a shower, that's 20,000 year. At the same
time by reducing your meat consumption by two150g serves per week, you'd save
another 20,000 litres a year.
2. Unsustainable
Our present system of food production is not sustainable. It takes 3.5 calories
in to produce every calorie out. In 1960 the ratio was about 1:1. This is largley
due to an important discovery in 1909 by two Germans Harber & Barsh who
were able to split nitrogen to make ammonium. This enables the feed stock for
Nitrogen-based fertilier, which is the basis for all conventional agricuylture
today. It is of course based on a finite resource – oil.
So huge amount of resources and energy go in, with waste (pollution) out. In
natural systems there is no concept of waste. All elements are used as part
of the next part of the cycle.
3. Connection
Our culture has lost connection with the things that sustain us. Kids think
milk comes from supermarket. It is only when we reclaim the knowledge about
the impacts of our choices that we can be responsible for them. Connect up dots.
Part of this is a 'relocalising' of our food. We know little about the many
proceses connected with a California orange. It's travelled over 12,000kms to
get to us. We may know more about an orange from Mildura having travelled 500kms.
But it's even more likely we'll know about the orange tree next door, that's
20 metres from us.
Plastic Bags
Most of us have a bunch of these in our cupboards. The trick is remembering
to have them with us when we reach the supermarket. There are 6.9 billion plastic
bags used every year in Australia.That's 7,000 per minute. Lots of unnecessary
plastic. That often ends up as waste. So put your bag in your handbag or rucksack,
or boot of your car. Treat them like your wallet or keys or glasses. Don't leave
home without them.
Eggs
With regular (caged) eggs, up to five hens are kept in small
wire cages with a minimum height of 40 centimetres and floor space of about
500-550 square centimetres. They have their beaks trimmed to prevent cannibalism.
With Barn-laid, Up to 1000 chooks live in a large barn divided
into pens. They can spread their wings, bathe in dust, perch and scratch for
food. The RSPCA has accredited several barn-egg producers. With Free-range,
hens are free to move around on open ground during the day. The Free Range Egg
and Poultry Association administers the FREPA accreditation scheme. more
Things you need to know
When thinking about the story behind stuff, it is useful to divide features
into these groups:
1. the product itself - includes packaging, nutrition content
(salt, sugar, fat)
2. the processes behind the product - includes wages and conditions
(fairtrade issues), genetic engineering, food (travel) miles, animal issues
(factory farming, animal testing)
3. the track record of the companies who own the brand - involvements
(military, gaming, tobacco, uranium, etc) and praises or criticisms in regards
to areas of environment, social, animals and governance.
