the environment on a platter -...

We are what we eat, and what we eat affects both our health and the well-

being of the planet.

In fact, food is one of the three main culprits in the pollution of the envi-ronment, together with housing and traffic. When determining the envi-ronmental impacts of various foods, the key factor is how the food is pro-duced and processed, including culti-

vation, fertilizing, harvesting and pre-paration methods.

The Environment

on a Platter

This brochure describes the impacts of food on the environment, including carbon emissions and eut-

rophication. The effects are very similar for all foods, with the exception of fish. Fish caught in the wild redu-ce eutrophication while farmed fish have the opposite effect.

The preparation of food plays a significant role in its environmental impact. For instance, the hea-

ting of ovens and stoves requires electricity. Cooking oatmeal on a stove accounts for almost two thirds of its entire environmental impact, while preparing it in a microwave reduces this impact considerably. When using an oven to prepare food, it is recommended to heat the oven only once and to use the resulting heat to make several dishes.

Throwing away food is not only a burden on the environment, it is also a waste of energy and mo-

ney. Before preparing meals, it is worthwhile to esti-mate as precisely as possible the amount of food that will be consumed. If anything is left over, you can use it the next day, take it to work as lunch or turn it in-to a new dish.

The plate model provides guidance on eating in an environmentally-friendly manner. Foods can

be divided roughly into two groups based on their en-vironmental impact. Crops and vegetables grown on farmland have been shown to have the lowest car-bon footprints and eutrophication impacts. In cont-rast, animal products and plants that require a lot of energy to grow have high impacts. Also the packaging and cold storage of food, requires a lot of energy. To best take the environment into account when choo-sing your meals, fill your plate with vegetables that are in season, and add only moderate amounts of dai-ry products, meat or fish. It is the meal as a whole that counts.

Choose ingredients for your meals based on the current season. In the summer, opt for farm-grown vegetables, and in the wintertime, pick foods that can be stored without freezing, such as carrots, beets, cab-bage, rutabagas and turnips. Complete your diet with berries, fruit and fish from the wild when they can be enjoyed fresh from nature.

P l at e m o d e l

» In the model, half the plate is filled with vegetables, a fourth with meat, fish or legumes, and the remaining fourth with potato-es, pasta, rice or grains. A glass of milk or buttermilk, bread and a bread spread and a dessert al-so belong to this example meal.» The portion size has been cal-culated for women and teenage girls doing light work and enga-ging in moderate exercise. One portion corresponds to about 1/3 of your daily energy needs (around 650 kcal). Portions for primary school-aged children can be attained by reducing about 100 kcal from the examp-le meal, and portions for tee-nage boys and men by adding about 200 kcal.

C a r b o n f o o t P r i n t kg CO2

ekv/kg

The carbon footprint of food indica-tes how much greenhouse gas emis-sions are released into the atmosphe-re from the production, transport, preservation and processing of food. The carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) represents all the greenhouse gas emissions.

e u t r o P h i C at i o n g PO4 ekv/kg

Of all the domestic environmental factors, the food production chain is responsible for over 50 percent of the eutrophication of our water sys-tems. It contributes well over half of the nitrogen and phosphorous runoff. The impact of 1 kg of phosphorous contamination in the water is expres-sed with the phosphorous equivalent (PO4e).

Vegetable puree soupCarrot slaw

Beetroot and apple slawDressing/oil

Rye breadBread spread

MilkCurd cream with berries

Vegetable puree soup 650Vegetable puree soup 300gCarrot slaw 50 gBeetroot and apple slaw 50 gDressing 5 gMilk 2 dlRye bread 2 x 30 gBread spread 2 x 6 gCurd cream with berries 150 g

f r u i t s a n d v e g e -ta b l e s» Seasonal fruits, vege-tables and berries are the basics of an environ-mentally-friendly meal. Domestically grown po-tatoes and root vegetab-les have the lowest car-bon dioxide emissions per kilogram, under 0.4 kg CO2e/kg. Increasing the portion of fruits and vegetables in one’s diet reduces its environmen-tal impact and is also better for one’s health.

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6

0,75 1,61

CO2

0,21

0,01

0,01

0,02

0,07

0,01

0,27

0,16

Carbon footprint kg CO2 eqv/kg

Eutrophication g PO4 ekv/kg

Vegetable puree soupCarrot slaw

Beetroot and apple slawDressing/oil

Rye breadBread spread

MilkCurd cream with berries

0,22

0,01

0,07

0,01

0,11

0,05

0,66

0,48PO4

kca

l

Broad bean burgersMashed potatoes

Sour cream sauceCarrot slaw

Salad dressing Milk

Oat breadBread spread

Apple

Broad bean burgersMashed potatoes

Sour cream sauceCarrot slaw

Salad dressing Milk

Oat breadBread spread

Apple

0,10

0,12

0,08

0,02

0,05

0,27

0,02

0

0,06

C e r e a l s» Cereals are an important part of our daily diet. In Finland, wheat is the most common grain grown for hu-man consumption. » Almost all cereals

are environmentally-fri-endly and have a car-bon footprint of under 1 kg CO2e/kg. Rice is the only exception, with va-rious research placing its carbon footprint at anywhere from 2.5 to 6 kg CO2e/kg. Rice can be replaced with do-mestic alternatives such as barley. Remember to select whole grains, when possible.

0,721,58

CO2

Broad bean steak 650Broad bean burgers 130 gMashed potatoes 200 gSour cream sauce 50 gCarrot slaw 100 gSalad dressing 15 gMilk 2 dlBread 30 gBread spread 6 gApple 185 g

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6

0,21

0,21

0,05

0,01

0,03

0,66

0,01

0,02

0,37


PO4

kca

l


Baked pikeBoiled potatoes

Boiled peasBread

Bread spreadMilk

Berry dessertSugar

0,34

0,09

0,05

0,03

0

0,27

0,02

0,01

0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 -0,4 -0,3 -0,2 -0,1 -0,8 -0,7 -0,6 -0,5

Boiled potatoesBoiled peas

BreadBread spread

MilkBerry dessert

Sugar


0,04

0,10

0,05

0,02

0,66

0,11

0,01

Baked pike

-0,9

-0,98

0,810,02

CO2

Baked pike 630Baked pike 200 gBoiled potatoes 150 gBoiled peas 65 gMilk 2 dlBread 30 gBread spread 6 gBerry dessert 150 gSugar 10 g

PO4

f i s h

» Domestic fish is an excel-lent choice for an environ-mentally-friendly plate. The size of the carbon footprint depends on the origin of the fish. Catching fish in the wild removes nutrients from the waters and reduces eutrophi-cation. Wild fish also do not consume fish feed, so their environmental effects are much smaller than those of farmed fish.» Pike and baltic herring, for example, are easy on the pocket and also environmen-tally-friendly. However, old and large specimens should be consumed in moderation since they may contain higher levels of dioxins or mercury.

kca

l


Baked rainbow troutBoiled potatoes

Boiled peasBread

Bread spreadMilk

Berry dessertSugar

0,04

0,1

0,05

0,02

0,66

0,11

0,01

Baked rainbow troutBoiled potatoes

Boiled peasBread

Bread spreadMilk

Berry dessertSugar

0,36

0,09

0,05

0,03

0

0,27

0,02

0,01

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 1,9 1,1

0,84CO2

PO4

2,89

» Compared to beef, farmed rainbow trout in Finland has a carbon footprint of only one six-th, but the numbers flip the other way when it comes to eutrophication effects. One kilogram of rainbow trout has trip-le the eutrophication im-pact of one kilogram of beef, and quadruple that of one kilogram of pork.The environmental im-pact of rainbow trout has fallen by about a fifth over the last ten years. This is mostly the result of a more efficient use of feed.

Baked rainbow trout 630Baked rainbow trout 200 gBoiled potatoes 150 gBoiled peas 65 gMilk 2 dlBread 30 gBread spread 6 gBerry dessert 150 gSugar 10 g



1,89

»

Farmed fish only con-tain small amounts of

harmful substances since their feed is re-

gulated.

kca

l

Pork fillet

660Pork tenderloin 140 gBoiled potatoes 165 gBrown gravy 50 gBoiled vegetables 100 gMilk 2 dlBread 30 gBread spread 6 gBerry dessert 100 g

1,28CO2

PO4

3,12

Pork tenderloinBoiled potatoes

Brown gravyBoiled vegetables

MilkBread

Bread spreadBerry dessert

Pork tenderloinBoiled potatoes

Brown gravyBoiled vegetables

MilkBread

Bread spreadBerry dessert

0,66

0,09

0,01

0,11

0,27

0,03

0

0,11

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8


kca

l

m e at s

» The production of me-at has the highest envi-ronmental impact of all food items. This means that the easiest way to reduce environmental impacts is to limit the use of meat. » The production of beef has the largest car-bon dioxide emissions, reaching as high as 20 kg CO2e/kg in Finland. On the other hand, catt-le grazes on grass that people cannot eat, and grass binds nutrients in the soil and prevents their runoff into the wa-ters. Grazing can al-so preserve traditional landscapes.

0,9 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6

Carbon dioxide emissions from pork pro-duction are nearly 6 kg CO2e/kg, while

poultry production causes 4 kg CO2e/kg and egg production 2.7 kg CO2e/kg.

1,65

0,04

0,02

0,35

0,66

0,05

0,02

0,32


Meatballs640Meatballs 100 gMashed potatoes 150 gBrown gravy 50 gCarrot slaw 60 gOrange juice 15 gMilk 2 dlBread 30 gBread spread 6 gOrange 300 g

1,66CO2

PO4

3,12

MeatballsMashed potatoes

Brown gravyCarrot slaw

Orange juiceMilk

BreadBread spread

Orange

MeatballsMashed potatoes

Brown gravyCarrot slaw

Orange juiceMilk

BreadBread spread

Orange

Hiilijalanjälki CO² ekv/kg

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9

1,0 1,1

kca

l



The protein from meat can also be replaced by eating mushrooms and various protein-rich legumes such as beans and peas.

0,97

0,16

0,02

0,01

0,04

0,66

0,05

0,02

1,17

1,08

0,09

0,01

0,01

0,01

0,27

0,03

0

0,15

d a i r y P r o d u C t s

» Emissions from milk are less than 2 kg CO2e/kg. Ap-proximately 10 li-ters of milk are us-ed to make one kilo of cheese, which increases cheese’s carbon footprint by more than 10 kg CO2e/kg. In other words, it is worth li-miting the consump-tion of dairy pro-ducts in your daily diet to milk, butter-milk, yogurt and si-milar products. Lea-ve cheese aside for those special mo-ments.

Pizza with ham and pineappleGreen saladCarrot slaw

Salad dressingMilk

Apple

0,04

0,01

0,01

0,66

0,37

Ham pizza 650Pizza with ham and pineapple 260 gGreen salad 50 gCarrot slaw 50 gSalad dressing 5 gMilk 2 dlApple 185 g Pizza with ham and pineapple

Green saladCarrot slaw

Salad dressingMilk

Apple

0,07

0,01

0,02

0,27

0,68

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8

2,68CO2 PO4

2,751,63

1,67



The best sources of healthy unsaturated fats are rape-

seed oil and fish.

kca

l

fat s , b u t t e r , r a P e s e e d o i l , a n d o l i v e o i l

» When it comes to fats, margarine and rapeseed oil have the lowest environ-mental impacts. Their car-bon footprint is about 1 kg CO2e/kg. The environmen-tal impact of olive oil is less than that of butter, which has a carbon footprint of about 4.8 kg CO2e/kg. Sin-ce unsaturated fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, remember to include them in your meal plans. Sources of fats include not only oils and butter but also meat and fish.

Hamburger 650Mince meat burger 100 g Wheat bun 70 gHamburger sauce 10 gIceberg lettuce 30 gKetchup 10 gOnion 10 gGreen salad 80 gPickles 10 gFries 50 gSoft drink 2 dl

1,58CO2

PO4

1,30

Mince meat burgerWheat bun

Hamburger sauceIceberg lettuce

KetchupOnion

Green saladPickles

FriesSoft drink


0,11

0,04

0,01

0,01

0

0,12

0

0,01

0,02

0,97

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0

Co

mP

ar

e

CO

2

PO

4

Mas

hed

pota

toes

150

g

0,0

9

0,1

6

Boile

d po

tato

es 1

65 g

0

,09

0

,04

Boile

d ri

ce 7

0 g

1

,4

2,2

7

Broa

d be

an b

urge

r 13

0 g

0

,1

0,2

1

Min

ce m

eat b

urge

r 10

0g

1,0

8

0,9

7

kca

l

Mince meat burgerWheat bun

Hamburger sauceIceberg lettuce

KetchupOnion

Green saladPickles

FriesSoft drink


1,08

0,04

0,04

0,01

0,04

0

0,12

0

0,03

0,22

ve

rta

a

CO

2

PO

4

Rye

brea

d 30

g

0,0

3

0,0

5

Whe

at b

un 7

0 g

0,0

4

0,1

1

Milk

2 d

l 0

,27

0

,66

Soft

dri

nk 2

dl

0,2

2

0,0

2

C h e C k l i s t f o r f r i e n d s o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t

» Don’t waste food» Choose berries and mushrooms

from the wild» Choose locally-produced and

seasonal food» Choose vegetables grown on

farmland» Eat meat in moderation, especi-

ally beef» Use domestic fish caught from

the wild» Have at least one vegetarian

day per week» Choose beans, peas, lentils» Use rapeseed oil» Select domestic cereals and po-

tatoes» Reduce your consumption of

rice » Plan trips to the grocery store

carefully if using a car

Food pictures Teppo Juhanson/Ateljee Unlimited

Layout The Martha Organization, 2013

www.foodweb.ut.ee

www.mtt.fi

www.syke.fi

www.martat.fi

This report reflects the author’s view and the Programme’s Managing Authority cannot be held liable for the information published by the project partners.

the environment on a platter -...

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