ASSIGNMENT 3:
REPORT
Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems: HSN105
Word Count: 1185
Hope De Witt
Student ID: 5006531
, Introduction
The food industry has had a major negative impact on the environment. It accounts for 26%
of the greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of freshwater withdrawals worldwide (1). A
sustainable diet that is considered to have a low impact on the environment and food supply
and is generally healthy. Although there are meat products with a lower carbon footprint then
other products, there is a large difference when compared to plant-based proteins which have
the lowest impact on the environment and is therefore more sustainable. Overall, reducing
meat is the most effective way of making an individual’s diet more sustainable and healthier
by providing essential nutrients and reducing carbon footprint (1). This report will describe
the importance of behaviour change in reducing food packaging waste and meeting
consuming plant-based protein to meet diet recommendations. An intervention that focuses
on behaviour change in an individual will be presented with approaches that are evidently
successful.
Reducing Food Waste Packaging
Plastic world production has increased by 4.2% between 2015 and 2016 reaching 335 million
tons (2). 40% of food packaging ends up in landfill which accounts for 9 million tons plastic
packing waste which had a major negative impact on the environment. An extensive amount
of food wastage in households is related to short shelf-life of fresh produce due to food
packaging. To reduce food-waste packaging that are oil based, there is a packaging product
that can be used to increase shelf-life of products and reduce the pressure on agricultural land.
The solution is to replace non-renewable oil resources with bio-sourced/plastic (2).
Australian’s waste 1.9 million tons of packaging each year with (3). The productions for this
use a large amount of energy, water and other natural resources and packaging waste also
pollutes air, water and soil (3). To avoid food packaging wastage some solutions, include (3):
- Growing food at home
- Using reusable containers
- Purchasing items with little or no packaging.
HOPE DE WITT
REPORT
Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems: HSN105
Word Count: 1185
Hope De Witt
Student ID: 5006531
, Introduction
The food industry has had a major negative impact on the environment. It accounts for 26%
of the greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of freshwater withdrawals worldwide (1). A
sustainable diet that is considered to have a low impact on the environment and food supply
and is generally healthy. Although there are meat products with a lower carbon footprint then
other products, there is a large difference when compared to plant-based proteins which have
the lowest impact on the environment and is therefore more sustainable. Overall, reducing
meat is the most effective way of making an individual’s diet more sustainable and healthier
by providing essential nutrients and reducing carbon footprint (1). This report will describe
the importance of behaviour change in reducing food packaging waste and meeting
consuming plant-based protein to meet diet recommendations. An intervention that focuses
on behaviour change in an individual will be presented with approaches that are evidently
successful.
Reducing Food Waste Packaging
Plastic world production has increased by 4.2% between 2015 and 2016 reaching 335 million
tons (2). 40% of food packaging ends up in landfill which accounts for 9 million tons plastic
packing waste which had a major negative impact on the environment. An extensive amount
of food wastage in households is related to short shelf-life of fresh produce due to food
packaging. To reduce food-waste packaging that are oil based, there is a packaging product
that can be used to increase shelf-life of products and reduce the pressure on agricultural land.
The solution is to replace non-renewable oil resources with bio-sourced/plastic (2).
Australian’s waste 1.9 million tons of packaging each year with (3). The productions for this
use a large amount of energy, water and other natural resources and packaging waste also
pollutes air, water and soil (3). To avoid food packaging wastage some solutions, include (3):
- Growing food at home
- Using reusable containers
- Purchasing items with little or no packaging.
HOPE DE WITT
