Producing Your Own Food Is The Key To Slashing Your Carbon Footprint

A growing number of people are interested in being self-sufficient by producing their own food. One of the driving motivating factors was a desire to lower their carbon footprints. A few years ago, NPR reported that 35% of Americans grew their own food. This number has actually increased even more during the pandemic.

While the pandemic is a good reason to be self-sufficient, you should also consider the benefits of growing your own food for the environment. You should invest in growing your own food to lower your carbon footprint.

Important Ways that Producing Your Own Food Lowers Your Carbon Footprint

More and more people are talking about their carbon footprint and how their actions impact the planet. This is a great step in the right direction when it comes to taking climate change seriously. You may be surprised to learn how to do your bit from your own garden. How does growing your own food help reduce your carbon footprint?

How does growing your own food help reduce your carbon footprint? You can find a lot of green ways to grow your own food. You can even consider growing own food growing your own food indoor. You can find some important environmental benefits below.

Food Miles

Do you ever think about how far your food has travelled before it ends up in your kitchen? Food miles are the distance a certain food has to travel from its point of origin to its point of destination. 95% of food in the UK comes from abroad. Rainforests the size of ten football pitches are cut down within seconds to make way for more crops. Plus, the food travelling on the plane and then being distributed by lorry all add up to make a drastic impact on the planet. In the long-term, we cannot go on like this. 

Fewer Pesticides

You will be able to grow your own food without having to use dangerous pesticides as well. This doesn’t just reduce your carbon footprint (since it takes energy to produce them). It also reduces the harmful effect on the environment. It is also good for your health. We previously wrote that pesticides are found in 63% of the bread in the UK, so growing your own food means that you won’t have to consume them.

Grow Your Own

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. There is something you can do to help: start growing your own food. It can help the planet, and also gives you fresh produce to enjoy. Maybe you’re reading this and worried you don’t have enough space to grow anything in your garden. For this concern, Deborah Wood, director of Premier Polytunnels, recommended garden cloches. She said, “These are perfect for customers wanting to grow in a limited space, such as patios, yards, and raised beds. They are basically ‘mini’ polytunnels.”

You can also save a lot of money by growing food. How much can you save by growing your own food? One estimate shows that you can save $600 a year with just a 600 square foot garden.

What to Grow?

Once you’ve settled on your space, you need to think about what you’re actually going to grow. If you’ve never attempted anything like this, it’s best to start simple. Deborah Wood recommended: “Potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, and salad leaves are easy to look after and grow like mad in a polytunnel.” It’s best to start with a couple of things to get comfortable gardening, and then you grow from there. It’s also important to keep the seasons in mind. If you’re not sure when to plant certain products, have a look at this handy guide.

Growing Your Own Food is Great for the Environment and Your Health

Reducing your carbon footprint is one of the biggest benefits of growing your own food but it comes with extra perks, too. You’ll be amazed at how much money you can save when you start growing your own food. It’s cheaper than the supermarket and saves petrol money. Another win for you and the planet. Plus, fresh food tastes better and helps you lead a healthy lifestyle. It will encourage you to cook more as you don’t want your efforts going to waste.

It may feel like a small action but growing your own food can make a huge change for the environment. What would you like to grow?