We received an interesting reaction following one of our videos. Saskia saved eggs that were about to be wasted, but then received comments from followers pointing out that the eggs were not organic and also didn't score highly on animal welfare. A fair point or not? We understand the discussion. Because what weighs more heavily: grocery shopping as sustainably as possible or preventing good food from ending up in the bin? Ultimately, everyone makes their own choice, but of course, we have an opinion on it.
Saving food or sustainable purchasing?
This time, the discussion was about a carton of eggs, but this reader's question is actually about something much bigger. What do you do when a product might not be the most sustainable choice, but would otherwise be thrown away? Pop into any supermarket and there's a good chance the "don't waste me" section will be full of reduced-price products. Non-organic fruit and vegetables, white bread, dairy products or ready meals that are still perfectly edible. What do you choose then? Do you go for the organic option or would you rather save a product that would otherwise end up in the bin? We think that's an interesting question, because it actually pits two sustainability goals against each other. On the one hand, you want to choose products that are better for nature, the environment and animal welfare. On the other hand, you want to prevent food for which raw materials, water, energy and transport have already been used from being thrown away after all.
Why we take food waste seriously
We'd be lying if we said money plays no role whatsoever. A product with a 'don't waste me' sticker saves a considerable amount. And that's precisely what we love about it. This makes a sustainable choice also attainable for people with smaller wallets. But that's not the only reason why we like to browse the 'don't waste me' section or place an order with Foodello or Too Good To Go. Quite a lot goes into producing our food. It's a shame to just throw it away then, you know! Farmers need land, crops need water, produce has to be harvested, packaged, and transported. If food is then thrown away while it's still perfectly edible, then all those efforts have effectively been for nothing.
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According to Milieu Centraal, we in the Netherlands still throw away about 25 kilos of food per person every year. That's less than a few years ago, which is good news, of course. But considering it's food that was often still perfectly edible, it remains an impressive amount. That's why we believe rescuing food is a sustainable choice. Not necessarily more sustainable than organic, but a choice with which you're doing something good too.
Sustainable is more than just organic
And to make things a little more complicated: organic isn't the only way for a product to be more sustainable. Don't get us wrong, we're fans of organic. But there are also farmers and producers without an organic certificate who are taking good steps. For example, by using fewer pesticides, making more space for biodiversity, or by working on healthier soil. In addition, there are certificates that focus on a specific aspect of sustainability. Think of Fairtrade, which campaigns for fairer pay for farmers and producers. Or RSPO, That imposes stricter requirements on palm oil production. There are also companies that are in the process of switching to organic, but are not yet allowed to use the organic label because such a transition can take years. That is why we prefer to look at the whole story behind a product rather than just one aspect. Organic is often a very good choice, but not automatically the only sustainable choice.
Sustainability is not a competition
At the same time, we think it's important not to think in black and white. We completely understand why people consciously choose organic. This often has to do with animal welfare, fewer chemical pesticides, and more attention from farmers to nature and biodiversity. These are considerations that we also find important. In fact, if we have the choice, we ourselves also like to opt for organic. It's even better if you don't have to choose. Sometimes there's also organic food in the 'don't waste me' section or you can get a Too Good To Go box from Ekoplaza. Then you're just lucky, but when it comes to saving groceries, the offer can never be predicted in advance.
Furthermore, we don't find it particularly motivating to constantly hear why a choice isn't good enough. Living more sustainably is already complicated enough for many people. Of course, we can be critical and discuss better choices. But if someone is saving food that would otherwise end up in the bin, we see that primarily as a positive thing. We'd rather have a hundred people taking a step in the right direction now and then than ten people who do everything perfectly!
Sources: milieucentraal.nl. Photo credits: Angela de Vlaming.
