March-20: ENVIRONMENT SNIPPETS
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in MARCH
Mind your diet to keep planet healthy
Watch what you eat
Healthy food choices are not just good for health. They benefit the environment too. An analysis of the health and environmental impacts of 15 foods found that fruits, vegetables, beans and wholegrains were the best for protecting the climate and water resources.
On the other hand, eating red and processed meat was not just bad for health, it also caused pollution, the analysis, published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed. Some food items do not conform to this trend. Fish is considered a healthy food but has a bigger environmental footprint than plant-based diets. High-sugar foods like biscuits and soft drinks have a low adverse impact on the planet but are bad for health.
Protect the planet
AYUSH products may get organic certificate
Boosting exports
In a bid to increase the export of organic products, the government plans to extend its existing organic certification to textile, cosmetic and AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, sidha and homeopathy) products.
This was stated by the APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) chairman, Mr Paban K. Borthakur. At present, organic foods are certified through the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) of APEDA under the Commerce Ministry and the Participatory Guarantee System for India of the Agriculture Ministry.
Organic stamp
Biodegradables can harm environment too
Not so eco-friendly
Eco-friendly alternatives to plastic such as reusable shopping bags, biodegradable plastics, and metal straws are very popular these days among environmentally conscious consumers. However, they may not necessarily have a better impact on the environment as compared to harmful items like single-use plastics, bottles and packaging materials.
Biodegradable plastic waste often ends up on the incinerator. Only if it is buried in landfills, will it make a difference to the environment. Biodegradables take up more resources to produce and hence are more expensive and leave a larger carbon footprint. While consumers may feel less guilty in using biodegradable shopping bags, they have little impact on reducing carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions.
Disposal an issue
