Demand that the council make sustainable food choices itself

Food system sustainability is not our individual problem. The council needs to stop distracting everyone with this kind of consultation about personal habits and get its own house in order. In my experience food in schools, council buildings and hospitals is cheap, industrial, chemically produced, out of season and served in single use plastic. The best thing you can do for a sustainable food system is demand political action. I recommend www.writetothem.com to make it easy.

Why the contribution is important

In our society we are encouraged to think of environmental problems as products of our personal choices rather than examining the unsustainable system we live in. Edinburgh council, the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian have far more influence over the sustainability of Edinburgh's food system than any individual changes we can make. Simple changes in the procurement and disposal requirements for schools, hospitals, government and council buildings could usher in an era of plastic-free, organic, locally grown food if we chose. Supporting local food businesses and regulating industry wages and practices are political choices that these institutions need to lead on. It is very difficult to make sustainable food choices in a city which is bought into the industrial food system.

by KatieSmith on August 14, 2020 at 03:22PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.3
Based on: 6 votes

Comments

  • Posted by johannacarrie August 16, 2020 at 12:32

    Political, civic pressure is powerful in promoting change. Be part of it. Thank you Katie

  • Posted by Cherry August 17, 2020 at 12:46

    Well said, and thank you for the link to writetothem.com, which I hadn't heard of.

  • Posted by Voiceofreason August 17, 2020 at 20:22

    Ah - the council - "do what I say, don't do what I do" springs to mind. It's all gesture politics and posturing for imagined votes for them, just so long as nobody actually expects them do do anything real.

  • Posted by Natartist September 14, 2020 at 16:39

    Yes I agree Katie !
    The council supplied food distributed throughout the lockdown in my local area was low quality, cheap industrially produced food, in plastic packaging. The quality of nutrition in a white bread processed cheese sandwhich was minimal .

    Imagine what good could have come from whole food, locally sourced and produced food stuffs during thei expectionally difficult time. Now that we have a lull between the next possible lockdown, or other trigger for mass food disrtibution, it is a perfect time to reconsider procurement and build capacity.
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