What is Sustainable Cooking ?
In order to to establish what sustainable cooking really is we first need to have a good understanding of the true definition of sustainability.
To sum it up in just a few words this cannot be put better than it was in 1987 when the United Nations Rutland commission defined sustainability as " Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the 'ability' of future generations to meet their own needs".
With this in mind it now poses the question " how can the way one cooks affect the 'ability' of future generations being able to meet their own needs ?".
As a consumer we all unknowingly have a huge impact on the goods and services we are provided on a daily basis. If the consumer stops buying particular products then such products are taken from the shelf so to speak and eventually become obsolete. We as the consumer have the ability to shape the way in which we receive our produce, but only when we act as the vast majority.
It may sound like a bit of a cliche, however the first step in Sustainable Cooking is to be conscious and purposeful about what food you are consuming.
Among the most important aspects of Sustainable cooking is knowing where your produce is coming from.
The 'Garden' is an abundant source of amazing flavours, textures and colours that can elevate any meal. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a key part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, furthermore eating seasonal fruits and vegetables is going to ensure that you are consuming Australian grown produce which helps lowers carbon emissions, keeps Australian farmers operational, and has a range of health benefits, not to mention all of the unnecessary chemicals that fresh produce from abroad has to be treated with in order to stay "fresh" during the long journey to Australia.
One good example of this is asparagus, asparagus has a very short growing cycle in Australia and as such the majority of asparagus consumed throughout the course of the year is from South America.
A general rule of Sustainable Cooking is that "if it's not in season then simply don't eat it". If all consumers behaved this way then Australia would most likely not be importing any fruits and vegetables at all. Visiting your local farmers market is a great way to get in touch with what is seasonal in your area and you will also be supporting local growers and most likely getting a broader variety of fresher spray free produce.
If a person has the room to grow their own vegetables and fruits then this is by far is the most sustainable way to source fresh produce, not only are you basically eliminating carbon emissions, the produce you are consuming will be as fresh as possible and grown in conditions you are aware of. By growing your own vegetables and fruits you are also teaching future generations how to grow their own produce and eat seasonally. Growing your own fruits and vegetables also allows you to experience a vast array of different varieties that you will simply not have access to in the big supermarkets.
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The 'Paddock' is a great source of protein that many Australians could not live without that offers a range of different flavours and textures to be enjoyed all year round.
In terms of the consumption of meats then again we as the consumer are setting the standard as to how we receive our produce. When a person buys meats from the big supermarkets, generally speaking they are going to have no idea where the meat they are purchasing is from or how it was raised. If consumers were to only be buying meat from the big supermarkets then smaller independent butchers would soon become obsolete. This would be an absolute tragedy for future generations as all meat based produce would then become "standardised" so to speak and all of the unique differences in small goods and other products one experiences at the local butcher would cease to exist. Local Butchers support local farmers and as such when a person asks where the meat they are purchasing is from and how it was raised the smaller independent butcher will know the answer and be proud of their ability to inform the consumer. By creating a good consumer relationship with your local butcher you are supporting local jobs, keeping a valuable trade present for future generations and accessing a range of different cuts of meat you simply won't find at big supermarkets, not to mention having the knowledge of where your meat came from and how it was raised. By understanding how to use all cuts of meat from "Nose to tail" then the consumer is more likely to utilise an entire animal and as such contributing to less waste and likely saving money in the process.
Many people believe that farming meat is not a sustainable practice due to carbon emissions and water requirements, the true fact is that if all meat was localised and all cuts of the beast consumed locally and not exported this would drastically reduce the amount of animals being raised for meat consumption and in turn reduce all relevant needs and outputs related to this. It is important that the consumer is conscious of how they are to receive meat related goods if future generations are to have the ability to enjoy such products as we do today.
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The 'Ocean' is an abundant source of food and let's be honest about it Australians love seafood. There is no one species of seafood that is considered to be sustainable, more so that there is sustainable populations of particular species. This is ever changing and monitored closely by experts in this field in order to keep seafood producers informed on what species should be caught or harvested. In terms of carbon footprint regarding seafood it is quite hard to escape as seafood is always going to need to be transported. One great service that Australians rely on to obtain seafood is the local "Fisho". The people who operate seafood vans and come to many different towns are not only providing a source of fresh local seafood, they are also reducing carbon emissions by bringing the produce to you. Supporting these businesses now will ensure that they still exist into the future and also help to support Australian seafood suppliers across the board. Your local "Fisho" will also be able to tell you what's fresh, and what's local. If you live on the coast then again you should be going to a smaller independent seafood supplier or your local co-op. The key with seafood is to buy local whenever possible and check to make sure that the seafood you're buying has the blue tick from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) if it's not local.
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The 'Dairy' poses some challenges with regard to only buying local Australian products. While the Australian dairy industry is very much established and dairy 'basics' are for the most part localised in regions, there are still some products that Australia just cannot duplicate. Dairy is fundamentally a European way of life and as such there are some specialty cheeses that are steeped in tradition and culture (pun intended). For future generations of Australians to have the ability to enjoy these products as we do today there are only really two ways to go. Either we continue to import the exquisite cheeses from Europe or we import people with the knowledge of how to make these cheeses and then support those making the effort to re-create European cheeses to the same high standard expected in Europe here in Australia. In regard to every day dairy products the same rule applies as to all products, support local producers !! The is the only way to ensure that such products are going to be available for future generations.
The 'Pantry" is without doubt the mother of all things sustainable. If a product can be stored or preserved then it is a sustainable product. As with all products the consumer is setting the 'trend' as to what will be available to purchase in regard to dry goods. The big super-markets are stocking more Australian and Organic products than ever before which is great and if the consumer continues to support this 'trend' then these products and hopefully more will continue to be available for future generations. It is up to the consumer to support Australian made and owned products with as high a concentration of Australian produce as possible, doing this supports Australian farmers and producers alike ensuring their presence in the future and also creates more jobs for Australians.
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With all of the environmental, economic and social aspects of eating local food and supporting local producers aside, what really rings true to me is found in the wording of the definition of "Sustainability".
"Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the 'ability' of future generations to meet their own needs".
Ability. !!
If you break the word down itself, it becomes quite obvious 'Sustain' 'Ability'.
To truly sustain ability then we must share knowledge, if we don't share knowledge then we are compromising future generations 'ability'.
Through this website Sustainable Cooking Australia hopes to contribute to the ability of future generations being able to cook healthy, delicious, seasonal food as we do now.