SPECIAL REPORT | 2 - 6 July 2012 PRODUCTS FOR A GREENER PLANET http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-prods-green-planet

With the support of

Contents Facing up to the sustainable consumption conundrum ...... p.1 MEP: It’s ethically unacceptable that we throw out so much food ...... p.4 EU wants carbon labels to do what they say on the tin ...... p.2 Tory MP calls for personal carbon-trading scheme ...... p.4 Finding the right mix to spur greener consumption ...... p.3 Food waste, greening diets become EU policy goals ...... p.5 Facing up to the sustainable consumption conundrum

The earth is running out EurActiv on 13 June. “Then help? Do consumers get the different reasons. to be made available to the of natural resources like land, we’re into the area of behaviour information they need to make public, to encourage a change water and minerals so quickly change,” he added. informed choices.” Burden shifting away from unsustainable that if nothing is done, some Studies undertaken by the “We as a company, Coca- consumption patterns such as predictions say that by 2030 Carbon Trust showed that Cola, stand on the position that Some see it as a way of meat-eating. humankind will need the consumers would change their we doubt [and] are sceptical shifting the burden of climate For Franz Fiala, a spokesman equivalent of two planets to behaviour if they were given [that the idea of] ‘labels and mitigation from richer producers for the European consumer sustain our current lifestyle. simple information about a more labels’ would work,” she in the developed world who rights group ANEC, the Those chilling figures come product’s environmental impact said. profit most from their goods fundamental problem was the from a famous World Wildlife on a packet. Through its personal carbon production, to poorer and lack of a “roadmap” or “master Fund ‘Living Planet’ report in With numbers and colours, allowance project, Coca- less powerful consumers, who plan” for addressing the issue. 2008, but what exactly can we the Trust found that people Cola had come to a view that may have little choice in the “We have pieces of that but do to reduce our environmental could build a “mental map” consumers trusted institutions, products that they buy. no overall strategy,” he told impact – which has got worse in a short period of time government, and businesses to Preventing environmental EurActiv. “Any overall strategy since then – and how should we and establish rules for their give them a harmonised message damage in the first place is seen would have to accomplish go about doing it? consumption. about the environmental impact as a preferable strategy to asking fundamental changes to the way People “desperately” Such an increased and of the products they consumed, consumers to mitigate it after we live, how we produce, how need a means of putting the improved information flow is she said. the fact. we consume. It’s quite clear that environmental impact of “the basic way” of addressing “The trick that we have to However, Dutch MEP we have to consume less.” their products into context, sustainable consumption find as society - businesses and Bas Eickhout (Greens) told But reducing consumption according to Martin Barrow, a issues, said Ulrike Sapiro, the stakeholders together - is [to] EurActiv that addressing had to be done according to senior consultant at the UK’s environmental sustainability transpose those messages,” she sustainable consumption was principles of global social equity Carbon Trust, which provides director for Coca-Cola Europe, added. “Quick wins” that gave “as crucial as [addressing] the – and quickly, he said. companies with certification for after the same meeting. consumers “the feeling that production side.” “We have learned that we their labelling schemes. they have made a difference “They need to go hand-in- are moving towards [economic] “By giving them more and More labels in their choices,” were the way hand but it’s far more difficult,” collapse,” he explained. “It will more information they [can] forward. he said. “How do you tell happen in the second half of know what the impact of their “The philosophy goes Environmentalists and people what to consume? You the 21st century. So we need decisions are,” he said after ‘Let’s just have more labels’,” leftists also sometimes feel cannot really forbid things.” drastic change and that means a workshop on sustainable she told EurActiv. “Well do uneasy that the carbon dioxide He called for better that we cannot leave this to the consumption organised by labels actually stick? Does this labelling debate, but for environmental information market.” 2 2 - 6 July 2012 | SPECIAL REPORT | PRODUCTS FOR A GREENER PLANET | EurActiv EU wants carbon labels to do what they say on the tin

A European Commission methodology to measure footprint – of all the CO2 that by practitioners to steer the communicating environmental review of carbon dioxide environmental impacts across has been emitted during the results of the analysis in the product information in the labelling methodologies for 14 categories, some of which manufacture, use and disposal direction desired”. 2008 review of the Sustainable commercial products, due later are not climate change- of a product. But he said that the EU’s Consumption and Production this year, is likely to propose related. Ideally, it should allow review of methodologies Industrial Policy Action may a grading system similar to As well as labelling, consumers to rest assured that was intended to “minimise be seen to have foreshadowed the EU energy consumption this methodology could the carbon-labelled product such flexibility, providing a many of the EU’s proposals. labels for products, goods and also be communicated via they have bought will do what clearer and more structured Among other things, it services, EurActiv has learned. environmental information it says on the tin. framework to carry out the found that: “This approach could on shelves, other point-of- But consumer and studies, leading to much more • Too many environmental simplify the way in which sale media, smartphone codes, environmental groups have comparable results and also indicators confuse the information is delivered, internet pages and instruction criticised current carbon reducing uncertainties and consumers and so no without requiring a simplistic manuals. labelling practices for being imprecisions.” more than three indicators approach,” said Joe Hennon, The EU has not take any misleading, confusing, and One recent report by one should be communicated. spokesman for Environment final decision on how to open to manipulation by European consumer watchdog • The information should Commissioner Janez proceed. corporate interests. found that the level of come from a trusted, Potočnik. Nonetheless, Darran “An LCA is like a black box,” complexity in carbon labelling and ideally third-party “The new Product Messem, managing director of Jürgen Resch of the German methodology would befuddle source, and not the Environmental Footprint certification at the UK Carbon environmental organisation even the experts tasked with manufacturer. (PEF) standard will only focus Trust, which measures and Deutsche Umwelthilfe, said in devising it. • General terms for on the three most relevant provides carbon footprints for October 2010. “If you enter That paper, by the group indicators and simpler categories and will probably companies, was upbeat about false and invalid data and ANEC, called for the EU’s rating systems and units use a grading system,” he told the propect of an expansion of misleading assumptions into more straightforward colour or of measurement are EurActiv. the scheme’s methodology. the calculations, you end up letter-coded energy labelling better than technical This would be “similar to “Grading systems, such as with the wrong results.” system to be developed descriptions. the one used by the energy those used in the EU energy “This is what happened with further. • Information should be label, to which the consumers label and elsewhere are well- the LCA’s recently published Hennon said the new provided at the point of are familiar and have proven established and recognised by by the plastics and beverage methodology would be moving purchase for maximum to like, based on agreed consumers,” he told EurActiv. can industry,” he added, in exactly this direction, impact on behaviour. benchmarks,” Hennon added. It was important for referring to assessments the despite green criticisms that • Lettered assessments are The EU’s energy labelling certification and labelling industry had carried out into this as an impossible task. easier for consumers to scheme ensures that most schemes “to strike the right its PET one-way bottles and “There is a balance to be understand, although major appliances, light bulb balance between providing cans. struck,” he said, “as too much coloured ones are difficult packaging and cars have a information while ensuring or too confusing information for manufacturers to label attached, grading their clear and simple messages to “Built-in flexibility” does not help but may, on the integrate into their efficiency performance on a consumers,” he said. contrary, reduce the willingness packaging designs. scale running from A to G. Hennon accepted that of consumers to make better “The Carbon Trust supports A recent EU report found Life-cycle assessment because current carbon informed choices.” the principle of comparability that these labels were “quite labelling was based on across products because this familiar to consumers” and Carbon labelling is a means standards which had a “built- EU study enables consumers to make easy to understand. of providing a complete in flexibility” – in the best case informed choices.” Messem However the PEF initiative and independent ‘life cycle scenario – and that they had In hindsight, a recent said. as a whole aims to find a assessment’ (LCA) – or carbon consequently “often been used EU study of its option for EurActiv | PRODUCTS FOR A GREENER PLANET | SPECIAL REPORT | 2 - 6 July 2012 3 Finding the right mix to spur greener consumption

Sustainable Development in spur people to use them. Rio, there was no commitment Policies that create to remove fossil fuel subsidies awareness about the – which environmentalists environmental impact of see as one of the world’s consumer goods or practices most glaring impediments to – through labeling – can help sustainable consumption. The influence buying decisions. Rio concluding documents Product bans or phase-outs signed by more than 100 – as the EU is doing with global leaders promoted energy-hungry incandescent sustainable use of natural light bulbs – are another way resources without setting any to force market changes. binding commitments. “Some of the environmentally friendly Talk vs. action decisions – like consuming organic food or willingness to The EU is among the pay for green energy – are only global leaders in pushing weakly driven by household sustainable consumption demand, and you cannot only through its policies on rely on household demand waste-reduction and resource if you want to reach very management, subsidies for challenging objectives,” Serret alternative energy and an told EurActiv in a telephone energy efficiency labelling interview. scheme for appliances. The “It’s really by using this European delegation at Rio combination of economic also fought hard – though instruments to provide unsuccessfully – for similar the right incentives, soft- action on a global scale. policy measures – labelling, Yet the EU has also waffled information, education on energy efficiency, cutting – together with also providing greenhouse gas emissions and … the supply side with related has preferred public awareness services,” she said, adding that and market mechanisms – a mix of policy instruction such as the emissions trading “is really central and really system – over taxation to matters when it comes to compel businesses and people spurring behavioural change.” to become more efficient. The Commission has also Businesses and shot down national initiatives sustainability aimed at encouraging consumers to buy greener Businesses also play products, as it did recently an evolving role. Despite with Britain, which cut its criticism that government valued-added tax on certain leaders were asleep at ‘energy-saving materials’. The Rio, executives of major EU executive determined this multinational corporations violated EU laws, as changes were busy committing to to the VAT regime requires greener business practices. On a unanimous decision by the the sidelines of Rio meetings, 27-country bloc. industry bosses were building The European Parliament, on the World Economic meanwhile, recently urged Forum’s call for corporations to the Commission to reconsider adopt sustainable purchasing plans to erase tax benefits and production practices and World leaders attending the barrel – with woolly generations as the world for diesel, saying a period to be more transparent about the recent Rio+20 conference definitions, old ideas and population lurches towards 9 of high fuel costs was not a their environmental actions to agreed to promote sustainable missing deadlines,” said billion or more from 7 billion time to reduce such consumer build consumer confidence. consumption and production, Craig Bennett, Friends of the today, and as people in today’s subsidies. German MEP Jo Leinen but analysts say getting Earth’s director of policy and emerging markets become A phase-out of fossil (Socialists and Democrats) businesses and buyers to do campaigns. “It doesn’t come wealthier and more eager fuel subsidies and a mix told EurActiv on 22 June, just that will require far more close to solving the planetary consumers. of other policies can be as Rio+20 was ending, that than words on paper. emergency we’re facing.” Dutch MEP Bas Ecikhout effective in shaping consumer corporate executives were To the immense The stakes are high without (Greens) says firm actions behaviour, says one study beginning to recognise the disappointment of some action. Consumers are needed to address the by the Organisation for importance of sustainability. environmental groups and International, a London- challenges ahead. “We really Economic Cooperation and “I never saw so many even some multinational based group, says humans are have to think about pricing, Development (OECD). businesses than at this corporations, Rio+20 failed to already consuming 50% more how we deal with our taxation, Ysé Serret, of the OECD’s Rio+20,” he said. “Intelligent produce binding commitments than the planet can replenish. what kind of products maybe environment directorate in business leaders have well or a plan on how to strike a The most sober projections [should not be] allowed Paris, said what produces the understood that sustainability balance between consumer from the United Nations anymore,” he told EurActiv. best results is working at both is fundamental for doing demand and the availability suggest there could be “We really have to have that the supply and demand levels business and an unsustainable of natural resource. shortages of freshwater, discussion, and we need to go – for example, governments world will distort and destroy “The current deal on the food and essential industrial further than just labelling.” that provide recycling services business.” Rio table is really scraping minerals within two At the UN Conference on or good public transport will 4 2 - 6 July 2012 | SPECIAL REPORT | PRODUCTS FOR A GREENER PLANET | EurActiv Tory MP calls for personal MEP: It’s ethically carbon-trading scheme unacceptable that The chair of the British But Tina Fawcett, an the whole spectrum of life,” Parliament’s energy and expert in personal carbon Yeo agreed. “Carbon trading we throw out so climate change committee has trading at Oxford University’s comes into that category like called for the launch of a pilot Environmental Change Institute everything else.” much food personal carbon allowance (ECI), believes this may have But it would still be (PCA) trading scheme, which been a blessing in disguise, as “progressive for poor people” he Swedish MEP Anna Maria security. Instead it’s important could be based in his own proponents were trying to do argued, as it offered cash benefits Corazza Bildt explains why she to step away from this “throw constituency, and funded by too much too soon. to those “who live in below- wants to introduce restaurant away” culture that we have the private sector and possibly “Personal carbon trading got average homes and perhaps do “doggy bags” in Europe, and because we live in cities. the EU. too much political attention not have air conditioning or what the EU can do to diminish I grew up in the countryside Tim Yeo, a former when there was very little in swimming pools, are willing to food waste. and am used to this farmer environment minister, told terms of a research or support keep their room temperatures at culture where you for example EurActiv that with interest in base, so it was easy to critique,” 19 or 20 rather than 22 or 23 teach the children in school emissions trading rising abroad, she told EurActiv. “If we’d been degrees, and who may have one the value of food, and to use the time was right to try out the five years down the line and a shower a day.” your senses; touch, look, smell, idea in practice. lot more research had been Fawcett described personal instead of just throwing out. “I want to see personal carbon done, there would have been carbon trading as a politically That doesn’t mean that we trading and I’d like Britain to be more information to base the neutral attempt to address the shouldn’t respect food safety. It a pioneer in this,” he said. debate around.” climate change problem, even if means that a lot of food that we “We’ve pioneered a number She welcomed Yeo’s call for vulnerable constituencies such are throwing out is edible. of solutions to climate change, a pilot scheme, which she said as pensioners, the disabled and I have introduced, for and we’ve had an intellectual would cost somewhere in the poor living in energy inefficient instance, in Sweden a lunch leadership role, so it would be region of €620,000. “I don’t homes would need special campaign on food waste; the good to push for a pilot project, see why it shouldn’t be an EU- consideration. doggy bag, just to mark the here in the UK.” funded project,” she said. “It is using trading so you fact that in the restaurant, it “I have volunteered my own could say it’s a Market Based shouldn’t be embarrassing to constituency as an area for a Antagonism Mechanism, but it is also a Anna Maria Corazza Bildt take it home like they do in the pilot scheme of this sort,” he regulatory mechanism because is a member of the European United States. Just bread and added. “I believe it could be But antagonism to the it imposes an absolute cap and Parliament for the European cake and some of the food that funded entirely by the private personal carbon allowance, or says ‘this is how we’re going to People’s Party (EPP). She sits you have paid for, that is edible. sector so there would be no PCA, idea spans the political share it out’. It is not really a on the Parliament’s Internal Just bring it home. And I think taxpayers money involved.” spectrum. policy of the left or right,” she Market and Consumer Protection it’s important that we teach our Yeo added that he envisaged Climate sceptics and free said. Committee (IMCO). She was children that from an early age. funding from big retailers or market-advocates see it as a interviewed at a EurActiv financial institutions seeking needless assault on personal ‘Thousands of workshop on food waste. What should the EU to improve their public image, liberty, while environmentalists alternatives’ do to encourage the but that he had “no objection” and leftists argue that it will diminishing of food waste? to EU funding for the pilot allow the rich to offset jet-set For activists like Gilbertson, Is there a problem in scheme. lifestyles, while doing little to there are “thousands of Europe with food waste? I see a role mainly as an Earlier this year, Coca-Cola address climate change. alternatives” to PCAs, based enabler, as a facilitators, as and the Carbon Trust launched “PCA’s are a distraction on “working towards real We are throwing away more opinion builders… we should their own studies into the from where pollution is and sustainable change with than 50% of what we produce. spread the right information feasibility of such a system. happening and where the communities in struggle against One-fourth of the plastic bags and engage the stakeholders. PCAs are an extension of the responsibility lies for it,” said extractive industry projects”. that we bring home are thrown There’s a lot they can do. They cap-and-trade principle behind Tamra Gilbertson, a founder PCAs anyway present away. This is unacceptable meet millions of people every the EU’s Emissions Trading of the Carbon Trade Watch multiple technical and economically, ethically and day. They have the possibility System (ETS) to consumer group, which opposes all implementation issues she said, from and environmental point to do research and innovation and household activities – from emissions trading schemes. and these are formidable. of view. The good thing is that when it comes to plastic bags, heating to holidays abroad. “We should be taking Proponents of the scheme everybody can make an impact, taking into account that there Citizens whose emissions fell action at the source by keeping have yet to decide, for instance, and together we can make a are people that are just a one- beneath an agreed cap would petroleum, oil, and other fossil how to tax international difference. person household. receive a rebate while those fuels in the ground, and holding travel, whether a scheme It’s about looking at the Why do they have to sell living more carbon-profligate polluters and governments [that can be implemented in one temperature in your refrigerator 10 apples in a package when lifestyles would have to pay to do not] responsible,” she said country, what computing and at home, taking small portions there are households with only offset their emissions. Social equity was also a “huge administrative systems to use, instead of a big portion. one person? To have this “Buy concern,” she said “because and how and whether carbon In the report from the three pay for two” kind of An idea whose time is in theory people who have allowances should be extended European Parliament, we asked marketing… with fresh food it yet to come resources and money will buy to children. the Commission to help clarify doesn’t help. more credits and pollute more Disinterest among policy- the date labeling because a lot Europe has to be brought People would “find it easy to [than] people who don’t.” makers is another major obstacle of people are throwing out food forward. It’s important that understand and they might even to the idea’s development. based on the “Best before” label stakeholders and the food find it fun to operate,” Yeo said. The social equity But a recent ECI research which is a quality indication, but industry put a focus on food But the idea has widely been debate paper found that although people think that this is about waste. viewed as ahead of its time. press articles about PCAs had In 2008, the UK’s Fawcett agreed that the dropped dramatically since a Department for Environment, scheme could be construed high point in 2007, there had Food and Rural Affairs unfair, but added “that’s been an explosion in academic (DEFRA) rejected the idea on capitalism really. The rich are research papers, suggesting that grounds of public acceptability richer. It’s not a function of the the idea was still bubbling away and cost, despite support for policy.” beneath the surface. it from the then-environment “The reality is that richer Distraction or not, the PCA minister and current Labour people have choices that are not debate may still have some way Party leader, David Milliband. available to poor people across to run. EurActiv | PRODUCTS FOR A GREENER PLANET | SPECIAL REPORT | 2 - 6 July 2012 5 Food waste, greening diets become EU policy goals

The European Commission “shopping smart” at the address the entire supply chain considering to adopt a carbon choices, the environment, and wants to help consumers cut supermarket, Corazza Bildt – from farm to fork. dioxide labelling scheme for public health. food waste by making ‘best continued. “A lot of people According to the European commercial products that could WWF has compiled before’ and ‘use by’ dates clearer are throwing away food Commission, the food and include a grading system for information on dietary patterns on the packaging. But measures based on ‘best before’ dates” drink sector contributes to some food and other products similar in Spain, France and Sweden. to green up our diets will not without understanding that the 23% of global resource use, 18% to the well-known energy Unsurprisingly, red meat and stop here, with policymakers’ product is still good to eat, she of greenhouse gas emissions and consumption labels seen on highly processed pre-packaged attention turning to the entire remarked. 31% of acidifying emissions. fridges and washing-machines. food fared worst on both food chain. In September last year, the environmental and health With almost 80 million ‘Best before’ and ‘use EU executive presented its Measuring grounds. European citizens living by’ dates roadmap to a resource efficient environmental “Intake of red meat and beneath the poverty line and Europe, setting out a 2050 impact high-calorie processed foods 16 million depending on food The Parliament’s calls have vision for a leaner economy has increased. These trends aid, the European Parliament found a favourable echo in that consumes fewer natural However, both regulators and have negative consequences for has launched a crusade against Brussels, with the European resources. It identified the food environmental activists are keen public health and the climate food waste. Commission looking at clearer chain as one of the areas where to note that the environmental impact of national diets,” the Up to 50% of edible and labelling rules for consumers. further action is needed to reach impact of the food industry is WWF report said. healthy food is wasted in EU Chantal Bruetschy, head the EU’s broader sustainability broader than just how far food Diet-related health issues households, supermarkets, of unit for innovation goals. travels. cited in the report include restaurants and along the food and sustainability at the “By 2020, incentives to “The majority of GHG from obesity, cardiovascular diseases, supply chain each year, the Commission’s health and healthier and more sustainable food does not come from food diabetes (type II) and cancers. Parliament said, calling for consumer department (DG food production and miles, it comes from how food A win-win solution for urgent measures to address the Sanco), said clearer labels consumption will be widespread is grown, what is used in the government healthcare budgets issue. would avoid edible food from and will have driven a 20% soil and to feed the livestock,” and the planet, activists argue, In a resolution adopted in being dumped, “without reduction in the food chain’s the WWF said. “There are also would be to adopt a healthier January, legislators called on compromising food safety”. resource inputs,” the vision the impacts of how it is stored, and greener diet based on the the European Commission to Speaking at a EurActiv document stated. used and what happens to the following principles: halve food waste by 2025, by stakeholder workshop on food A report by the European waste.” • eat more plants; adopting a comprehensive range waste, she said many consumers Commission’s Committee Agro-food companies have • reduce food waste; of measures. can throw away food because on Agricultural Research, listened to those concerns and • eat less meat; “We expect nothing less than they feel it is no longer safe to published in February 2011, have started developing their • cut down on highly a convincing EU strategy that eat. had already made that point, own initiatives to clean up their processed food; and will steer all 27 member states “On the consumer side, calling for “a radical change environmental act. Recently, • buy certified sustainable to systematically tackle the labelling is often misinterpreted in food consumption and they developed a harmonised food. issue,” said Salvatore Caronna, due to the lack of understanding production” to meet the assessment methodology to “If adopted, such a diet a socialist MEP from Italy on the distinction between resource scarcity challenge measure environmental impacts has not only the potential to who drafted the Parliament the ‘best before’ date (quality and make the European agro- such as water usage or carbon improve the health of European resolution on food waste. criteria) and the ‘use by’ date food system more resilient to dioxide emissions. citizens but the capacity to (safety issue),” Bruetschy potential supply crises. FoodDrinkEurope, an provide a 25% reduction in Consumer education told EurActiv in emailed “The agro-food sector should industry group, put together a greenhouse gas emissions from starts at school comments sent after the May now consider that there is sustainability vision for 2030, the pilot countries food supply 30 workshop. an opportunity to positively which lists action in three chains by 2020,” the WWF In Parliament, Anna Maria “The Commission will clarify address the challenge and be the areas: 1) sustainable sourcing, said. Corazza Bildt, a Swedish this in close cooperation with first to win the world market for 2) resource efficiency and 3) Whether consumers will buy MEP from the centre-right member states,” she continued, sustainably producing healthy sustainable consumption, it remains to be seen. European People’s Party (EPP), saying this will be done via food in a world of scarcities and focusing on the consumer side. is spearheading a grass-roots a “common explanation” uncertainty,” the report said. “Now this good work has campaign to educate consumers distributed to member states, to be taken to the next step, about food waste, starting with consumer organisations, Carbon footprint and implemented in real For school children. retailers, food operators and actions on the ground that The wife of Foreign Minister food banks. These warnings have not ensures consumers are given information Carl Bildt explained that Bruetshcy cautioned, gone unnoticed among food accurate information about the children can be taught to however, about re-writing EU and drinks companies. sustainability of the choices they on EurActiv understand the value of food food labelling laws altogether, In recent years, the concept make,” said Janez Potočnik, EU by using their senses – touch, saying there is “no need to of environmental footprinting environment commissioner. Special look and smell – instead of just re–open the legislation on ‘food has become a selling argument “It is in the direct interest throwing away. information for consumers’,” for the industry, with most of the food sector so that those Reports... At home, simple steps can which was adopted in 2011 attention focusing on carbon that really invest resources in be taken to avoid wasting food, after many years of negotiation. dioxide emissions and food improving their impacts are Corazza Bildt told EurActiv in On the retail side, she said miles – or the number of rewarded for their efforts; that Contact us an interview. “It’s about looking tax exemptions might also kilometers food travels before it they are not dismissed as ‘green Delia Nicolaescu at your temperature in your encourage supermarkets to lands on consumers’ plate. washing’,” Potočnik added. [email protected] refrigerator at home or taking organise donations to food Environmental activists at The Commission is expected tel. +32(0)2 788 36 72 one small portion twice instead charities instead of discarding WWF, the global conservation to follow up on the resource- Ross Melzer of a big portion”. it. A milestone of halving food organisation, have jumped at efficiency roadmap later in [email protected] At the restaurant, Corazza waste by 2030 will be spelt our the opportunity to campaign 2013 with a Communication tel. +32(0)2 226 58 17 Bildt is encouraging clients in a communication due later in for local production and organic on Sustainable Food. to take home the food they 2013, she added. food. Other relevant contacts: don&’t eat and pack them in “Choosing in-season Green diets Rick Zedník a “doggy bag”. “It shouldn’t be Greening the food food grown locally can be a [email protected] embarrassing to take it home supply chain significant step to minimising Environmental activists, tel. +32(0)2 226 58 12 like they do in the United the environmental impact of our however, don’t want the EU’s Frédéric Simon States,” she told EurActiv. “Just EU action on greening the diet,” the WWF told EurActiv. efforts to stop there, and [email protected] bring it home”. food sector won’t stop at waste At EU level, the European have started exploring the tel. +32(0)2 788 36 78 Cutting waste is also about and should soon be extended to Commission is even link between people’s dietary