What can restaurateurs do to counter the self-destruction of the planet?
This year’s Overshoot Day came first, last May 13th. We are talking about the day of the year when we finished consuming the resources produced by the Planet throughout the year. Last year it fell on August 22 and despite the global pandemic that has somewhat slowed down the waste of resources, decreasing travel and also limiting leisure travel, this year the advance was very strong. Humanity uses natural goods in quantities that far exceed the global biocapacity, that is the ability of the planet to regenerate resources (food, water, forests, soil …) for each of its inhabitants. In short, this year we ran out of global resources on the 133rd day of the year, less than half of the 365 available to complete a year. According to the latest data, to reach the end of the year while maintaining the Italian lifestyle, the resources of more than 2.7 lands would be needed. Why do we only talk about greens in recent years? It is not a trend but a fact: in 1980 the ecological poverty trap (which was still present) concerned 2.5 billion people (57% of the world population), today 5.4 billion are in this condition. people, or 72% of the population. What can restaurateurs do to counter the self-destruction of the planet? Certainly changing the preparation of food and our eating habits is important from an energy point of view. Surely rule number one is to buy raw materials from local suppliers, reducing the journey that food makes to get to the restaurant. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint, food tastes fresher and lasts longer. Contrary to popular belief, it is often cheaper than the shop. Fast and even heat conduction saves energy and gives better results. This is why it is important to choose cookware made with highly conductive materials that allow you to achieve the same results using about 25% less heat. It may seem insignificant, but using a pot of the wrong size on the stove wastes a lot of energy. A little trick: a lot of water is wasted in the kitchen. Let’s ask ourselves if there is really a need to fill the pot or kettle to the top because the more water we use, the more energy is needed to bring it to a boil. It is important to use the minimum amount needed when boiling food or for any preparation. The use of the lid is not a habit: putting the lids on the pots really saves a lot of energy. The lid stops the steam from escaping and makes the most of the heat while cooking food. There is a lot of talk about reusing waste, but it is really a practice that we recommend: from what until recently were considered simple leftovers, dishes with a low environmental impact can be created: in this way you will save both from the point of view of the wallet and you will help the planet, by buying less, producing less and making less waste that must be recycled anyway.
