Food has always been something that all humans view as a necessity globally. The definition of food, however, varies according to our geographical locations and cultural practices. Ketogenic, paleo, vegan and zone diets are some of the more common trends that have popped up recently to challenge the construction of what is food itself. Locally, Singapore is known for our hawker culture and is also labelled as a food haven by many. We are home to multiple cuisines from all across the world and the choices are just endless! But have we ever stopped and thought about what actually goes on before the food arrives on our plates and after we dispose of it?
Welcome to FoodPrintsSG [footprints], where we aim to shed more light on the environmental pollution caused by the food industry both locally in Singapore as well as abroad on a global scale. Come with us on this adventure as we explore the journey taken by food: from the source of the food to the production phase, following it to the retailers and consumers and beyond them as well. Here is a roadmap of the path that we will be taking over the semester.
With the increasing attention on healthy eating, consumers are starting to pay attention to what we consume and put in our bodies. However, given that most of these processes that our food products go through are rather hidden or conducted far away and externalised, not much thought is given about them when we make our decision in picking out our food. Our current consumption habits and diet have caused several environmental impacts, even without us knowing. So maybe it is time to look back and dive deeper into understanding the footprints of our everyday meals and food products. Let’s make better food choices and change our ‘Foodprints’ to do our part for the environment!
Trailing off,
Ridzuan and Jade
