The Conscious Eating Movement: Supporting people and saving the planet plate by plate.

The Conscious Eating Movement is growing. It’s a movement empowering people to be mindful of how their food choices impact people and the planet. No, it’s not about being perfect or jumping into making radical changes. It’s simply about taking a moment to think about our choices and trying to consume more ethically and environmentally. 

What I love about the Conscious Eating Movement is that it is inclusive. No matter what diet or religion you follow, dietary requirements you have, or foods you love, there’s always choices to be a Conscious Eater. Below we’ll explore the elements of the Conscious Eating Movement and three steps to becoming a Conscious Eater.

Before I go further, I should note that the term 'Conscious Eater' was coined by Sarah Rhodes, Environmental Sustainability Consultant. I asked her what diet she followed and she replied, “I’m a Conscious Eater”. I was intrigued, as I had never heard of it before.

Sarah explained, “It’s about wanting to balance eating well for my health and also being mindful of my impact."

"I’m continuing to learn about what works for my body, focusing on eating whole foods and being conscious of how that food is produced. Whether it’s meat, vegetables or fruit, the mass production of food in today’s industry has degraded the nutrients in our food as well as having a devastating effect on our environment."

"We can eat in a way that is nutritious and beneficial to the planet and it’s getting easier to do that and to access information to guide that process”. Inspiring, right?!

How much of our life do we spend thinking about, buying, making, and eating food? I would say, a significant chunk of time. And with new research revealing that ‘more than a third (34%) of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions are generated by food systems’, it’s no wonder that food is getting attention (Forbes 2021).

There’s also water, environmental, and ethical elements to consider. Did you know that each California almond has an average water footprint of about 12 liters, 70 liters of water is required to grow one avocado, and slave labour is still present in some cocoa plantations? Cue: the Conscious Eating Movement.

Conscious Eating Movement Elements

Let’s get into what the Conscious Eating Movement encompases. There are many elements to ethical and sustainable food. Explore each element and the associated questions.

Carbon footprint

Eg. How much carbon is put into the atmosphere because of this food? Is there an alternative food that I could eat that has a lower environmental impact? Could I support a more local business?

Water usage 

Eg. How much water is used when growing and producing this food?

Human rights 

Eg. Are workers paid fairly and in safe working conditions? Are indigenous peoples rights and land being respected?

Environmental impact when growing or farming

Eg. What pesticides are used? Is this food contributing to deforestation, native animals loss, or soil degradation?

Environmental impact when processing 

Eg. What is the impact of waste outputs during the processing?

Environmental impact when transporting and storing 

Eg. How far and under what conditions is the food transported?

Animal practices (for the meat eaters)

Eg. Is the meat being sustainably sourced? Could I swap for a meat that has a lower environmental impact for this meal?

Company ethics and practices 

Eg. Does this company act in a way that is ethical? Does this company encompass Corporate Social Responsibility? Is there a social enterprise I could support instead?

Packaging and waste 

Eg. Can you get this food without packaging? Can the packaging be reused or recycled? Can I bring a reusable container to this restaurant in case there are leftovers? 

Health impacts

Eg. Is this food adding to my health or detracting from it?

Conscious Eating Movement Steps

“What on earth does that mean for us ordinary humans and how do we become a Conscious Eater?”. I’m so glad you asked. 

Step 1

Simply make a decision to try and be ethical and environmentally sustainable when possible. Standing from this place will help guide your actions. There’s no commitments to certain actions, it’s simply a place to stand from. 

Step 2

Educate yourself on the environmental and ethical impact of food. Check out:

• Use BBC’s Climate Change Food Calculator.
• Explore Shop Ethical’s Ethical Consumer Guide which looks at the environmental and social track record of the companies behind common brands. You can search by company and product type.
• Learn about Problematic foods, 5 Human Rights Issues to be Aware of in Food Production, and sneaky alternative names for palm oil.
• See WWF’s 10 tips to eat more sustainably.
• Read Choice’s Are your eggs really free-range? Pirovic, Pace, Coles, Aldi & more and SBS’s What egg labels mean.
• Consider watching 2040 (the most inspiring documentary I’ve seen in years), Kiss the Ground (narrated by Woody Harrelson), Cowspiracy, and Seaspiracy

Step 3

Audit what you are currently doing and think about what changes you could make to get you started (you can use some of the questions mentioned in the elements above and the tips below). When you are purchasing food, just take a moment to pause and think about the lives and environment impacted by the food. It’s that simple, no commitments required.

Tips for being a Conscious Eater:

• Identify foods that have a high carbon footprint/environmental impact and try to choose lower carbon alternatives (Eg. Swap beef for chicken or a meat alternative and eat more vegetables).
• Identify foods that have high water usage and reduce/swap (Eg. Swap almonds for cashews or peanuts).  
• Identify foods that have ethical issues and reduce/swap (Eg.Buy fair trade coffee and chocolate, avoid palm oil, and try free range or pastured eggs instead of caged eggs).
• Buy in bulk to save on costs, packaging, and transport impacts.
• Consider how the packaging you get will be disposed of and try to choose the lower impact option (reuse should be the first step)
• Buy locally and support local farmers, producers, and companies (Eg. Check out Buy from the Bush).
• Pack a reusable container with you when you’re eating out, keep a bamboo straw and reusable spoon in your bag, and use a reusable water bottle (Eg. Check out Flora & Fauna for these eco products).

We’re busy people who are time and effort conscious, I get it. Remember, it’s not about being perfect. You don’t have to do it all. I encourage you to take on the Conscious Eating Movement and make a difference to people and the planet while you eat.