Berkshire Public Health Annual Report 2021/22

The United Nations defines climate change as long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels. Since the 1800s, there has been a steady rise in these human activities, particularly relating to the burning of gas, oil and coal. Over the last 50 years it has become apparent that our actions are having devastating effects on our climate.

Our planet is heating up. The Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record.^[12] Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapour and methane trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Although sunlight can pass through the atmosphere, the gases prevent heat from leaving and so the earth gets warmer.

But temperature rise is only the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others.

The consequences of climate change now include extreme weather events, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity. The choices we make as a species are having a profound impact on our planet.

However, all is not lost!

Although it might be easy to believe that small actions are not worthwhile, in fact there are many small, straightforward steps we can all take to make a positive impact. Trees capture and store CO₂, so increased planting in gardens, parks, wasteland and deforested areas is a big positive step. Changing meat and dairy agricultural practices to reduce the production of methane and protect forests, particularly rain forests, can also have a huge global impact.

Since 1990, 1 billion acres of forest has been lost. In the last fifty years, 17% of the Amazonian rain forest has been destroyed – an area the size of Israel is destroyed every year.^[12] We need to plant more trees and stop the ravaging of these valuable habitats.

Evidence indicates that switching to a diet that reduces the consumption of red meat has health benefits. We can also reduce our carbon footprint by choosing to buy local, seasonal, unpackaged food where possible; by eating everything in our fridges so we waste less; and even just refilling a water bottle from the tap.

The Woodlarks Café

The Woodlarks Café is situated in Swinley Forest and is aptly named after the bird which has historic routes to the forest. Over the last 12-18 months the café has undergone huge changes. The focus is to provide a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and healthy café. The café has also changed its design with lots of infographics about recycling, food waste and being environmentally conscious. These include messages about recycling and minimising food waste.

Our planet supports a remarkable variety of species, from animals and birds to plants, insects and microorganisms. Biodiversity underpins every part of our lives, including our livelihoods and wellbeing, yet it is under enormous threat and has been declining at a rapid rate in recent years. This is mainly due to human activities – land use changes, pollution and climate change for example.^[14]

The demands of a growing, industrialised population are taking their toll in many deeply alarming ways. From sprawling cities and overfished seas to species-rich grassland, peatland and forests devastated to provide more land for agriculture, we can see the stark evidence all around us. Healthy biodiversity provides us with clean air, fresh water, good quality soil and crop pollination. If we want to fight climate change, we urgently need to do all we can to improve our biodiversity. Every second counts!

Stop and Think about this shocking fact: climate change, pesticides, land change use resulting in habitat loss and disease have all contributed to the huge loss of bees and other pollinators in recent years. If we didn’t have bees pollinating our crops, it would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion a year to do the job.^[15] A decline in the bee population dramatically affects food production, biodiversity and the health of our gardens, plus fewer insects results in fewer birds. Since 1900 the UK has lost 13 species of bees and a further 35 are considered under threat.^[16]

Although often more expensive, choosing organic food which hasn’t been sprayed with chemical fertilisers is a highly effective way of decreasing the use of pesticides. Not only do these pesticides damage our eco-system, but they are also potentially harmful to us.

Did you know that non-organic grapes, oranges, raisins and sultanas come top of the ‘2022 Dirty Dozen’ list of fruits and vegetables with the highest level of pesticide residues, compiled with official UK government figures?^[16] In total, 122 different pesticides were found in the Dirty Dozen, with 25 chemicals found in just one kilogram sample of sultanas.^[18]

So why not consider buying at least some of your fruit from organic outlets or even start to grow your own fruit and vegetables. And even easier, choosing a whole lettuce, preferably not wrapped in plastic, rather than a salad bag pumped with nitrogen gas is a great idea.

The most sustainable food is that which is in season and local, grown using natural sunlight rather than heated greenhouses. Fewer food miles, less carbon, more sustainability.

In order to eat sustainably, we need to meet our own needs without depleting our natural resources. This will allow future generations to meet their own needs too, whilst also maintaining an ecological balance. This sounds fairly straightforward but it’s a bit of a minefield.

If we always fish in the same part of the sea and never allow the fish population to breed and grow again, what will happen? Simple: the fish supply in that area will eventually run out.

Even though we have 76 protected marine areas around our coast, industrial fishing continues to be rife within these zones. Super trawlers, with nets a mile long, are devastating our fishing stocks.

A Greenpeace 2022^[22] report claims that one super trawler can catch more fish in one hour than a traditional fishing boat can catch in one year.

This alarming fact makes it vital that we all try to source our fish ethically. Have a look at ‘Seaspiracy’ from Netflix to learn more about some of the potential problems with trawler fishing and try to buy your fish from small companies that can guarantee the provenance of their fish. Also, always insist that the fish is line-caught.

Cutting down on the meat and dairy in your diet could be a good place to start according to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),^[3] who report that the West’s consumption of these is fuelling climate change. The new Climate Gap report by Ethical Consumer shows that UK citizens need to reduce meat and dairy consumption by at least 20% to meet UK climate targets.^[23]

Did you know that the dairy industry is responsible for 3.4% of global CO₂ equivalent emissions, almost double that of aviation?^[24]

A recent study from the University of Oxford found that a 200ml glass of dairy milk causes three times the gas emissions of rice, soy, oat or almond milk (although rice and almond milk use a considerable amount of water too).

Dairy is high carbon, for not only do cows ‘chew the cud’ leading to the production of methane, but if they are fed on soya, there is a deforestation element to their footprint.^[25] If your household gets through two and a half pints of milk a day, that’s a tonne of CO₂ per year, as much as a flight from London to New York. Almost 70% of a cow’s milk footprint takes place on the farm, though of course transport packaging and refrigeration also play a part.

But there’s a balance. Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are great sources of protein and calcium. They can form part of a healthy, balanced diet. The fat in diary milk provides calories for young children, and also contains essential vitamins. Plus it is often produced locally, so minimises the travel required to get it to our fridge.

Eating less but buying better quality local meat is another way forward, though this is also fraught with complex problems. Undoubtedly, farmers who raise their animals outside all year, relying predominantly on green pasture, don’t buy in tons of manufactured animal feed which probably contains soy. Plus,adopting the ‘regenerative agriculture’ model which uses animals such as pigs and chickens to prepare the ground for crops, leads to the preservation and improvement of the soil’s carbon-storing ability. According to the National Farmers Union, British beef has a greenhouse gas footprint 2.5 times smaller than the global average.^[26]

However, a 2017 study by Oxford University found that even pasture livestock are still net contributors to climate change. It's great to eat grass-fed, locally produced beef, but you also have to eat less of it. So ‘make meat a treat’ is a way to benefit both local farmers and the environment.^[27]

Our food choices can have a direct and damaging impact on our environment.

Food miles are a way of attempting to measure how far food has travelled before it reaches the consumer. Whilst some food simply travels from the farm to a local shop or market, other types of food require transportation to factories for processing and packaging. Only then can this food be delivered to supermarkets or shops. And, of course, each journey and each process produces carbon emissions.

DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, It estimates that food distribution is responsible for 25% of all miles covered by heavy goods traffic in the UK.^[27] Food transport within and to the UK produces 19 million tonnes of CO₂ annually – equivalent to around 5.5 million cars.^[28]

A pear from Argentina will have travelled over 7,000 miles to reach the UK. All the energy needed to transport that pear from Argentina creates a carbon footprint, which represents the amount of greenhouse gases produced.^[29] But if you choose a pear picked recently in the UK, it will have travelled far fewer miles to arrive in your fruit bowl. Buying food which is local and seasonal is always our best choice.

Stop and Think about where the food you’re about to buy has come from.

Read the packaging and look for the country of origin. A supermarket strawberry this winter will have either been grown in a heated greenhouse or imported, both causing a heavy carbon footprint.

Some supermarkets are skilled at convincing us with clever packaging and reassuring brand names that products are home grown in the UK, when this is not the case. Have a look at Ethical Consumer 2022 for more information and examples. Other supermarkets have promised to support British farmers by not adopting fake farm brands.^[30]

Processed foods are not just microwave meals and ready meals. This term refers to any food that has been altered in some way during preparation.

Food processing can be as basic as freezing peas, canning carrots, baking bread, drying tomatoes or pressing sunflower seeds to produce oil. As you can see from this list, It would be a mistake to think that all processed food is unhealthy. Indeed, some ingredients need to be processed to ensure that they are safe to consume, as is the case when milk is pasteurised to remove harmful bacteria.

However, some common processed foods have high, unhealthy levels of salt, sugar and fat which can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other health issues. These include

• savoury snacks, such as crisps, sausage rolls, pies and pasties
• breakfast cereals
• meat products, such as bacon, sausage, ham, salami and pâté
• microwave meals and ready meals
• cakes and biscuits
• soft drinks
• some cheeses

For many of these foods, there are healthier alternatives

• Instead of breakfast cereals, try porridge oats with fruits and nuts as a healthier low-sugar and low-salt alternative
• Use left-over vegetables to make stock, then start soup-making
• Healthy snacks include fresh, dried or tinned fruit (in their juices, not in syrup), nuts and seeds, carrot and celery sticks, plain popcorn, teacakes or crumpets
• Enjoy some plain, unsweetened yoghurt flavoured with a little honey (preferably organic honey which is produced locally)

Although some ready meals claim to be healthy, they can vary in their salt, sugar and fat content. Always read the label and compare different products. The traffic light labels provide useful guidance on which products to choose.

The British Heart Foundation has lots of handy advice and this useful tool to check how healthy your regular food shopping is: How healthy is your shopping basket? – Heart Matters magazine (bhf.org.uk)

Other processed foods contain lots of different ingredients which will already have travelled some distance before they are combined and wrapped in plastic and cellophane for the supermarket shelf.

Stop and Think about a supermarket pre-packaged fruit salad blending strawberries from Spain, pineapple from Costa Rica and grapes from Egypt.

• Each of these foods created food miles on their way to the factory where they were prepared and packed.
• They then gained more food miles on their journey to the supermarket.

Buy individual, unwrapped, organic (if possible) fruit, chop it up and add a splash of water to create the natural juice and you’ll have your own home-made fruit salad in no time, plus no packaging to dispose of.

To find out the climate impact of what you eat and drink, choose from one of the 34 items in the calculator below and pick how often you have it.

Climate change food calculator: What’s your diet’s carbon footprint? – BBC News

All figures for each food in the calculator are global averages. If you cannot view the food calculator, click to launch the interactive content .

The UK produces more than five million metric tons of household food waste every year, more than 70kg per person.^[31] In Berkshire, across Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham, about 33% of waste material by weight is food waste.^[32] And wasting food is a climate disaster. It’s not just the food we waste, it’s all those resources that went into producing it.^[33]

Did you know that 40% of groceries in the UK are sold on promotion and one in three UK shoppers impulse buy unhealthy food because it’s on special offer.^[34] So, it’s best to try to avoid the promotions on unhealthy food.

Of course, if food has ‘gone off’, it needs to be disposed of, but as rotting food releases methane, something we’re all trying to reduce, we must do so responsibly. Remember to use the food waste scheme that is run by your local authority that provides a small food waste bin to households, which is then picked up alongside the regular rubbish collection.

There’s a big difference between Best Before’ labels and ‘Use by Date’ labels and it’s easy to get confused. We need to remember that the ‘Best Before Date’ on the label doesn’t mean that the food will be unsafe after that date, it just won’t be at its best.^[35]

However, the ‘Use By Date’ needs to be taken seriously as its focus is food safety. It’s important to dispose of food responsibly if the ‘Use by’ date has passed.^[35]

Weekly meal planning is the best way for us all to avoid unnecessary food waste.^[36] It will reduce food waste and save money. And if we just don’t feel like that cauliflower lurking in the vegetable drawer, instead of binning it, it can be blanched and frozen to use another time.

Before grocery shopping, check food cupboards and the fridge to see what can be used in next week’s dishes and which ingredients are approaching their use-by date. Write a shopping list and stick to it.

Here are some other ideas for easy meal planning:

• Inexpensive, seasonal vegetables make tasty soups, from a simple leek and potato to a warming, spicy mulligatawny. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/leek-potato-soup
• Make family mealtime fun by making pizza faces – ready-made bases, wraps or even crispy toast can be topped with cooked chopped onion and tomatoes, frozen sweetcorn, leftover sausage slices and home-grated cheese.
• A weekly chicken, roasted in the oven with potatoes, onions and carrots, will provide leftovers for school lunches and salads. And you can make stock with the bones!
• Love your leftovers – omelettes, pasta sauces, risottos and stir fries can all be made even tastier with chunks of Sunday roast, cubes of cheese and a garlic clove or two.

All six of our local authority climate strategies are designed to reduce the amount of unnecessary, perfectly good food being sent to landfill. Rotting food produces methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide. If we stopped wasting food, about 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be eliminated.^[33] Now more than ever, we need to remove food waste from our lives by avoiding over-shopping for groceries through knowing what’s in our fridge/cupboards, careful menu planning and making the best use of left overs.

Across Reading, Bracknell, and Wokingham about 33% of waste materials for disposal by weight is food waste.^[32] In Bracknell Forest in 2020, 16,516 tonnes of food ended up as refuse. In Reading, this was 12,590 tonnes.^[32] These statistics are alarming and we need to take urgent action to prevent all this unnecessary waste.

Addressing food transportation is key if we want to reduce emissions that are damaging the atmosphere. The good news is that extensive green public transport projects and electrical vehicle policies are already up and running in Berkshire.

Bracknell Forest, RBWM, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire and Wokingham are all committed to reducing food waste through increasing food recycling via food waste collection.^{[37][38][39][40][41][42]} Reading aims to increase kerbside food and waste recycling by 7% through waste collection and RBWM aims to increase food waste collection by 10%.^[38][39] This is being delivered through food waste recycling bins. Bracknell and Reading have reported a reduction of 3,764 and 5,150 tonnes of food waste since the introduction of food recycling bins.^[32]

A key national distribution company in Berkshire, Brakes, is working hard to reduce its impact on the environment in terms of food sustainability and states it is carbon neutral with no waste going to landfill. The company estimates that it is providing on average 3 tonnes of food per week to local charities and community organisations, which would otherwise have gone to waste. It also delivers waste to anaerobic waste systems, an effective way of reducing environmental impact. Plus, Brakes states that it is carbon neutral with no waste going to landfill.

Additionally, some supermarkets have a less than perfect or wonky shape range, selling fruit and vegetables at a lower price due to their appearance. In the past, this food would usually have been thrown out, despite the taste and nutritional food being exactly the same. It’s shocking to discover that over 3.6 million tonnes of food are wasted every year before it even reaches supermarket doors, due mainly to cosmetic specification.^[44] Remember – it’s what it tastes like that counts, not what it looks like!

Although many large food distributors are working constructively to improve food sustainability, we must remember that, according to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 70% of all food wasted in the UK takes place in the household .^[45]

How can you as an individual, a family or an organisation reduce food waste further?

By 2050 it is predicted that there will be 10 billion people on the planet, two billion more than now – that’s an increase of the entire population of Europe and Africa combined. To feed them, we’ll need about an extra billion tonnes of cereal crops and 200 million more tonnes of meat every year.^[46]

Did you know that today:

• Over 840 million people in the world go hungry every day yet 1.5 billion are overweight or obese. There’s enough food to feed everyone on the planet but the global food system is unequal.^[47]
• A third of all food goes to waste.^[48]
• Food prices are volatile, meaning they go up and go down depending on the season, availability, production and transport costs.^[49]
• 53% of the world’s fisheries are at maximum capacity; 28% are over-exploited.^[50]
• Climate change is reducing crop yields – the impact of warmer temperatures and increased (or decreased) rainfall is reducing the global production of staples such as rice and wheat. ( Institute of Environment, 2021 ).^[51]
• Rising energy costs make food more expensive to produce and distribute.^[52]
• Agriculture is the largest global contributor of non-CO₂ greenhouse gas emissions.^[53]
• Agriculture has caused 75% of world deforestation, to produce more palm and soy oil, and for intensive meat and dairy production, including animal feed crops.^[53]

The good news is that food waste fell by 34% in the first national lockdown^[63] which shows that, through careful planning and purchasing, we can all waste less food, save money and help our planet.

Did you know that the average person makes 221 trips to the supermarket every year?^[64] The fact that trips to supermarkets were much less common during lockdown undoubtedly contributed to this reduction in food waste.

However… food and drink sales rose by 11% in 2020^[65]

Calorie consumption rose between 5%-15%^[66]

Alcohol sales rose by 27.6%^[66]

Frozen meal sales rose by 19.1%^[67]

Purchases of chicken, beef and pork products increased in 2020, even though there are many plant-based products available^[67]

Deaths from alcoholic liver disease increased by 20.8%^[66]