Our food choices matter

Let's explore the alternatives

Believe in good food? Put your fork where your thoughts are!

Pledge your personal positive food choices, and get fortnightly 'Food Fellowship' newsletters with free prize draws for local food things, great seasonal recipes, plus food skills, events and opportunities...




  • Pollution is changing our climate, and cheap oil is running out.

  • The effects of climate change are already being felt by the world's poorest.

  • The food on our plates currently causes 19% of all UK carbon dioxide pollution.

  • By making simple changes to our everyday diet, we can help make food fairer, more valued and lighter on the planet.

I pledge to...

Please tick at least one


  • Ensure my diet isn't too meat or dairy heavy.

    • Why does this matter?

    The meat and milk issue.

    Grain-fed animals reared on huge farms tend to have a big carbon footprint, and that's what we all buy at the supermarket. The same goes for dairy products.

    It isn't too hard to change this - eat a little less meat and dairy each week, and check with your butcher, or on the label to make sure your meat is locally produced and not grain fed.

    This is healthier for you and the planet, and will save 400kg CO2e every year.


  • Support my local farmers by buying local and organic where possible

    • Why does this matter?

    Organic farming generally uses less fossil fuels to make things grow, and usually only costs a few pence more than non-organic.

    Buying food from local producers will help them move towards a future where they're less dependent on oil.

    Making half of your weekly shop both local and organic is easy - sign up to a local veg box scheme for just a few pounds a week, or look for Organic Scottish equivalents on your regular shopping trip. Look for the Soil Association logo.


  • Be waste-savvy. Think about my packaging and food waste.

    • Why does this matter?

    Scotland throws out £1 billion of perfectly good food each year, packaging and all. Not only does making all this food and packaging emit lots of carbon pollution, but the decomposition process in landfill also contributes large amounts.

    The answer? Reduce, reuse and recycle!

    Avoid 'buy one get one free deals' and get to know your portion sizes. Try to plan meals and use leftovers where possible. Plastic packaging is currently not recyclable in Edinburgh so look for non-packaged goods or materials that can be recycled.


  • Skill-up. Learn some new growing and cooking skills

    • Why does this matter?

    Reconnect with your food!

    One of the reasons our food is so carbon-heavy is that we often don't know where it's from, who made it or what's in it.

    Growing your own is easy, cheap and rewarding. Find out about local growing opportunities at www.teu.org.uk/food. Cooking meals from scratch is fun, nutritious and sociable – learn key food skills in our winter workshop series – from bread-baking to cider-making, see the website for details.


  • Share my pledge with others.

    • Why does this matter?

    Make your voice heard and be followed.

    Share your low impact food experiences and ideas with friends and peers and let them know how they can become an active part in a new food community.

    Make this pledge your badge of honour that everyone else would want to wear.

A project of Transition Edinburgh University.
Funded by the Climate Challenge Fund.