Learn how to build a more sustainable world for the next generations
1. Awareness at the table
Every day, each Brazilian wastes an average of 205 grams of food. Around 40 thousand tons go to waste every day, enough to feed 25 million people every day. , according to the NGO Akatu. The first thing to do to avoid waste is to avoid overdoing your shopping. It's easy to fall into the “pay one, get one” situation and end up buying several items on impulse, this means that many foods end up spoiling and being blatant. To prevent this from happening, go to the market with a list, so you know exactly what you need to buy.
2. Beyond appearances
Vegetables and fruits are often excluded from markets because they have a bad appearance, even though they have the same vitamin and mineral content, imperfections and because they are ugly, they are excluded from commercial standards and end up in the trash. With this in mind, the Fruta Imperfeita project was created, which brings home baskets with fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be discarded by producers because they do not meet standards, and at a lower cost, the project is limited to São Paulo.
3. Leftovers. And now?
Even though we are careful with the quantity, sometimes we cook more than we should. There is a little meat left, pieces of tomatoes, eggs. Don't throw leftovers away, store them and use them in other recipes, such as leftover rice that can be turned into dumplings. “There is still no culture in Brazil of using tuber branches and roots. We don’t have the habit of using carrot leaves, for example”, says Murillo Freire Junior, from Rede Save Food Brasil. Ask your child for help in testing new recipes with stems and leaves, which are normally ignored, and also in using fruit peels, such as apple and pineapple, which can be used in teas?
4. Value being and not having
Instead of each person having their own tablet and computer, it is interesting to share electronic devices. Encouraging shared use makes children learn from an early age to distinguish the need for a product and a service. “When he grows up, this child will become an adult who doesn’t mind using a collective laundry, for example, who understands that he needs clean and dry clothes, not the machines themselves. There is a dematerialization of goods”, explains Denise Conselheiro, coordinator of the educational project Edukat, from the NGO Akatu.
5. Buy small
Part of being sustainable is to prioritize small producers, who are responsible for a more equal distribution of income and encourage local production. Instead of going to the supermarket, try going to the nun, for example. Buying small gives you the possibility of having unique items, like a bag made by a craftsman that is different from one made by big brands, which is a piece like so many others. If you buy from large chains, see which brands are committed to working to combat slave labor and human rights.
6. Pass it on
Children grow very quickly and therefore quickly lose their clothes. Which is a good reason not to buy clothes in excessive quantities and pass the clothes on to someone else or donate them when they no longer fit, as the pieces are in good condition due to the short period used by the child. A good place for these detachments are bazaars and exchanges between family and friends. Another item that can be passed on are toys, as the child grows and loses interest in certain toys.
