Cooking to save the Environment

Today with some reluctance I had to make sure that I did a shopping run. I had been out this morning with the camera to test the repair that I had made, and while the addition of a base plate glued on to the base of the camera means I have to steady the camera and more than I did, overall the repair seems to be successful. I was tempted to stay out and try and film some of the birds that are around and are seemingly preparing for spring, but I knew that there was some shopping that I needed to get. Additionally, I wanted to ensure that I kept my time free to enable me to respond to any good weather conditions that would allow sighting and filming of the wildlife and I intend to film.

As I was out this morning, I took the time to recheck the newt ponds to see if the toads or frogs had started arriving. While I cannot be sure I think I did see one toad that disappeared into the undergrowth. Therefore for the next two or three weeks I can see that I will be paying nightly visits to these ponds.

While trying to clamber over the muddy ground that is the approach to these ponds, I had some difficulty with three large else Alsatian dogs that were running around without any apparent owner. While for the most part they were just been playful, for two or 3 minutes I had them leaping on me. As I was already well coated in mud the addition of muddy paw prints did not really make much difference. However, having talks to lose learn that within a conservation area to me is rather irresponsible. I did not meet the owner as when I climbed over a stile on my way home the dogs could not follow. But I did see the owner as I was halfway down the path for any securing leashes to these dogs.

Had the Farmer whose fields abuts this area had sheep and their lambs in the fields I am sure that the dogs would have just followed their natural instincts. While I have no problem with people that in the dogs off the lead, it has to be done a responsible way and to my way of thinking this was not responsible. Even as I walked from the farmyard and the farm dogs came chasing after me, I wondered if I was following double standards. But the difference between the farm dogs who are working sheepdogs, the area they can run about in his fully secured and they cannot get two or take any of the stock. While the dogs at the ponds were free to run rampant without any restriction.

Even as I was going to the supermarket, I was thinking of some of the problems that farmers face. Therefore problems with a stray dogs or uncontrolled dogs getting at the livestock is one that so easily can be avoided if only the owners of dogs were more responsible.

However it was predominantly thoughts of the prices that we are charged at the supermarkets for goods compared with the prices at the Farmer gets, there were at the forefront of my mind. Recent statistics say that on average food prices have risen by 7½ per cent in Britain, I understand the figure is about five per cent in America. Yet these figures are distorted by the downward pressure the supermarkets have on the cart value by sourcing supplies from overseas.

Via my own little experiment, I have shown conclusively to myself, that by using the local greengrocer and the butcher I could save over 20% on my food bill. Part of the trick is to use the supermarkets intelligently and compare prices. Also key too saving money on the food bill is the ability to cook. There lies the greatest problem; the majority of people have lost these skills.
One of things I have noticed is a difference between the elderly shoppers they get the free bus to Tesco’s and the younger people. The senior cisterns I get the bus will buy the ingredients to make meals whereas the younger people tend to buy the ready meals. While I am fully aware that people do not always have the time to cook I would argue that it is no more difficult to cook a proper meal than it is to prepare of a ready meal.

My own basket of shopping today came to just over £30.00. Previously and before I would be more careful, I was likely spending £45.00 plus on a shopping trip. This does not mean that I will not buy vegetables or meat at the supermarket, but I look for the bargains or items that are good value. That way I can build a menu around any special offers the supermarkets may have. Equally when I visit the green grocers or the butchers I can mentally adjust the meals I am thinking of cooking to take advantage of what fresh on what is good value. One example of that’s was getting a couple of kilos of carrots that were reduced as they were older stock. With the addition of some fresh coriander I now have the freezer full of carrots and coriander soup. I was able to produce eight litres for the same price that you would pay for a one litre carton of fresh soup in the supermarket.

As well as saving money, by cooking and preparing meals from fresh ingredients people could help reduce their energy bills as well. As it takes no more energy to cook ten pounds of stewing steak as it does to cook for one pound of stewing steak. Further by storing the cooked meat in the freezer, the freezer will probably run more efficiently. Also the precooked meat when added to vegetables is faster to prepare the many of the so called ready meals.

A further benefit is a reduction in the amounts of unwanted and unwarranted Packaging. One of the aspects that has perplexed me about the way that I live compared to the majority of people is why I produce so much less waste than do other people. I think that it is simply that I do not buy the heavily packaged convenience goods from the supermarket.

As difficult as the economic downturn is for many people, many of the ways of surviving the economic situation are also environmentally sustainable. The difficulty is enabling people to learn the skills they need, as while as enabling people to think in a slightly different way.

While previously I have spoken about creating a cooking podcast and I did do a lot of preparation work for that, I now have a clearer idea of what is needed and more importantly how to do this. While I expect it will take a number of weeks I am hoping that by the end of March I will be in a position to start publishing these podcasts. In some ways the delays and have actually benefited me as I now see how to do this in a much more comprehensive and focused manner.

Therefore it is now a matter of watch this space.