Just replacing beef and lamb with chicken in the average diet will reduce the carbon foodprint by a quarter. Commercially produced eggs have a carbon foodprint about one tenth of lamb; a vegan's foodprint is less than a half of a red meat lover.
Food miles - how far food has travelled from farm to plate - has a large environmental impact, so we need to think twice before buying imported food.
The solutions could be in our own backyards.
Each of us could reduce our greenhouse gas production by eating less animal products and by growing more food at home. We need to restore the almost-lost art of home gardening.
In our region most of us are blessed to have a backyard in which we can grow some fruit, nuts and veges and have some chooks.
Those of us lucky enough to own our own properties or have secure long-term leases can consider growing a food forest.
Food forests are multi-use, multi-layer gardens - plant fruit and nut trees, use plants that fix nitrogen (such as kowhai, bamboo, clover and tree lucerne) to reduce the need for fertiliser, have chooks and chook food plants and some vege beds. The vege beds need to be well fenced to keep the chooks out.
Trees such as feijoas, plums, apples and pears fruit quickly, are well suited to our climate and start to produce fruit within a year or two. I'm kicking myself that I didn't plant nut trees (including avocados) when we first bought our house - I have a few years to wait until I get the benefits of the ones I planted recently.
For me, the best bang for my buck for our home garden is chooks. Within a few months we had a good, regular supply of eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein, fat, and minerals, which are otherwise difficult to get from a New Zealand garden. Four chooks feed our household of three adults.
My current favourite lunch is scrambled eggs with lots of fresh greens and herbs mixed in. I take the eggs to work in their wonderful biodegradable containers - also known as egg shells.
Chooks are entertaining to have around. When I'm home they free range around our property eating grass and weeds, scratching up worms and other soil critters.
They occasionally stray to one of our neighbour's houses, wandering right into his garage and giving him a friendly peck on the leg.
They are extremely loyal ... to anyone who looks like they might have food. Be warned though, there will be poop, lots of poop.
Another good component of a forest garden are perennial vegetables. I have one vege bed which has asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, perpetual spring onions and sorrel, plants which should keep producing for the next five to 15 years with no replanting needed.
Sorrel ignores the seasons and produces salad greens all year round. Reminder to self: Plant more of it.
Gardening is relaxing - it keeps me in touch with nature as I get outside and hear the birds and frogs sing. It is very satisfying to harvest home grown food every day. Our produce is chemical free; our food miles are about 5m.
We don't grow all our food, but as more fruit and nut trees come on stream and as our palates adjust, we will get closer to doing so.
For now the best thing is our food is fresh, organic and tastes amazing.
-Chris Cresswell is a Whanganui medical professional.
