How to have a more responsible food consumption?

Environmental pollution, massive waste, health impacts... The agri-food industry is at the root of many major issues of our time.

Changing your habits is not always easy, especially in a system dominated by large production chains. That is why we offer you information and practical advice to help you adopt a more responsible and sustainable diet, simply and without compromise.

 

Is it important to eat organic?

The COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in 2020 highlighted the vulnerability of our health and the crucial importance of prevention. This global crisis revealed how much our lifestyle, and in particular our diet, plays a central role in maintaining our immunity and our overall well-being.

Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that a balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, is one of the pillars of preventing chronic and infectious diseases. For example, a study published in The BMJ (2021) showed that people following a Mediterranean-style diet – low in ultra-processed products and rich in plant-based foods – had a significantly lower risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19.

This data confirms that eating well is not just a matter of comfort or aesthetics: it is a real public health lever. Faced with growing health uncertainties, rethinking the way we consume is therefore becoming an issue that is both individual and collective.

One of the things that organic consumption allows you to avoid is pesticides. A pesticide or phytosanitary product is a substance that is very often chemical and whose function is to destroy one or more species of living beings. In organic farming, this type of substance is not used.

Some pesticides authorized in France belong, for example, to the most toxic category, suspected in particular of being "carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic". Their dangers are proven, but their use is always tolerated because health authorities believe that consumers are not exposed to doses "strong" enough for there to be a real risk. 

Some exporting countries, such as South American countries, use even more harmful substances to be able to sell more and accelerate their economic development.

 

 

It is not the easiest solution economically for producers to grow products from organic farming, but it makes a big difference for all our health. The only way to encourage the French producers who want to do things right by offering organic products is to consume their products.

That is why adopting a local diet makes perfect sense — a topic we will explore right now.

Why buy local?

The best way to know what we put on our plates is still to know the origin of our food and the conditions under which it was produced.

This allows us to ensure that what we eat is good for our health and does not degrade the environment in a dangerous way. Consuming local from small stores or even directly from producers allows you to ensure the origin of the products and not have to wonder if there is a human or environmental tragedy behind what you buy.

It is exactly the same thing for local and responsible products that you can find on Meanwhile Boutique.

 

The overwhelming ecological footprint of imported products

You could not have failed to notice this summer that global warming is becoming more and more worrying all around the world. This climate disruption is explained by different factors: transport is one of the most important among them. The transport of people as well as goods is extremely polluting. 

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), it represents about 24% of global CO₂ emissions related to energy, of which nearly 3/4 are generated by road transport.

Maritime transport, although essential to international trade, is not far behind: it emits about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure constantly increasing with globalization. Air transport, meanwhile, is responsible for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, but its overall climate impact is actually greater due to indirect effects at high altitude.

These figures clearly show that dependence on long supply chains and massive imports considerably increases the carbon footprint of our diet. Therefore, prioritizing local products also means reducing the kilometers traveled by our plate, and thus limiting our impact on the climate.

When you buy products from another country or even another continent, you may feel like you are bringing a little exoticism into your diet, but you are also making your food travel thousands of kilometers. 

Food represents 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in France because of all this transport but also the consumption of meat, another essential area for improvement.

Is it time to stop eating meat?

 

France imports more than 2 million tons of soy from Brazil every year, and 90% of this imported soy is used to feed poultry and pigs that consume millions of tons every year. 

You may say to yourself: what does this have to do with having a responsible diet? It is very simple: soybean crops are devouring the Amazon, the planet's green lung. In addition to destroying a unique ecosystem, this expansion seriously endangers indigenous populations, whose lands, rights, and lifestyles are constantly threatened.

Large forested areas are carbon sinks that store the carbon dioxide released by various human activities. Forests store 20 to 50 times more CO₂ than any other ecosystem. If these forests are destroyed, the carbon is again released in the form of greenhouse gases, especially in situations of land clearing by fire. This means that gigantic quantities of CO₂ are released into the atmosphere.

Meat consumption is a concrete example of climate warming linked to our diet: the production of a single kilogram of beef generates about 27 kg of greenhouse gases, which is equivalent to a 100-kilometer car ride.

Faced with these findings, it is becoming urgent to rethink our consumption habits, to limit our impact on the planet.

Why change your habits?

 

 

At Meanwhile Boutique, we are convinced that changing your habits in all areas of life is an essential step to improve our well-being, preserve our health, and reduce our ecological footprint.

That is why, even though our offer focuses on eco-responsible clothing, bags, and accessories, we pay special attention to food consumption. On our blog, you will find many articles dedicated to this topic, designed to guide you toward a healthier diet that respects the environment. You can discover tips, the best vegan restaurants in France, our best vegan cookbooks... Eating well is not just a personal choice, but represents a powerful lever to act positively on our planet.

And what could be better than doing your organic shopping with this Hedison mesh tote bag made of recycled cotton? 

Just as we recommend prioritizing unprocessed, bulk, organic products from French supply chains, we are committed to offering you on our site (as well as in our boutique in Marseille) a selection of items made with respect for people and the planet, from brands carefully chosen thanks to our selection charter. These pieces, made from eco-responsible materials and produced locally, embody our commitment to more conscious and sustainable consumption.

 

By choosing Meanwhile Boutique, you support a holistic approach, which combines style, ethics, and responsibility, for a healthier daily life that respects our environment.

You can now explore our eco-responsible ready-to-wear collection.