Media release

From: The University of Sydney

Think global, eat local  

Dr Diana Bogueva from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is an expert in food and the environment. She recently published the book Food in a Planetary Emergency.  

“Growing your own produce isn’t just good for your hip pocket, it’s a powerful thing to do for the planet. It’s also a simple solution to numerous environmental, economic and health problems.

“Studies upon studies show that Australians do not eat enough vegetables. Having a ready supply on hand could be one way to improve nutrition, by having a good supply of raw, fresh, diverse and tasty produce at hand. Gardening also keeps people active and connected to nature – which many of us are lacking nowadays.

“Getting food from the paddock to the plate can be highly fossil fuel intensive, with some food travelling thousands of kilometres by freight and even internationally by air before it hits supermarket shelves. Intensive farming practices and long-term storage can also lead to nutritional value loss, as well as significant land clearing.

“Personally, I am growing a wide variety of veggies and fruits in my garden, including lettuce and spring onions, herbs like parsley, oregano, basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, chives, and also some fruits like figs, bananas and papaya.”