PlantHome: contribute to the sustainability goals
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard it before; in recent years, there has been environmental pollution and climate change and unfortunately the production of food and drink also contributes to this. With the Own Greens growing solutions, we want to ensure a significant change in the food system and contribute to achieving several sustainability goals. Although meat and dairy products are the most damaging to the environment, the production of, for example, vegetables also contributes to climate change. In agriculture, fuel is needed to make fertilizers, run machines and heat greenhouses. When these fuels are burned, the greenhouse gas CO2 is created, which causes global warming. Fuel is also needed for transporting the food from the land to the store and then back to the consumer and therefore CO2 is emitted with that as well. When you, as a consumer, grow your own vegetables and herbs in the PlantHome, they are already at their destination. Therefore, you reduce emissions from transport and of course, there are also no large agricultural machines or climate control systems involved.
Another problem in the current food system, is the use of packaging material. Many types of fruits and vegetables sold in supermarkets, are packed individually. The packaging ensures that the products can take a beating and stay fresh during the journey from the farmer to the consumer. The downside to this is that producing these packages also costs energy and of course there is (plastic) waste. When you use the PlantHome, you don’t have to deal with pollution from plastic waste. The growing bowls, lids and sprouting caps are reusable and you don’t have to deal with plastic packaging to protect products because you have grown them directly for your own use.
Finally, there’s also the problem of food waste. Almost everyone throws out leftover food or expired products. In the Netherlands, an average of no less than 34 kilos of food is thrown away per person per year, which in a four-person household amounts to more than 130 kilos of food per year. Growing your own vegetables and herbs with the PlantHome can also be a solution for this. With the PlantHome it is very easy to adjust the amount of food you grow to your own needs. Do you use a certain herb very little? Then you can easily grow a small amount with 1 Plant Cup. Plus, you can keep these herbs longer than packaged herbs you buy at the supermarket, because you can just cut the required amount off the plant and the plant can keep on growing.
In short, we all face a major challenge when it comes to changing the food system and addressing the climate problem, which is caused by food production. By using the PlantHome, you as a consumer can take the first step in addressing these issues and contribute to achieving the sustainability goals!
