Thanks to the thematic objectives, institutions can assess their current situation and define their own specific measures.
to develop and implement their action plan.
The actions suggested below will help you discover the measures that may already be in place.
Based on this assessment, institutions can define their own action plan to achieve customised objectives.
for year 1, year 3 and year 5 of their climate journey.
Seasonality refers to the natural production cycle of fruit and vegetables in their country of agricultural production. This means that a “seasonal” product is not grown in an artificially heated greenhouse. However, “seasonality” does not necessarily mean “regionality”. In winter, for example, it is easy to find Swiss tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses, which are local but out of season.
When discussing seasonality, we can distinguish between two categories of fruit and vegetables:
Fruit and vegetables that can be grown locally: in this case, it is advisable to consume them as much as possible according to the local natural cycle and to refer to seasonal calendars.
Fruit and vegetables that cannot be grown locally: these are mainly exotic products that are rarely grown in heated greenhouses.
Swiss frozen, dried or canned fruit and vegetables can be considered “seasonal” because they are rarely grown in heated greenhouses for this type of processing.
It is essential to promote food traceability. “Regional” and “local” products benefit from shorter transport routes and are therefore fresher. Agricultural raw materials originate in the region, i.e. they are grown, reared or fished there. However, the term “local” does not refer to the place where the product is processed, prepared and packaged.
In general, the origin is information that is often available on whole food products. However, the more processed the product is and the more ingredients it contains, the more difficult it is to ensure its traceability. From an environmental perspective, taking origin into account involves taking action on:
• The distance travelled by raw materials (number of kilometres)
• Mode of transport (proximity reduces the use of air transport)
• Le mode de production (via la législation agricole régissant la production alimentaire :
« Prestations Écologiques Requises » ou « PER » en Suisse) : plus on favorise les produits régionaux et locaux, plus les conditions de culture peuvent être rigoureuses.
Agricultural production methods encompass various aspects such as cultivation methods (management of fertilisers and plant protection products, soil and water management, maintenance of biodiversity) and livestock farming methods (animal welfare, use of resources, greenhouse gas emissions), and have an impact on working conditions.
Bourgeon Bio (Swiss and imported products)
Demeter (Swiss and imported products)
EU Organic / AB bio (imported products)
Resources
A full description of each of these labels is available at labelinfo.ch
Sustainable food goes hand in hand with animal welfare. Choose animal products from farming programmes that take animal welfare into account as much as possible.
Sustainable food goes hand in hand with animal welfare. Choose animal products from farming programmes that take animal welfare into account as much as possible.
When it is not possible to purchase seasonal Swiss products, especially for products that come from far away (typically exotic fruits, but also coffee, tea, rice, orange juice, etc.), certain labels guarantee greater respect for the environment and people.
Resources
Encontrará más detalles sobre los requisitos de estas etiquetas en labelinfo.ch
Consuming sufficient protein from multiple sources is essential for a balanced diet. However, excessive consumption of animal products puts considerable pressure on natural resources, the climate, animal welfare and our health. Consuming animal protein sparingly while increasing the proportion of plant-based protein is the key to healthier, more environmentally friendly and more ethical meals.
A healthy diet, i.e. one that is balanced and varied, helps prevent diet-related diseases. However, many people in Switzerland today consume too much salt, sugar and fat. This promotes diseases such as diabetes and obesity, as well as cardiovascular problems. To remedy this, various national and international institutions issue recommendations on nutritional intake.
In Switzerland, 28% of the environmental impact is linked to food. However, a large proportion of the food produced is not even consumed: this is known as food waste. This phenomenon occurs at various stages of the food chain, from primary production to consumption, including processing and sale. Food waste equates to a loss of precious resources (agricultural land, water, energy, plant protection products, fertilisers), but also money and labour. It is also a source of unnecessary and avoidable pollution.
Resources
The main purpose of packaging is to ensure food preservation (and thus avoid food waste as much as possible). However, much of the packaging can be avoided, particularly for bottled drinks. It should also be noted that for food products, the environmental impact of food production is much greater than that of packaging, whereas for drinks, the opposite is often true.
With the considerable increase in takeaway food and drinks, the amount of waste has become a growing concern. Non-renewable resources such as sand (needed to make glass), aluminium (tin cans) and oil (plastic) are being overexploited and often extracted in unsustainable ways. Most of this waste is difficult to recycle and causes significant pollution once it ends up in the environment.
Single-use consumables such as straws, napkins, chopsticks, coasters, etc. can represent significant volumes.
Energy costs in kitchens are relatively low compared to other expenses related to staff, products or rent. However, the potential for savings is high – up to 40% – and can be easily achieved with the right advice and small changes in behaviour. Almost half of the energy savings can already be achieved with modern technologies. Correct use of equipment can also lead to massive savings, for example by switching off equipment during periods of inactivity.
Resources
Cleaning products include hand soaps, dishwashing products, washing and cleaning products. They are not harmless, either to the environment or to health: micropollutants can contaminate lakes, rivers and groundwater. In addition, many of these products can cause respiratory problems or skin irritation, for example. Some substances are also harmful to the micro-organisms that treat wastewater.
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