WTF - So little land for plant-based foods?
Facts and figures
11% of the total area of the WeltTellerFeld - around 330 m2 - is used to grow those plant-based foods that a person in Austria currently eats per year. This area on the WeltTellerFeld shows which plants farmers in Austria grow for us. These include apples, oats or beans. We buy them fresh or processed.
That's how it is!?
Not everything grows at all times on our agricultural areas, but only when it is in season. The "season" is the time when certain vegetables are growing on agricultural areas and are later harvested. Strawberries are in season in early summer. Do you know when pumpkin is in season?
The answer:
Five species make up our current edible pumpkins: Garden squash, musk squash, giant squash, fig leaf squash, and Cucurbita argyrosperma. Each of these species still has many varieties! Some of them are harvested as early as summer. Most varieties, like the popular Hokkaido pumpkin, ripen in the fall and can be stored for many months. By the way, the Hokkaido pumpkin is classified as a giant pumpkin.
One thing I can do!
The fact that you can almost always find all fruits and vegetables in the supermarket is because many foods come from other countries. Another reason is that especially vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are grown in heated greenhouses in Austria or elsewhere. The energy required for transport and heating greenhouses or warehouses is bad for the climate. However, buying seasonal foods from the region is good for the climate.
Have you already heard about food coops? There, foods come from selected farms nearby! Find out more and how you can become a member of a food coop at www.foodcoops.at. If you want to know how you can make your everyday life climate-friendly, you can learn more here!