By distributing recipes in front of Vienna’s major supermarkets, the Global 2000 youth group alerts customers to the fact that cooking with seasonal and regional organic products is easier than most people believe.
Written by Timothy Bidwell, Global 2000 Jugend
In the era of globalisation, we have to face crucial decisions every day if we’re eager to make this planet a better world to live in. Being green doesn’t merely mean showing concern or raising your voice when push comes to shove. It also implies living as climate-friendly as possible and motivating other people to follow suit. Without doubt, there’s no better way to make an impact than to shop and cook sustainably.
Global 2000 considers organic products as the foundation of any sustainable lifestyle. Organically produced fair-trade food is not only tastier than the common stuff and healthier for you and your offspring – It also ensures that every animal, every human and every patch of soil involved in the production process have been treated decently. If you buy organic vegetables and fruits harvested in your region, that’s even wiser: Our climate, your country’s economy and local farmers will equally appreciate your help.
But we’re realistic. When there’s a big offering but little transparency, sustainable shopping is not always the easiest thing to do. Especially cooking with the seasons admittedly requires some creativity. Parsnips, potatoes and parsley – that’s basically as exciting as it gets in Austrian winter. But is it impossible? We believe it’s not. The Global 2000 youth group sees no contradiction between sustainable ingredients and delicious dishes – and that’s why we’re eager to lend people a helping hand.
A cold day in February: There’s a constant coming and going as my partner Saara and I arrive at a large store of SPAR – one of Austria’s major supermarket chains – in the centre of the city. People are busy doing their shopping for the weekend and most of them avoid us after seeing the logo we carry on our jackets. But as soon as they hear the words “free recipe”, many stop and grab one of our flyers. “Actually I wanted to order pizza”, a boy in our age says with a smile. “But why not?” Soon, the action turns out to be a success and within one hour, all our recipes are gone. Leaving the store, some people even stop to show us that they’ve actually bought all the necessary ingredients. If you’re simply giving advice without any moral touch, I think to myself standing in front of SPAR, even people who’re not into environmental topics are not too difficult to reach. And if you’re suggesting recipes that are quicker and simpler as the microwave, even greenhorns will give it a try.
Cooking sustainably often means enjoying food in its most simple variations and going back to the roots. It’s the fun of being creative instead of sticking too rigidly to complicated recipes or chasing after exotic spices. Have you ever tried frying parsnips, celery, parsley and carrots (you can buy all of these vegetables bundled together for hardly 1,50 € in any Viennese supermarket) and serving them with salted potatoes? Have you ever wondered how delicious cooked millet with tomato sauce and mushrooms can be? Yeah, maybe that’s a nice side effect I want to highlight: Being able to enjoy the original taste of mushrooms from time to time and not always an indefinable mixture of ingredients from all over the world.
Shortly before we leave the supermarket, an elderly woman comes towards me. She takes the recipe, puts on her glasses and examines the little piece of paper with a stern face. Then she nods approvingly: “Simple, but original.” Indeed, that’s what it’s all about.
The finished meal: fresh, delicious and vegan!