Zero Foodprint Asia September Newsletter |
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Dear Friends of Zero Foodprint Asia, Time flies and we're already nearing the end of September, meaning a change of season in Hong Kong. Much of the farmland is laid to rest in Autumn as farmers are waiting for the temperatures to lower before sowing seeds for the fall harvest. Therefore, you unfortunately won't be able to see or purchase a large range of vegetables and fruits growing at this time of the year but that doesn't stop us from visiting the farmers (albeit in raincoats and wellies), setting up our "adopt a farmer" program and share our passion about regenerative practices in Hong Kong. |
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Newly On Board! We might not lack the presence of Italian food in Hong Kong but we have definitely been missing out on Chef Antimo Maria Merones' Neopolitan cuisine redefined. Estro pays homage to Chef Antimo's homeland and childhood but with his creative and progressive style. The only thing better than these impeccably crafted Southern Italian dishes is that 1% of all diners' bills will be pledged towards carbon farming projects in Hong Kong and the surrounding regions. | | |
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Also don't forget, you have until October 8th, to enjoy Green Month at Potato Head Hong Kong. Check out their special zero-waste cocktail menu, fill up on some delicious Nasi Goreng, and spot the 1% pledge on your bill afterward. You eat food; we eat carbon! |
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Other than the funding of regenerative farming practices in Hong Kong via our 1% Pledge pathway, we do also receive generous contributions from fellow supporters from time to time. Mr. Danny Yip from the iconic The Chairman is one such sponsor and we can't appreciate his gracious donation enough! |
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Despite the sporadic rainstorms and the resulting awakening of mozzies, we can certainly count last week's farm outing we hosted for our friends at Meraki Hospitality, Maximal Concepts, Rooftop Republic, Aaharn, and Honky Tonks Tavern, a success! We ventured to four different farms across the New Territories that implement either organic or some form of regenerative farming principles and understood how it differs from harmful, conventional practices. The centre of attention had to be soil - covering techniques on how to amend soil nutrients, optimize carbon sequestration potentials, how crop rotation and companion planting assist in bearing more nutritious food and also choosing (and even trying out!) the right tools to measure soil health. |
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Our deepest gratitude to Farmer David HK Farmer's Pride for the co-organization, as well as our advisor Mrs. Josephine Mak and volunteers from Homeland Green for sharing your knowledge and making the afternoon such an educational experience for everyone! |
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Adopt a Farmer The “Adopt a Farmer” Program is designed by Zero Foodprint Asia to connect Hong Kong restaurants/chef’s with local farms/farmers. To further uphold our vision in engaging the entire food system, this initiative aims to facilitate a mutual exchange of knowledge, promote buying and eating locally and finally, contribute to supporting and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. A chef will partner with an allocated farm/farmer in Hong Kong over the course of 12 months and will be able to directly buy seasonal produce and request specific produce prior to each season. This ensures that the farmer has a stable income and can experiment with different crops knowing it will be purchased by the chef. | | |
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Industry News "Healthy soil can help solve climate change?" No, we don't make this shit up. Move over industrial AG! Big strides are a-happening! On September 8th, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization validated healthy soils' crucial role for climate action, namely, via 𝙎𝙊𝙄𝙇 𝘾𝘼𝙍𝘽𝙊𝙉 𝙎𝙀𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉. To supplement soil’s use as a carbon sink, two new practical tools have been launched: |
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1) a global map indicating how much and where CO2 can be sequestered in soils 2) a six volume best practices guide for farmers on how to increase and maintain soil organic content. How does ZFPA fit in to the equation you ask? By encouraging investment, education and awareness around recarbonizing soil, we fulfill Global Soil Partnership’s 2nd Pillar of Action. With this newfound knowledge let's work to quickly help scale healthy soil practices and regenerative farming! |
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About a third of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions come from food and farming, but we can make small changes that don’t just “reduce our impact” - we can actually pull excess carbon out of the atmosphere, improve nutrition, and help farmers. It’s a win-win-win. |
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Paul Hawken has done it again Encouraging, inspiring and with the best science available, Paul Hawken's new book "ReGeneration" is a radical new approach to the climate crisis. It's the first book ever to describe and define the global regeneration movement that is spreading rapidly. We can't wait to get our hands on it! | | |
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What's going on in October 03/10: On Sunday Roganic's Climate Action Luncheon, starring our very own Chef Peggy Chan, will take place. This special 10-course charity lunch will feature local ingredients – fruits, vegetables, and seafood - grown and sourced within 160 kilometers of Hong Kong. And guess what? All proceeds after food cost deductions will go to ZFPA's Restore Funds. |
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06/10: You can find us at the ReThink conference running a workshop together with FoodPanda. Participants will experience how to practice regenerative agriculture, design sustainable and attractive menus, and become eco-conscious dine-in and takeaway customers in this immersive workshop. ReThink is HK’s best attended and most ambitious business event for sustainable development - we’re excited to be representing ZFPA. |
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20/10: Last but not least, in collaboration with the Mills Fabrica, we’ll be hosting our Chinese Press Event! An hour-long panel of presentations on how climate change will affect us (yes here in HK!), how we can proactively work towards climate mitigation; panel discussions on how best to bridge the link between local growers and consumers, and even a make-shift farmer’s market. Are you a representative of the Chinese-speaking F&B sector? Confirm your attendance here. |
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Systems Changing with Zero Foodprint Over the past three months, our team has been working with academics, NGOs and innovation leads from across the globe to co-create an Action Agenda for ‘Mainstreaming True Cost Accounting (TCA)’ and to offer a transformative pathway towards actualizing our solution. How does Zero Foodprint relate to TCA? Stay tuned to learn more as we prepare to pilot the ZFPA Carbon Neutrality Program! | | |
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About Us Want to know more about who we are, why we brought Zero Foodprint to Asia, and who is on our Advisory and Board of Directors? Click the link below. | | |
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Thank you for sticking around and stay tuned for more news. Let's solve climate change with good food! |
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