It seems everyone’s jumping on the green bandwagon in an
attempt to push their cart and boost sales.
According to Horticulture NZ – in the midst of promoting
2008 as the International Year of the Potato – eating more of these earthen
veges is ‘good for water conservation’.
New Zealanders keen on conserving water and protecting the environment should
look no further than the potato, says food and education consultant Glenda
Gourley. There you are, it seems the humble potato is the answer to our
environmental woes.
‘Potatoes require a lot less water to grow than other carbohydrates, which is
particularly important in areas of drought or where water access is
restricted,’ says Gourley.
Indeed, some digging into the facts reveals that (on average) it takes 300
buckets of water to grow one kilo of rice, 50 buckets to grow one kilo of wheat
and just eight buckets to grow a kilo of potatoes.
‘For those keen to conserve water and do their bit for the planet, eating
locally-grown potatoes rather than imported rice is a step in the right
direction.’ Eat a potato – cleanse your conscience! Now there’s a catchphrase
by which to live your life.
