It’s Earth Day, 2022, when we are all (hopefully) thinking about what we can do to help the environment. For cheese lovers and curd nerds everywhere, there are plenty of delicious, cheese-centric ways to make a difference.
First and foremost, sourcing artisan cheeses from producers that follow sustainable practices is a no-brainer, and not just on Earth Day. While many of us became more accustomed to shopping online during the pandemic, buying cheese at your local cheese shop, farmers market, or directly from cheesemakers in your area not only supports small businesses, it helps reduce fossil fuel consumption. Learn about cheesemakers who are engaged in sustainable practices—including Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Fiscalini Farmstead, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese, and Straus Family Creamery— in our stories here and here.
Avoiding waste is key to being kind to Mother Earth. Here are six ideas for reducing it, deliciously.
Use Up Leftover Cheese
We’ve all got those bits of cheese in the back of the drawer too small to put on a cheese plate or a sandwich. But before you toss them, check out these ways to use them up.
Enjoy a Whey-Based Beverage
Whey is one of the cheese industry’s biggest waste liabilities. While some cheesemakers feed it to livestock or sell it to convert into protein powder, a lot of it ends up being dumped. Enter entrepreneurs making everything from alcoholic spirits to tonics with this liquid gold.
Sustainable Accompaniments
DIY for waste-not, want-not cheese pairings
Susan Axelrod
Susan Sherrill Axelrod is a former editor of Culture. Her love affair with cheese began at age 12, when she bicycled to a gourmet shop to taste an exotic newcomer—French brie. She lives with her partner in midcoast Maine, where she enjoys a well-made cocktail, hiking with their dog, Lucy, and spending as much time as possible on the water.
