Can a tomato or pepper plant help combat climate change? Yes, at least according to a new study conducted by a group of researchers at the University of California and published in the journal ScienceDirect.

Vegetables instead of CO2

The correlation between grow-your-own food and climate is also one of the cornerstones of the "zero kilometres" concept — that is, eliminating the transportation process for produce. According to the researchers, two kilograms of carbon emissions could be avoided for every kilogram of vegetables that are home-grown and consumed.

A vegetable garden in every lawn

If every Californian household were provided with a productive vegetable garden, the study argues that the positive impact would be significant and the state would reduce its polluting emissions by 10 per cent, bringing it closer to the reduction target set for 2020.

Less waste going to landfill

The largest cut in emissions would, however, come not from eliminating transportation, but from reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, where decomposing food releases methane and nitrous oxide. The emissions reduction could therefore be achieved through reusing our food scraps — for example, by using compost as fertiliser.

Lawns drink too much

In some states in the western United States, which constantly struggle with drought, it is possible to receive government funding if you give up your lawn, which is responsible for consuming too much water. It is possible to replace the lawn with food plants, as suggested by Karrie Reid, a horticultural consultant for the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of California.

Listening to nature

To reduce environmental impact and optimise resources, it is also important to plant the right plants for the specific environment and soil. "Don't grow difficult plants, let the environment speak to you," suggests David Cleveland, the study's lead author. "If your strawberries are struggling, the environment is trying to tell you something."