Guilt-free snacking: UK farmers produce energy-making potato crisps in a fully compostable packet

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Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. compostable / kɒmˈpoʊst ə bəl / (adj.) – relating to something that can break apart naturally and become part of the soil
    Example:

    Compostable bags are used in grocery stores to reduce plastic waste.


  2. ubiquitous / yuˈbɪk wɪ təs / (adj.) – relating to something found or seen everywhere; very common
    Example:

    Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in today’s society.


  3. decompose / ˌdi kəmˈpoʊz / (v.) – to undergo a process that separates parts into smaller or simpler parts
    Example:

    The dead leaves will decompose over time and make the soil good for planting.


  4. shelf life / ʃɛlf laɪf / (n.) – the amount of time that a product, such as food, can be kept or stored, and still be good to eat or use
    Example:

    Fresh vegetables and meat have shorter shelf life than canned goods.


  5. intensively / ɪnˈtɛn sɪv li / (adv.) – in a way that requires a lot of work or effort in a short amount of time
    Example:

    The students studied intensively for the exam.


Article

Read the text below.

As one of the world’s most popular takeaway snacks, billions of packets of crisps are consumed every year, with most of them unable to be recycled and ending up in landfill.


Now, a farm in the U.K. says it’s on a mission to make the humble packet of crisps a more eco-friendly choice, using fully compostable packaging and a production process that powers both the farm and the local electricity grid.


Globally, the potato chips market was worth $34.3 billion in 2023 according to the IMARC Group research consultancy.


Packaging for the ubiquitous snack has traditionally been made using non-recyclable plastics, which can take around 80 years to decompose.


But the British makers of these packs of crisps say they have the solution. While these bags may look like any other crisp bag, they are in fact fully compostable within 26 weeks.


Sean Mason, farmer and co-founder of Two Farmers, says, “This is 100% cellulose film. It’s the only fully compostable crisp packet that we know of. This took us four years to develop and we’re now on to our third generation and we’re actually trying a fourth generation and trying to extend shelf life. Whatever you do with this packet, it will break down, it will dissolve back into water, carbon dioxide and biomass.”


A fully compostable crisp packet is one of several measures the farm is taking to adopt an ultra-sustainable food production approach.


In order to achieve that, the journey of the farm’s crisps begins and ends on the farm where potatoes are grown, stored, cooked and packed, giving the farmers control over each stage in the process.


Mark Green, co-founder of Two Farmers, says, “We’re growing lots of crops on our farm. Potatoes, cereals, beetroot and energy crops. But what we try to do is farm all of these intensively, but at the same time, we want to be environmentally friendly and sustainable in our farming business. So, since the early 2000s we’ve been looking at our soils and our cropping and how we can bring the two together to look after our soils and actually make sustainable farming with the intensive potato crop like this one here.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • According to the article, billions of packets of crisps are unable to be recycled and end up in landfill. How does this information impact your consumption of potato crisps? As a consumer, how conscious are you about the amount of trash you produce? Do you think you should minimize the amount of trash you produce? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how important is it for food producers and manufacturers to adopt an ultra-sustainable food production approach? Do you think all food manufacturers can do the same? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The potato chips market was worth $34.3 billion in 2023 globally. Are potato chips popular in your country? Why do you think this snack is ubiquitous? Discuss.
  • If you were starting a business, would you start a potato chips business considering its market value? Why or why not? How would you make your product more interesting than other brands? Would you consider using compostable packaging for this product? Why or why not? Discuss.