Dr. Carbone, graduated in Biological Sciences and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Bari, holds a Master’s degree in the sustainability of food systems, and has been practicing as a nutritional biologist for over ten years.
“I’ve been writing since the age of eight– he has declared- especially poems and short stories, winning some scholarships during his adolescence. I love art, nature and the environment. I think that my hikigai (mission in Japanese) is to act in science and conscience, transmitting in my small way messages of hope to those around me, dreaming of a future on this planet in which we can all take care of the environment and respect it, to starting from our daily choices, especially food choices”.
The presentation of the book is scheduled for Wednesday 26 June at 7pm at the “The fig tree” bookshop in Cerignola. The meeting, with free admission, is organized in collaboration with Sara and Vito de “Grandpa Peppino’s Farm“.
In anticipation of this event, we asked the author some questions about her activity and the aims of the book.
Based on your experience, what are the prejudices that still exist against alternative food choices such as Veganism?
“Taking into account my experience, I can state that the existing prejudices about Veganism are above all these: the difficulty in combining various foods to escape nutritional deficiencies, the cost of the diet, the uselessness and extremism of the choice”
Ethics and environmental sustainability seem like abstract concepts, yet they are principles that each of us could put into practice in everyday life. Can choices about food to eat also contribute to their realization?
“I delve deeper into this aspect in my book. We can participate in change and greater protection of the environment starting with our food choices. It is now known from the latest major studies carried out on the subject (see the Oxford one carried out this year) how the plant-based diet has the least impact on the environment and ecosystems, in terms of water, soil and air pollution footprint”
People often give the excuse for not choosing different diets that they don’t have time to try new recipes. What do you feel like saying to those who think this way?
“I simply answer that the basic vegan diet is a simple diet made up of fruit, vegetables, cereals and legumes. Combining these foods in the kitchen without spending hours on it is quite easy and does not necessarily require time or effort. This would happen for some recipes more elaborate, but that’s a separate discussion, which would still arise even if we chose to eat omnivorously. We are lucky enough to find many ideas on the internet, also to better organize ourselves.
In your experience, is the number of young people opting for Veganism increasing? What’s behind their choice? Do you think there is greater awareness today than in the past?
“The latest statistics in Italy comfort us in general about the increase in vegetarians, although among these many – over time – decide to become vegans. Currently in Italy we are around 2%. It is a choice that requires 360° awareness, but this is precisely what the new generations need”
Who is your book aimed at, and what message does it intend to convey to readers?
My book is aimed at all those who want, in one way or another, to do their best and be part of the change that this planet urgently needs. There is no need to go and live in a hut without electricity and without a car, but it would be enough to start a journey of awareness right from the table, through small measures to be adopted daily: how we dress, how we move, how many new objects or those coming from the big distribution we purchase every year. There are many examples, and I believe that correct information is the basis of everything.”
Dr. Carbone’s book is divided into three parts, and is a manual that helps you live sustainably at 360°. Starting from the table, starting with food, we undertake a journey that becomes ever deeper and more interior, to discover ourselves and a greater sensitivity towards Creation.
