What I love about orange is that this is one of the lowest carbon footprint citrus. Research published by the National Science Foundation shows that most of the GHG emissions of oranges come from transportation costs. Unlike some exotic fruits, we can buy fresh local oranges in almost all countries, from the North to the South hemisphere. Therefore, this orange jello recipe uses mostly local oranges from farmer’s markets. Check it out if you are a busy Earth lover like I am.
In modern society, the development of the logistics industry allows us to access just any exotic fruits in local supermarkets. Have you ever wondered how they can be transported such a long distance without being ruined in shape and flavor? That’s because many imported fruits are prematurely harvested, loaded in freezing vehicles, and artificially ripened by chemical ethylene. This process left an enormous carbon footprint on Earth. No matter how advanced the technology is, the flavor of artificially ripened fruits is also carried away from homeland authenticity.
Consequently, in the 100 low-carbon footprint recipes series, I apply a simple principle for a high-quality life with the lowest cost: local and seasonal ingredients are the best.
Recipe 2: Orange Jell-O
Ingredients:
- 4 oranges fresh from the local market (440 g CO2-eq)
- 1 packet of gelatin powder (11.5 g CO2-eq)
- 1 tbsp of sugar or honey (optional)
Instruction:
- Cut each orange in half and squeeze the juice into a glass. I use an orange squeezer for this step.
- Put 1 packet of gelatin powder into 1/4 cup of orange juice, stir well, and wait for 5 minutes
- Pour the remaining of orange juice into a pan and warm it on medium heat for 5 minutes. Optionally, you can add 1 tbsp of honey in this step (Note: don’t boil or overheat to avoid bittersweet flavor. Our sweet spot is warm up only)
- Put the mix of gelatin and orange juice in 1/4 cup above into the orange juice pan; stir well until the gelatin mixture dissolves
- Pour the orange juice into the orange peels, and put them into the fridge for 3-4 hour
- Serve our homemade jello. Depending on the juicy level, 4 oranges can make enough jelly for 2 or 4 servings
