Who is Giorgia?
I am Giorgia, Giorgia Pagliuca, I am 24 years old (soon turning 25). I am everything and nothing at the same time. I have an Instagram account called “GGalaska” and I define myself both as an activist and as a disseminator.
My goal is to pursue an academic career in the field of gastronomy by doing a PHD at the University of Gastronomic Science of Pollenzo, where I am currently doing a master’s program in Sustainable Food and Innovation Management.
What is Ggalaska?
This name comes from my initials, but it also refers both to the last area where wild salmon can be found and to one of my favorite novels as a teenager called “looking for Alaska”.
I use social media to bring awareness and educate people about sustainability, as it is a powerful tool to communicate with the new generation.
As my mum would say, I always questioned everything surrounding me and tried to make a positive change.
Are social media an effective tool to talk about sustainability?
After I posted a Tiktok on the supply chain of cacao one of my followers criticized me, saying that I was using the wrong channel to talk about these sensitive topics. However, this is the only space I have to communicate with my followers, but if I got invited to a late night show I would definitely participate and express my thoughts in that setting!
Jokes aside, I believe that Instagram and Tiktok are powerful tools to communicate and educate the younger generations, which will be in charge of changing the future of the planet!
Why is eating a political act?
Our tastes influence the market and vice versa. Doing groceries is becoming more political than voting for politicians, the problem is that many people don’t even realize it. Every time we have a meal, we are making a choice, by supporting multinational companies or small-scale producers. Consumers often underestimate the impact of putting products in their shopping baskets.
What is your definition of sustainability?
To me sustainability is a comprehensive and holistic approach. We are not the only species on this planet, and we shouldn’t be the dominating one. I am not only talking about an environmental sustainability, but also about a social and economic one.
The northern hemisphere countries have always had an “atteggiamento della cannuccia” (from Italian it literally translates to “sucking out with a straw” or in this case draining the resources) of southern countries’ “vital lymph”.
For example, green-house gas emissions won’t only affect Colombia’s atmosphere, as we all share the same planet and future. If glaciers are melting, the people that immediately will suffer from these consequences are the ones that live below sea levels. However, this will lead to a massive migration to other countries and most likely an exploitation of the people living in the areas where they move into. This is the main reason why we should all acknowledge the fact that everything is interconnected ad that we need to overcome national self-interests.
Has sustainability become an imperative for companies?
Consumers shouldn’t see all black and white when it comes to companies marketing themselves as sustainable. For multinationals, it is easier to launch massive marketing campaigns to give the general public an appearance of sustainability, also known as green washing, as they have the tools and financial assets to do so. However, these companies with a track record of harmful and destructive practices will face more difficulty in changing people’s perspective. New startups have the advantage of branding themselves as sustainable from the start.
How can consumers understand if companies are greenwashing their products?
I hope governments will adopt harsher legislation to regulate companies when defining themselves as “sustainable”. Overall, it is easier to have a social impact than an environmental one. Bringing awareness through marketing campaigns is usually cheaper, reducing the environmental impact involves a change in the supply chain. It is often difficult to calculate the environmental footprint especially for products such as cane sugar and coffee, as too many intermediaries are involved.
Therefore, major coffee companies are doing their best to have a positive social impact on local communities. Raw materials (coffee beans) are a commodity with a low value that fluctuates in the short term but is stable in the long run, meanwhile the final transformed product (packaged coffee) follows the opposite trend.
Usually, the green beans are bought by Western companies that ultimately transform them in their own countries, therefore preventing local communities from developing their own technologies, condemning them to only sell the raw materials to foreign countries and excluding them from the high earning markets.
Do you think plant-based food substitutes can make a radical change?
Plant-based food definitely has a lower impact compared to animal-derived products, however they cannot be the only solution. I believe they have a high potential as they are becoming more present in groceries worldwide, they are easy to prepare, affordable and tasty!
What is your favorite zero-waste recipe?
Pappa al Pomodoro with leftover stale bread (the traditional Tuscan tomato and bread soup).