One of the best things your can do for the environment is to adjust your eating habits. And to put it simply - eat little to no animal products.
Now I get it, I’m a born and raised deep south Texas girl… my father wanted to disown me when I told him I was vegetarian. But it is scientifically proven that the agricultural industry is seriously destroying our planet.
From loosing beautiful National Parks (beef requires 20 times more farmland that plants), to constantly breathing in shit air (animals in America produce 130 times more waste than humans…) how you choose to eat might be the biggest combat to climate change you could make.
7 How-To Practices for Sustainable Eating
1 - Work up to becoming Vegan
We are fortunate to be living in a world of modern technology because we have so many delicious recipe options for a plant based diet. Have you heard of the beyond burger… yea… it’s pretty amazing!
You don’t have to go extreme in the beginning, even cutting meat out of your diet to eating it once a week is the equivalent of taking your car off the road for nearly three months.
Explore Pinterest for a slew of yummy plant recipes.
2 - Eat Local
Purchase fruits, vegetables, brews, grains, etc that are within a 200 mile radius of you. This will help to eliminate the carbon emission that comes from transportation of food. Every wonder how you get avocados in the Winter Time in NYC… yea… that’s a lot of boats, plants, and trucks.
Look into Ayurveda - this sister science of yoga aligns you to the natural cycle of the world and really gets down to the nitty gritty of eating in season for your specific natural constitution and genetic make up (AWESOME). You can find some Summer Ayurvedic Foods here
4 - Choose Minimal Packaging
Now I love the hip vibe of Trader Joe’s but dear lord, is it really necessary to wrap each apple in plastic - no, no it is not. Shop smart which means observing what your products are wrapped in. Companies produce 78 million tons of plastic annually, yet manufacturers and consumers alike only recycle 14% of it.
You DO NOT need to wrap each item in one of those little plastic baggies… just wash the fruits and vegetables when you get home.
For oils and other bulk items, try to buy items that use glass jars. Glass is less harmful when biodegrading and easier to reuse in your home.
5- Preserve your Food
We have all looked into our fridge and saw the poor stinky kale that went unused… it’s sad… so here is how you can combat it!
For leafy greens that you buy in bulk (this will save you a ton of money versus buying in those large plastic containers) store your greens in a glass filled with water in your fridge. Like a boutique of flowers. This keeps it fresh for much longer. For big fruit buys, store half in your freezer and enjoy delicious smoothies or pies all year round!
6 - Mindful Eating
Acknowledge the food you are eating before pounding it down. Turn off technology, sit in quiet or with a loved one and enjoy your meal. Look down at your food and notice the different colors, track where each product came from, and give thanks to the plants, animals, and people that made this meal possible. By practicing mindful eating you are preparing the digestive system to break down food, you are waking up the senses to fully enjoy flavors, and you are creating empathy for the world to cultivate change and compassion. Find the full Celebration of Food here.
7 - Eat From Your Garden
Not only does this tackle the regional and in season eating, but actually harvesting and touching plants directly forms a nature to human connection.
If you get nervous about killing your plants, then consider investing in a Hydroponic Garden. This type of garden is water and nutrient based and allows you to have fresh produce all year round. This is the PERFECT solution if you are an apartment dweller! I’ve been rocking mine for a while and I love it. Here is the Areogarden one that I have.
Take one step at a time and simply start implementing these practicing with every meal. Comment below to let me know which ones are working for you and which ones you are excited to start trying!
