Sunday, February 23, 2014

You Are What You Eat

When it comes to sustainability, one of the greatest impacts we have is what we choose to eat. Here are some easy (and yummy!) ways to eat healthy and sustainably:

Eat Low on the Food Chain!
Eating low on the food chain means that less energy goes into producing your food, increasing your sustainability. Think about it, the water and energy that goes into producing grains is exponentially increased to produce meat. The EPA estimates that it takes ~2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef, whereas it only takes about ~26 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. And it's not just about input, but also output. The production of any food has a waste output associated with it, and just like energy input, that figure decreases the lower you are on the food chain.


Eat Local!
One of the best things you can do to reduce your environmental footprint is to eat local. The further your food has to travel to get to you, the more energy it consumes and pollution it produces. Here in California, we are fortunate enough to have amazing climates and nutritious soils which can produce just about anything. Farmers' markets happen in almost every city in the Golden State, and not only are you more sustainable by choosing farmers' markets, but also contributing money to the local economy, which benefits everyone. Plus, food prices at farmers' markets are considerably lower than at corporate stores, making your dollar go further for better quality. It's a win-win situation! With the consumer demand for sustainable produce, more and more big chain stores like Safeway are even offering locally sourced food. Make sure to use your consumer power to "vote" for the products you want, and companies will supply them!


Eat What's in Season!
Ever buy strawberries in the wintertime? They look red and ripe but once you take a bite, they are sour and flavorless. Foods grown in-season consume a lot less production energy than when they are grown out of season, and they taste much better, too! CUESA (the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) has a great website which provides a list of in-season foods, where you can buy them, and delicious recipes! Go to http://www.cuesa.org/eat-seasonally to check it out. 



Eat smarter, eat healthier and eat sustainably!

No comments:

Post a Comment