courtesy aumtrails.com
Humans love food. We need it, we revel in the joy it brings, and we even enjoy competitive food eating (to the chagrin of many a hot dog and pie). So, it should come as a surprise to learn that the very culture of eating that sustains and entertains us is actually harming humanity and the very environment that makes eating possible in the first place.
This sad realization, in large part due to the industrialization and over-processing of our food system, has led to a much happier drive toward sustainable eating. Nutrient-sapped, internationally-shipped, greenhouse gas-emitting, over-packaged, genetically modified, energy-intensive and chemically-engineered foods just aren’t cutting it anymore.
Yet it is exactly these factory foods that line the vast majority of grocery store shelves. Yes, the organic food industry is growing rapidly, but it still represents a small percentage of overall food sales—one too cost-prohibitive for many shoppers, especially given high rates of unemployment and rising food costs.
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However, a growing awareness of what’s on our plate continually makes it easier to eat sustainably. Indeed, the whole process starts with individual steps, from reading a book to visiting a farmer’s market. Don’t be discouraged by a lack of sustainable options at the grocery store. Natural food stores and corporate chains are slowly catching up with the movement, but they will always be some distance behind consumer demand. Thankfully, anyone with access to the outdoors and a flower pot can begin the path to sustainable eating today. As a matter of fact, you don’t even need that. Here are 10 easy ways to become a sustainable eater:
#1 – Garden
The most sustainable food is locally, organically and ethically grown or raised. There is no better way to ensure those three food factors than by doing it yourself. If you have a yard, start a garden. If you have a balcony, try container planting. Even windowsill herbs are a good start. You can hang plants upside down from the eaves. Getting down and dirty is a big part of sustainable eating.
#2 – Eat at local-food restaurants
This one comes courtesy of SustainableTable.org. When you eat out, patronize restaurants that support the local food system, i.e. serve locally raised meats, locally grown organic vegetables and foods from local, independent farmers. Find such a restaurant near you at EatWellGuide.org.
#3 – Graze at the Farmer’s Market
When your own garden isn’t big enough, buy from your neighbors. There is simply no better place to shop for fruits and veggies than a farmer’s market. Here, all the food is locally grown. Here is the heart of the organically grown movement. And here you can often find other goodies like locally baked bread and pastries, honey, jams, jellies, preserves and more.
#4 – Join a CSA
In line with the farmer’s market is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). In this model, residents buy a share in a local farm or farms’ yield. Typically, a box containing a selection of local, seasonal produce is prepared once a week and left at a predetermined drop-spot for shareholders to pick up. Sometimes, meat, dairy and fruit are also available. LocalHarvest.org is a good spot to find a CSA in your area.
#5 – Buy sustainable meat, dairy and eggs
Industrial dairies and meat factories are a huge contributor to the blight of unsustainable food production. Contaminated meat, pollution, animal cruelty, air quality, ground water contamination and low quality in general are all symptoms of this industrialization. Finding local eggs is probably the easiest to do, as these are often available alongside veggies at the weekly farmer’s market. Grass-fed, ethically treated meats are probably the hardest, simply because it is so tough to compete with corporate farms. However, makers of local meat, dairy and eggs do exist, and it is through programs like CSAs and consumers like you seeking them out that these farmers or ranchers are able to remain in business. Plus the beef, eggs and dairy taste better and are better for you. Look again at the Eat Well Guide for your own local options.
#6 – Educate yourself
You don’t have to take my word for it. The only way to do what’s best for you and your environment is to educate yourself. Read a book, such as anything by Michael Pollan, about our very unconventional and unhealthy food system. Watch films like Food, Inc. or Fresh for a big-screen glimpse into the culture of industrial agriculture. Or investigate any of the other thousands of resources at your disposal, including how-to’s on gardening and other sustainable eating/growing methods.
#7 – Compost
Part of sustainable eating is handling food scraps and leftovers. The most beneficial way to handle them is composting. You start by diverting material from the landfill (food decomposes very slowly under landfill conditions) and you end by creating the best possible fertilizer for your garden. Simply search online for a myriad of helpful tips for getting started on composting, including other avenues like worm bins or promoting curbside composting in your city.
#8 – Solar cooking
Perhaps more of a fun, educational tool or renewable barbecue theme than a real way to cook on a daily basis, solar cooking is nevertheless the ultimate way to sustainably cook and eat. Of course, another way is to power an efficient electric stove with a home solar power system mounted on the roof.
#9 – Bring your own bag
The simplest step to take on the path to sustainable eating is bringing your own bag. Plastic bags have become a blight on everything, from landfills to city streets to our waterways and the oceans themselves. It’s amazing the difference you can make simply by bringing your own reusable bag to the grocery store. Even paper bags require a significant amount of energy to recycle. The same sort of notion can be applied to what you buy as well. Focus on products with limited packaging, especially plastic, as much of this cannot even be recycled. Also, avoid cramming all the produce you buy at the store into those plastic storage bags; it’s usually unnecessary (you should wash them before use anyway), as cashiers have lists of PLU codes at the register if a small sticker isn’t already adhered to the product.
#10 – Eat organic
It’s been mentioned several times already but it can’t be stressed enough. Pesticides and herbicides are a major environmental problem. Even organic farmers are struggling to avoid contamination by nearby industrial farms as toxic chemicals blow on the wind. These same chemicals pollute soil and groundwater as well, not to mention the nutritional value of the final product that makes it to your plate. The organic food industry is growing precisely because consumers are taking note of those environmental hazards and the effects on long-term health for their family and environment. Local and organic should be inextricable in any sustainable eaters shopping credo, but if local is hard to find, organic at least is easier to come by.
Dan
Dan Harding is a well-versed veteran of solar critique, commentary and reporting. CalFinder Residential Solar Power is proud to tout Dan as their solar expert. He has published well over 1,000 articles on a wide variety of solar industry topics, ranging from cutting-edge technology and gadgetry to political satire and powerful editorials. He holds a B.A. in English from Michigan State University, and enjoys reading, writing and home construction.
