Environmentally Friendly Eating

Become a Locavore

A locavore is a person who tries to eat things that were grown, or raised, locally. For those in northern areas, this can be difficult, but it can be done. Its better for me to buy apples grown in my own country, than those that have to be imported. For that matter its best to buy any fruit grown in my own country rather than imported fruit. The same applies to vegetables. Locally grown, and produced, fruit and vegetables require less shipping. Shipping is very bad on the environment (ship noises are even said to disturb whales).

You can also be a locavore by shopping at local farmers markets where the food is produced locally and sold locally. It is typically produced more ethically as well, using fewer chemicals, which often means its more environmentally friendly.

Grow Your Own

Nearly everyone can grow some of their own fruits or vegetables. Most fruits and vegetables are easy to grow, and people can even grow some on a balcony if they live in an apartment.

Some of the easiest things to grow are peas, or beans. For those with a balcony, they should try potted tomatoes, or even strawberries.

Herbs can grow indoors if a person has enough light, so even apartment dwellers can grow something.

If you have enough space plant a fruit tree, or berry plants. Growing your own food is rewarding, and saves a lot of money over time. Fruit trees, and berry plants, last many years so safe you a lot, as well you save the environment by producing some of your own food in this way.

Eat Less

Gluttony is killing the planet, plain and simple. If we reduce the amount of food we eat, to reasonable levels (I am not suggesting becoming anorexic) we can reduce the pressures placed on the planet to produce more food to feed our massive population.

Eat Less Meat

Meat takes more resources to produce than fruit and vegetables. This is because a lot of land is needed to raise crops for livestock, space is needed for the livestock, and so forth. I am not saying you have to give up meat altogether, just eat less, smaller portions, or try having some meatless meals, or meatless days. Note that hunted meat has less environmental impact, than do other kinds of meat.

Waste Less

People tend to throw out a lot of food.  Try to be a better shopper and to use up food in your fridge before it goes bad.  Some foods can be eaten after their date of expiration.

Resist Food Courts and Take Out Restaurants

If you go out to eat try to resist going to take out places. The containers used are very environmentally unfriendly. If you go for take out coffee, at least bring your own mug. Sit for a few hours by a food court and note the huge amount of waste that such a eating place produces.  Its often cheaper to eat at home anyhow, coffee at home is particularly less expensive than coffee in a take out place.

Make no mistake, all restaurants produce a lot of waste, but take out places, and food courts, certainly produce more.

Buffets

As much as everyone loves a buffet they are very environmentally unfriendly. Buffets throw away a lot of food, not just from people’s plates (people tend to take more than they eat) but also from left overs in the buffet trays. As well buffets tend to encourage gluttony and overeating.

If you have any other tips for the world in regards to how people can save the environment though environmentally friendly eating, please share them below.

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