As it is possible to make eco friendly choices in terms of your lifestyle – the home you live in, the gadgets you use, cars you drive, you energy consumption and so on, so is it possible to make eco friendly food choices as well.
Here are some practical ideas to help you make eco friendly food choices:
1. Earth Friendly packaging
Buy produce that is not packed in layers of plastic and foil and tin and a bunch of other stuff that creates needless waste. For instance rather than buy milk in cartons that have layers of non biodegradable and impossible to recycle packaging buy milk in bottles or packaging that is easy to recycle. The rule of thumb to live by: as little packaging as possible to make your food consumption more eco friendly.
2. Buy local
Buying local means that you not only support your local economy, you also buy things which are produced close to you. By doing this you are lowering the costs in terms of transporting produce: fuel, man power, packaging and allied costs can all be reduced, benefiting you and the lowering pressure on the environment.
3. Buy seasonal
Mother Nature has an excellent system wherein she gives us the food that is suitable for us to have, as per the season. That is one reason to eat what grows naturally at that time of the year. Secondly by eating seasonal you prevent use of artificial ripening agents and costs of transporting food in from distant places which have seasons conducive to the growth of foods that are not seasonal for where you live.
4. Buy organic
This is a no-brainer: consume foods that have been produced without use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. For meat pick free range and grass fed produce that doesn’t use growth hormones and unnecessary antibiotics. It’s better for your body and the earth.
5. Buy sustainable
Eat food that has been grown or reared in more humane and earth friendly methods that leave less of an impact on earth. Farming methods that prevent depletion of natural resources are more sustainable and should be supported.
6. Grow at home
Growing your own produce can be challenging and rewarding; an excellent hobby for the entire family. When you grow at least some of what you consume, the term “eat fresh” takes on a whole new meaning! And as for the satisfaction of eating something you’ve helped grow, well that is matchless!
