Today it is more important than ever to be mindful of what we eat and how it is produced. If we want to leave a better planet for our children and grandchildren, it is not enough to simply recycle plastics and aluminum.
Practicing sustainable eating is one way to leave the Earth in better shape than it is now. Beginning with sustainable aquaculture, which is fisheries that participate in clean feeding and other sustainable practices, can have a large impact on our world.
For our children’s future, here are 7 tips for sustainable eating.
- Reduce Packaging
When you purchase something in a lot of packaging, it can make a large impact on the environment. Plastic is killing aquatic life and filling up landfills, where it will stay for hundreds of years.
Most fruits and veggies have natural packages, ones that can be turned into compost, and are better for your health.
- Avoid Processed Foods
The more modified food is, the more “hands” have been on it. This means that machines, and sometimes humans, have handled the food. More machines mean more energy, like electricity and gas, has been extended to create that particular food, which is not helpful to sustainability and the overall welfare of the planet.
- Choose Nutritious Foods
These are more sustainable, as they typically grow with little to no chemicals. These foods are from farms that are also relying on sustainable practices like rainwater collection and composting among other environmentally-friendly practices.
- Buy in Season
Avoid purchasing vegetables and fruits out of season. When you do, it means your food has traveled long distances to get to your local supermarket. A truck or cargo train has used a great deal of energy to carry that food across the country. This is not economically sound or helpful to a sustainable lifestyle.
- Avoid Too Many Shopping Trips
When you make several trips in your car to the grocery store, you are adding to the overall carbon footprint of the world. A sustainable lifestyle is one that relies on the least amount of environmental damage.
If possible, purchase food from a local farmers market or grow your own food. This will save on waste and contribute to the environment in a healthy way.
- Don’t Waste Food
When we don’t eat food, and it goes in the trash, we have to replace it. This is not helpful to sustain because it takes a lot of water, crop space, soil, and people-power to create the food we eat. When we don’t eat it, that wastes more than just the food on our plates.
- Choose Organic
When you purchase organic produce, you are helping sustainable farmers. Organic processes stress the use of sustainable practices like no chemicals, crop covers, and more composted natural fertilizers.
Beginning a sustainable eating program and lifestyle may be hard at first, but it is attainable. You will not only feel better by eating better, but you will also be helping the planet and its continued quest for lasting life.
