Here on this blog, I strive to follow a holistic approach to health (though primarily focused on nutrition). Nutrition, however, doesn’t just stop at what types of food to eat but instead encompasses everything surrounding food. This includes how we acquire, prepare, grow, and even transport it! Climate change is a concern we hear about often but can actually have a huge impact on our ability to grow, acquire, and prepare food. Food itself can even have an impact on the climate (click to read more about Food Waste) making it a connected cycle. One way we can help fight climate change is through making eco-friendly swaps in our lives (and kitchens!).
What is Climate Change?
According to the UN, climate change is defined as long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Natural causes can cause climate change but so can human impact. In recent decades, human causes have been one of the largest driving factors to climate change. We often hear the statistics about how the global sea level has risen 8 inches and how our planet’s surface temperature has risen 2.12 degrees over the past 100 years. We know that a changing climate will lead to more severe temperatures, extreme weather events, and more sea life death (due to the rising ocean acidity).
Fingers are often pointed at wealthy countries, fossil fuel producers, and policy makers as the focus of blame. Though this can highlight where large changes can be made, narrowly focusing on finding blame can become a distraction to personal action. It can lead to dampening of efforts and individual responsibility. Although one individual’s eco-friendly swaps may not make much impact by themselves, many individuals’ changes can!
What Can I Do?
Aside from consistently advocating for change, expressing concerns to our policy makers, and spreading the word, we can also make swaps in our own lives to begin living more eco-friendly. We can make changes in our own habits, purchases, and attitudes. Though there are many ways we can become more eco-friendly, I have compiled 4 simple and easy eco-friendly swaps that I have made in my kitchen that you can too!
1) Purchasing Local Food When Able
The average distance that food must travel before it gets to our plates is about 1,500 miles. These miles are referred to as “food miles”. Though transportation of goods can occur via many different modes, the rising desire for fresher food has led to use of faster modes which are greater consumers of fossil fuels. It is estimated that 10 kcal of fossil fuels is consumed for every 1 kcal of food transported. This large reliance on fossil fuels in transportation contributes to green house gas emission which ultimately impacts our climate negatively.
On top of this, long distance transportation of food also contributes to large amounts of food waste. During transportation from producer to store, it is estimated that 14% of food is lost. Food loss and waste puts stress on our environment as it requires more production of food to supply food needs. What can we do to prevent both of these consequences of large food miles?
One way we as consumers can make a difference is by purchasing local food items. Not only purchasing local produce but also meat, dairy, eggs, and grains can make a difference.
Where can we purchase locally? Many grocery stores have local products labeled throughout the store and food co-ops often supply predominately from local farmers. Farmers’ markets are also a great place to purchase local (which can also be more affordable) and give us the opportunity to meet the farmers we are helping to support. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is another way to buy locally for cheaper and also build connections with local farmers.
Visiting your city’s website can give you information on any local markets in your area. Sites like Local Harvest can also help you find farmers’ markets, farm stands, CSAs, and food co-ops in your area. Many farmers’ markets are even beginning to accept SNAP benefits, increasing the accessibility of purchasing locally. If interested, the USDA has a list of markets that accept SNAP which they update monthly.
2) Try a Meatless Dinner At Least 1 Day a Week
When it comes to food miles, red meat is one of the products with the largest amount of mileage. Red meat also generates a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Roughly 60 kg of greenhouse gases are produced for every 1 kg of red meat produced. When compared to other meat such as fish or poultry which produce less than 10 kg of greenhouse gases for every 1 kg of meat, red meat is a huge offender. Plant-based meals also produce 10-50x less emissions than a meat filled meal (varies on type of meat).
Though red meat is a large offender of greenhouse gas emissions, it is also a great source of zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 and can be beneficial when eaten along with a Mediterranean-style eating pattern. However, consumption in large quantities and along with a traditional American diet can be bad for heart health. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 3 servings or less per week. This is currently below the U.S. national average consumption of 5 servings per week.
There are two easy ways to swap out red meat consumption during the week. They include forgoing meat altogether or swapping for another more environmentally friendly meat source. For 1 meal a week, try swapping for more environmentally friendly meats such as fish or poultry or opt for a plant-based meal. For some yummy plant-based recipe ideas, try my Butternut Squash, Apple, and Ginger Soup.
3) Swap out the Ziploc
Ziplocs, plastic bags, and cutlery are just some of the single-use plastic items that end up in landfills every year. Though some plastics can be recycled, around 91% of plastic materials are simply thrown into landfills every year where they won’t ever break down.
If you are like me, you may be using ziploc bags primarily when buying and freezing food in bulk. Though buying in bulk is more environmentally friendly, there are ways we can swap out using plastic bags.
One cheaper eco-friendly swap involves saving and reusing containers from other food items for bulk items. For example, when buying deli meat, wash and save the plastic container for future use with leftovers. Utilizing jars for freezing vegetables and fruit also works well. Another popular swap (albeit more expensive) includes purchasing reusable silicone bags or glass containers. Since these items can be washed and reused, they are great for packing lunches, freezing bulk items, or storing leftovers. No need to choose just one though, in my home, we use a combination of all these swaps!
4) Purchasing Bulk
Purchasing bulk items is another great way to cut back on the environmental impact of packaging. In the U.S. alone, food packaging is estimated to account for almost half of all municipal solid waste produced. Many grocery stores and local food co-ops have started to incorporate bulk sections into their structure (often found in “natural” sections). These bulk sections typically offer selections from spices and coffee to nuts, dried fruit, beans and even grains like rice, oatmeal, and different types of flour.
Some places may let you bring in your own bags for use, helping to further cut down on the environmental impact of packaging. Other stores do require you to use their paper or plastic bags to purchase but this can also help cut back on excessive food packaging. It’s always best to ask your specific store what their policy is.
Buying bulk is also often cheaper than purchasing prepackaged. Spices are a great example of this! When you run out of a spice, instead of throwing away the container and buying a new one, simply save the container and purchase the spice from the bulk section. This will save you several dollars as you are not paying for a new spice container.
Conclusion
Though combating climate change may seem like an unwinnable feat at times, with collective effort, we can start to make big changes. Furthermore, making eco-friendly swaps doesn’t always have to be hard. Even by making just one of these changes you can start to decrease your carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment. What are some changes you are making in your day-to-day? I would love to hear about your swaps in the reply below!
-Rachel
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