How Can You Make a Difference This Week? “Sustainability in the Kitchen Part 1”

4th December 2018

By Lyza May

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What Does Sustainable Food Look Like?

Sustainable food choices are an important step that we can make as individuals. Sustainable agriculture produces food, fiber, plant, and animal products that are good for the environment; good for people; humane to animals, food, and farm workers; and it supports communities, both rural and urban.

The Seven Principles:

■ Real, Whole Food—as close to their natural state as possible.
▫︎ Ex: Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs); farmers’ markets; community-owned stores & food co-ops
▫︎ Avoid Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs);
▫︎ Avoid highly-processed foods;
■ Eat More Fruits and Vegetables and Less Meat
▫︎ Americans eat 184 pounds a year compared to French people’s 35 pounds.
■ Go Organic
▫︎ Uses natural methods such as crop rotation, beneficial insects;
▫︎ Avoids toxic chemicals, sewer sludge, GMOs, or irradiation;
▫︎ Grass-fed meat has a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases
■ Become a “Locavore”
▫︎ How many miles has your food traveled?
▫︎ Seek out and support local food
▫︎ Support local farmers
■ Stop Wasting Food
▫︎ Cutting food waste from our landfills by half would be the same as closing sixty coal plants
▫︎ Do a personal waste inventory
▫︎ Compost from home
■ Mind Your Packaging Waste
▫︎ Plastic bottles, plastic bags, single-use food wrappers, packaging, plates, forks, spoons, cups, and straws.
■ Make Your Own Food
▫︎ Pick up some cookbooks or find some favorite recipes online.

Sustainable Agriculture Uses The Following Natural Systems:

• ■   Building and maintaining healthy soil
• ■   Managing water wisely
• ■   Minimizing air, water, and climate pollution
• ■ Promoting biodiversity

Some Practices A Sustainable Farm Will Use Are:

• ■ Rotating crops and embracing diversity
• ■ Planting cover crops
• ■ Reducing or eliminating tillage
• ■ Applying integrated pest management (IPM)
• ■ Integrating livestock and crops
• ■ Adopting agroforestry practices (where trees or shrubs are planted around crops; it increases biodiversity and reduces erosion)
• ■ Managing whole systems and landscapes

Farmers who take the steps to use sustainable practices should be supported. Sustainable practices are good for our economic health as well—jobs are created and economic activity is promoted in the areas they serve.

Supporting sustainable practices are a great step in helping the environment, but we must make it accessible and affordable to everyone.

Take Away:
Increased support for these farms will create a positive ripple effect within the environment and economy surrounding it. When demand increases, supply must increase to match the demand…when supply increases more affordable and competitive prices will follow!

Let us take the pledge together to find and support sustainable farms and foods TODAY!
This doesn’t have to happen overnight. Take small steps towards having a totally sustainable kitchen, like finding local farms in your area and asking what they are currently selling. Then replacing products from the grocery store with the ones from the farm…sometimes local farmers sell their products to certain stores, so keep an eye out for that farm or brand!

One Step At A Time. Help Us Help You Save The World.

Sources

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