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The economy and the environment are affected by the foods humans consume. Foods that are grown locally should be supported because less fuel and resources required to transport food locally. Supporting nearby growers is made easier by joining a group that supports agriculture in the community, like a CSA.
Reduce the amount of meat that you eat. There are more resources required to take care of the animals until they are ready for slaughter. A pound of beef requires eight pounds of grain for production. A pound of chicken can be made with two pounds of grain making it more sustainable than beef. Less is required for seafood and fish; only a pound and a half for a pound of farm raised fish. Plant eating species such as trout, tilapia and catfish are the choices that are the most sustainable. These are productive and take up very little space. Compared to their plant eating counterparts, sea bass and tuna which are carnivorous, are not as sustainable. Avoid albacore tuna, Bluefin, marlin and swordfish, which are predators.
Shopping organic is a good choice because artificial fertilizers and pesticides are not used on organically raised plants. Animals that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones to produce organic products such as eggs, milk, seafood and poultry; look for the product label to say “100% Organic”.
Raise your own. A little time and some space could allow you to have a vegetable garden or raise some chickens for eggs and poultry. You can have herbs in the kitchen or tomatoes and greens in a container garden if space is limited.
Reusable containers and bags are offered inexpensively. These can be used each time you shop. As an incentive, a few cents off your purchase is given by some stores when you use your own bag. This also reduces the amount of bags that require production and keeps them out of the landfill.
Tammy Mahan is a freelance writer with 20 years of experience in the healthcare field. She enjoys writing for Healthline.com in her free time.
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