Go Green Food

http://bit.ly/nlWkn7

In previous posts we talked about easy and cheap ways to go green. Today we will talk about healthy food consumption and what you can do to make better choices in your eating habits. We as an American culture are becoming infamous for our dietary habits. Many Americans look to the many fast food chains available here in America to eat their meals. These choices affect the farms because the greater the demand for cheap ingredients causes them to look towards alternative and unethical business practice to supplement the needs of a growing demand. It is hard to trust farms that don't have an organic style of growing, and may have growth hormones that you do not want to put in your body.

Do you eat organically? Eating organic food can not only make you healthier but also help the environment. Growing food organically frees the environment from harmful chemicals and fertilizers, pollution in water, and soil contamination. The production of organic food is natural and strictly regulated by governmental laws.
However, producing organic food can prevent genetically modified foods from dominating the market. It can also help stop cross-pollination between organic crops and genetically modified crops.(http://bit.ly/w8s5bw)

http://bit.ly/X8DFSy

Is organic food too expensive? If you can't afford organic food, at least try to go local. Buying seasonal and local food can reduce the risk of running into genetically modified foods. And if you have any doubts you can ask the farmers directly how they grow the food and decide which method is to your liking. Going local can also cut down the cost and pollution of transporting the foods. It also saves the local farmers from shipping and packing related costs and pollution. You can go through the community supported agriculture (CSA) to consume local food. 

http://bit.ly/cfGABO

Are you a vegan? Going completely vegan can be a difficult task for many, but shifting towards a vegan diet is a possible feat. It is important to begin shifting towards a vegan diet as studies show that the meat industry is responsible for 51% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Studies also show that a meat eaters diet is responsible for 7 times the greenhouse gas emissions that a vegan diet is responsible for (PETA). A good way to begin this shift is to eat lower on the food chain, starting with veggies, fruits, and grains. Try to consume meat in smaller portions and opt for organic choices.

 

http://bit.ly/13rD8hf

According to Ecoist, the American dines out at least 4 times per week. Reducing the number of eating out not only helps you with spending less money on the food but also encourages you to think about cooking yourselves. There are many ways that can help you to eat out less. You can first try to reduce the number of eating out to one time per week. Also, sharing the meals with someone else or go kid - meals can be a good choice if you cannot finish the whole meal yourselves. (http://bit.ly/WS5GLG)

http://bit.ly/14k8l5c

Raw diet can also be a best decision for people who want to go green. The process of preparing the meals takes not only your time but also electricity or gas. Usually, raw and fresh food contains the most nutrients that good for your health. There are some nutrients that will disappear when your food is cooked or over-cooked. 

http://bit.ly/MIRfTE

 Food waste is a big problem in America. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, (http://1.usa.gov/XmIggr)  in 2010 alone, more than 34 million tons of food waste was generated, with only three percent diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting. Reducing this number has a wide variety of benefits

http://bit.ly/ZYMBHz

Reduce Methane From Landfills - When food is thrown in a landfill, it rots and becomes a giantsource of methane - a greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Landfills are a major source of human-related methane in the United States, accounting for more than 20 percent of all methane emissions.

Use less resources that coincide with food production -We need to use many things to grow food, including water, fertilizers, pesticides, and energy. By wasting food, you are also wasting the resources  that were used to grow them.

Create better soil- by composting all the wasted food that was thrown away, we can get valuable soil to use as nutrients to grow more food. It can also be used as an energy source!

Improve Sanitation-food thrown away around dumpsters and other locations cause the food to rot, and the smell can get terrible. The smell can also travel very far, which will increase and attract many more rodents and insects to your location.

http://1.usa.gov/XmIggr

Do you like getting food from vending machines? Those snacks in the vending machines are not only unhealthy to you, but also destroy our planet. Yes, the candy bars and chip pakcs are tasty but they lack nutrition. The ingredients in processed snacks are often genetically and chemically modified. You do not get much out of eating those snacks, and you create trash when you throw away the wrappers. 

http://on-msn.com/gOBiI

Organic - Only 95%-100% organic can use the USDA organic label. Remember that unless the label states that the product is 100% organic, it isn't completely organic.

http://bit.ly/ZRp1wz

Natural - In the US, this label means that no artificial ingredients such as preservatives or artificial flavors have been used. Antibiotics and growth enhancers can still be used however.

Grass Fed - This label refers to animals that have been living on a diet solely composed of grass and hay. Meat from cattle that have been grass fed tend to healthier and leaner.