Sustainable Eating: How to Nourish Yourself and the Planet
Written By: Emma Hynek
What does it mean to eat sustainably?
Everything people do affects the health of the planet, whether that’s a positive or a negative impact. This includes your diet! As Earth Day approaches, let’s explore how you can create healthy eating habits for yourself and for our environment.
Seasonality
When visiting a large commercial grocery store, you’ll likely be able to find any type of produce you’re looking for, no matter the time of year. While this is convenient, it’s not the most sustainable or healthy practice.
When you choose seasonal produce, you’re getting food that is grown locally instead of having to be grown elsewhere and shipped to the store you’re at. For example, if you live in North Carolina and are purchasing strawberries in December, those strawberries are being grown in a much warmer climate, harvested, dusted with preservatives, and shipped to you – which uses a large quantity of fuel and water. You’d be better off choosing apples at this time of year because they can be grown in North Carolina in the fall and winter. This way, you’re also supporting your local farmers and economy.
Not only is it more financially and environmentally sustainable, you’re getting a better product if you eat seasonally. In-season produce is fresher, more nutrient rich, and tastes better because it’s able to stay on its parent plant longer and be picked at peak ripeness.
Growing Your Own Food
Growing your own produce and herbs may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Grab seeds from a local store and get ready to plant. If you have space in a yard, you can plant directly in the ground. If not, a pot works just as well for a container garden. You’d be surprised what you can grow in a pot. In fact, with some planning and maintenance, many people are able to have full sustainable container “farms” right on their patios.
A few tips and tricks for growing your own produce:
Plant native, seasonal produce. This is better for your garden, the earth, and you.
Do a bit of research to see where in your yard is the best spot to plant. Like any flower or shrub, it’s important to balance sunlight and water needs.
Keep your scraps! If you already have produce in your fridge, some of it can be replanted to create new produce - peppers, for example. Learn how to do that here.
Consider insects, rabbits, and deer. You may need to put a protective fence or covering around your produce to keep out other hungry critters.
If this still sounds like a lot of work for you, opt for a small, indoor hydroponic garden. You can set it right in your kitchen and the garden itself will do all the work – all you need to do is add water and in a few weeks, you can have herbs, vegetables, and more for your plate.
When you grow your own food, you’re saving money and giving yourself the peace of mind in knowing exactly how your food was grown and what went into it.
How to Eat Sustainably Without Cutting Out Meat
Unfortunately, meat production is incredibly harsh on the environment. While following a vegetarian diet is a great option for both your health and the planet, it’s not always easy. The good news is it doesn’t have to be all or nothing! You can still eat sustainably while keeping meat in your diet. Here are a few ways to do that:
Purchase meat from your local farmer’s market. This way, you can continue to support your local economy, no fuel and water is used to ship the product to you, and it’s easier to verify that sustainable practices were used in preparing the meat.
Look for companies that use environmentally-friendly methods like regenerative grazing and pasture-raised systems.
Opt for poultry instead of red meat - it takes less of a toll on the planet and is better for your health.
Eat less meat and more plants. You’re still making a positive impact on the planet by having meat a few times a week instead of every day, and when you include a wider variety of plants, it benefits your gut microbiome and creates greater agricultural biodiversity.
Don’t underestimate how much of an impact altering your habits can make. Just a few small changes start a chain reaction, and may even inspire your friends and family to do the same. For more information on eating sustainably and how you can impact the planet with your diet, check out the resources below.
Other Resources