4 ways to eat greener
Try these tips to make your diet more earth-friendly
1. Cut back on red meat, dairy products and rice.
Of all the food changes you can make, this is by far the most eco-significant. "Everything else pales in comparison," says environmental educator Helene York of Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation.
Why? Animals like cows, sheep and goats-the sources for our red meat and dairy-emit a greenhouse gas called methane, which is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. All told, livestock is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, one study shows that a diet high in red meat contributes more to global warming than driving an average sedan.
Meat production also requires a tremendous amount of resources, from energy and water to the huge stretches of land used to produce feed. In one year, it takes 60 percent of all irrigated farmland in the country to produce feed for U.S. livestock, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The energy used to create the fertilizer alone could provide power to about 1 million Americans for a year.
Of course, you needn’t shun these foods entirely. "We just need to think of them as treats rather than everyday must-haves," says York. Cutting down on portion sizes, going meatless once a week or substituting other meats for beef can have a big impact. For example, choosing a chicken sandwich instead of a cheeseburger once a week for a year saves 132 pounds of emissions.
Vegetarians, too, can make a difference by watching their dairy intake. Calcium and other nutrients found in dairy can be obtained from a plant-based diet. Kale, broccoli and calcium-fortified soy foods are all good choices.
As for starches, rice (brown and white-not wild) also has a large carbon footprint because it’s cultivated with manure; when fields are irrigated, methane gas is released into the atmosphere. Opt for bread over pasta, which requires more processing to produce.
2. Buy seasonal, regional food, especially produce and fish. Avoid air-freighted food.
These days, we’re used to getting whatever foods we desire, regardless of season. But fresh produce and fish are highly perishable; if they aren’t grown or caught locally, they’re most likely air-freighted (sometimes very far from where you live), which is extremely inefficient.
Aside from the environmental effects, "Local produce has been picked more recently, it’s fresher and it’s probably of a higher nutritional value than something grown 3,000 miles away, picked a month ago and preserved," explains York.
But don’t get carried away with the idea of "local" and forget about "seasonal." Fruits and veggies grown in local hothouses (think tomatoes in winter) usually generate far more emissions than those coming by train or truck from a warmer region of the country. If you’re in a pinch and need something out-of-season, frozen fruits are a better choice than air-freighted or hothouse varieties. For monthly tips on seasonal produce in your area, see www.fieldtoplate.com/guide.php.
As for fish, finding fresh regional offerings caught from healthy, well-managed populations or farms can be a challenge in our area, because the Atlantic Ocean has been over-fished. The next best option for East Coasters is fish that has been "processed and frozen at sea," which chefs widely regard as high quality. This fish travels by ship, which is 10 times less emissions-intensive than air-freighting them. For more info about the best seafood choices by region, see www.seafoodwatch.org.
3. Don’t waste food.
Scientists estimate Americans waste 4.5 million tons of food a year-which also means wasting the energy that went into producing, transporting and cooking it. And while many people are concerned about throwing away plastic and other recyclables, most don’t bat an eye at tossing food scraps. But food waste in landfills releases significant amounts of methane gas.
What can you do? Composting food waste prevents emissions, but making an effort to reduce your consumption is even better. Advance planning for meals ensures you’ll make the most of the food you purchase; if you routinely toss out leftovers from restaurants, order smaller portions or split entrées.
"As food becomes more expensive-and it certainly has over the past year-we have an opportunity to consider whether we really need as much food as we’re used to purchasing," says York. "It’s OK to buy less and better quality."
4. Avoid highly processed, packaged foods.
They might boast "healthy," "organic" or "natural" ingredients, but the fact is, processed and packaged snacks, sweets and other foods generally aren’t good choices for the environment. The energy that goes into producing, processing, boxing and transporting these items-from frozen dinners to breakfast cereal to fruit juice-is considerable, especially compared with their whole-food alternatives (an apple instead of apple juice; nuts instead of chips). Try to buy these items sparingly, and don’t be thrown off by packaging that promises "eco-friendly" boxes or the purchase of renewable energy credits.
"Many messages out there right now about ‘green cuisine’ have more to do with marketing than with real environmental responsibility," says York. The difference made by eco-friendly packaging is fairly minimal in terms of environmental effect, she notes; it’s the products inside that have the biggest impact on the earth
