Going green should be everyone’s path to a healthy lifestyle. Not only is it good environmentally, but it can also be fun! We all want to make a difference in the world and make it better. But how can we do that? The answer is to start with an eco-friendly diet.
A sustainable diet is one that does not rely on animal products and uses healthy, plant-based foods. This will help us eliminate our carbon footprint, reduce pollution, and save our planet. And the last thing we can do for the well-being of the earth is to be careful with our food consumption and start caring for the environment more.
Food production nowadays is making a significant impact on the environment and people’s health. Everything in the food we eat today can be artificial: from the looks to the smell to the taste. We need to start planting our own food and use the soil in our backyard.
But, can we really commit to a sustainable lifestyle and avoid cravings?
If you have no idea where to start, here are ten tips for starting a more sustainable, eco-friendly diet:
10 Starter Tips for A Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Diet
Create a List
Make a list of your favorite foods and snacks, then figure out how to make them in an eco-friendly way. Perhaps you can include plant-based meat in your recipe. Start adding fruits and vegetables. The key is to create a food system that will help you reduce the amount of meat you eat and start turning it into a plant-based diet.
List Down What To Put on Your Shopping Cart
Did you know that you can create your own grocery list in minutes? Yes! Create a shopping list, then divide it into categories that correspond with how you’re going to cook your food.
If you want to eat more sustainably, think about fresh produce or plant-based protein and avoid foods with preservatives. You can make a huge environmental impact when you start to eat green and create a healthy meal plan.
Follow the List
Stick to the list! It will help you avoid impulse purchases and keep you focused on what’s important: sustainability. You can read about how to avoid impulse purchases to help you more on following your list! One of the most important sustainable practices is avoiding temptations.
Reuse
Use reusable grocery bags instead of plastic ones (and don’t forget to bring them inside).
The continuous use of these plastic bags is highly contributing to the global warming we experience today. Recycling is an easy way to reduce waste and manage food scraps. From buying food to the utensils we use, we can use recyclable materials such as wood and paper.
Mind your Leftovers
Get creative with leftovers: they’re a great way to reduce food waste and save money over time. Food scraps make healthy compost for plants. You can simply put them together and place them in your compost bin, which you can use to help make your garden plants healthy. Remember, do not mix them with non-biodegradable waste.
Grow Your Own Food
You can learn to plant foods and try environmentally friendly farming practices in your backyard. Try growing some of your own vegetables or herbs—even if it’s just in pots on your balcony! It’ll be fun for kids too! Eating locally planted organic food ensures that the food we eat is safe.
Volunteer from a Local Food Bank
You can support your community when you volunteer at a local food bank or soup kitchen You can help feed those who don’t have access to healthy foods while also reducing your carbon footprint by taking part in this important activity every month (or even weekly if possible).
Cut Down on Meat Consumption
Switching to a plant-based diet is better for the environment. Cut down on meat consumption by eating more plant-based foods such as beans and grains instead—this will help reduce the amount of water used for farming livestock like cows and pigs as well as lessen global greenhouse gas emissions from methane production from these animals.
Just think about the number of greenhouse gases reduced when a lot of people start shifting to a more plant-based diet.
Buy Ethically Raised Meat
If you’re going to eat meat, try to buy ethically raised meat from farmers who care about their animals’ welfare and the environment that they live in (and who don’t use antibiotics or hormones). This is a great way to ensure that animals are treated humanely and sustainably raised, which means they’ll be less likely to cause damage to their environment, too!
Try new foods!
You never know what might taste good until you try it—and if it’s something grown locally or purchased from a local farmer’s market or grocery store, it’ll probably be better for both your health and the environment than processed food from far away places (which means more emissions from shipping).
I believe that we can all make a difference with our diet. Start small, but start now. You will be surprised how easy it is to make sustainable choices and how much better you feel!