consciouseating
and my cholesterol and blood sugar levels are normal again.”
When a friend sent him a 21st- century United Nations study on how intensive livestock production causes more greenhouse gas emissions than driving a car, Bittman realized how a change of diet is a win-win for him and the environment. For a wake-up call on how our
food choices affect the planet, the Center for Science in the Public Inter- est offers a short quiz at
Tinyurl.com/ EatingGreenCalculator.
Eating Ecology
Daily Decisions Make a Difference by Judith Fertig
C
onsuming food has such an enormous ripple effect that mak- ing small changes, one meal at a time, can reap big benefits. How we choose, prepare, cook, serve and preserve our food can improve nutri- tion, weight loss, cost savings and the environment.
Decide What to Eat Choosing what we eat is critical. New York Times food columnist Mark Bitt-
man believes that no food is absolutely off limits because, “It’s all in the way we use these things.” Yet, he adds, “The evi- dence is clear. Plants promote health.” For the past few years, Bittman has experimented with eating vegan for breakfast and lunch, and then indulg- ing at dinner. “It’s just one model of a new way of eating,” he says, “but it makes sense on many levels. By eating more plants, fewer animals and less processed food, I’ve lost 30 pounds
Identify Good Sources “One of the most ecologically con- scious things you can do to make a great meal is prepare it with food that you grew yourself,” says New York-based lifestyle writer Jen Laskey, who blogs at
Frugaltopia.com. “Plant a small vegetable garden and a few fruit trees in your yard or join a local community garden. Even sprouting an herb garden on a windowsill will make a difference; plus, everyone in your household will appreciate the choice in fresh seasonings.” Kansas City Star journalist Cindy Hoedel suggests planting parsley, basil, dill and other herbs every three to six weeks in eggshells in a sunny window after the outdoor growing season for a year-round tasty harvest. When shopping, renowned activ- ist, author and eco-stylist Danny Seo, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, sug- gests bringing along reusable shopping bags and choosing local foods when possible, plus sustainable seafood and free trade, organic and hormone-free foods. The Socially Responsible Agri- cultural Project offers more eco-shop- ping tips, such as carpooling grocery trips and avoiding products with more than five ingredients, at
Tinyurl.com/ ShopHealthier.
Prepare and Serve
Righteously “On average, each person throws about $600 worth of food into the trash every year because of spoil- age,” says Seo. Instead of rinsing food before storing, which causes more
28 San Diego Edition
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