These days, many people are thinking about what they can change in their own lives to reduce the negative impact on the environment. This can be tricky given how many aspects of modern living are dependent on things that do damage.
But, living a more sustainable lifestyle certainly isn’t impossible. In fact, one of the areas you can look at to focus your efforts could be your diet.
What you eat can make a huge difference to the environment, in ways you’re aware of and others that you’re not. However, in changing your habits, you might discover some eating habits that benefit you as well.
#1 – The Source of Your Food
A simple way to kick this mission into motion is to simply start looking at and thinking about where your food is coming from. For example, finding places that provide you with the same food and drink as before – but from a sustainable source (and possibly of a higher quality), can make the experience more environmentally friendly and more enjoyable.
This might mean for things such as coffee, that you source it from fairtrade outlets such as Jasper Coffee. But for other items, you might aim to buy them from local sources to reduce the carbon foot print you are contributing to.
Air travel is a significant contributor of greenhouse gases, and therefore, buying locally can have a big impact on your effort to be more green.
#2 – The Question of Meat
Meat production is a process that causes a large amount of damage to the environment for a number of reasons. For some people, this is enough of reason to consider vegetarianism as a lifestyle, but other people have their own reasons, either relating to health or the conditions and cruelty that farmed animals can go through.
You will have your own relationship with meat, and whether to eat meat or not will hit everyone differently. Some people will be able to imagine their lives without it, but other people will find it to be something that is too central to their diet to remove without problems arising.
Remember though, you don’t have to make an all-or-nothing, black and white decision regarding this. Even if you just cut down the amount of meat you’re eating, it can make a difference and lead you to potentially healthier, greener diets.
#3 – Cooking Rather Than Take-Aways
You might find a dietary change that benefits your health as well as the environment is to make your own meals more regularly. Not only does cooking your own meals give you a greater degree of control over the ingredients you’re using – meaning you get to pick the options that are both healthier and more sustainable – it means you aren’t relying on delivery drivers to contribute to emissions to receive your food.
Cooking is an important life skill, and one that you might even find a great amount of enjoyment in. And let’s not forget how the process of converting to your own cooked meals over take-aways can save you money. However, once again, it’s important to recognise the validity of simply cutting down on ordered food rather than removing them entirely if you struggle to do this all at once.
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