Reducing your Carbon Footprint

Notes from: Skinny Bitch: The Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

Buy locally. The average meal is traveling 1500 miles to get to your plate. That's a lot of fuel and CO2 for one meal. Eating locally when possible is one wat to reduce greenhouse gases.

Don't waste food. Only buy what your going to eat. Or I should say, what you should eat. Waste is also in the form of overeating. I just want to point out, the plan that Kim Barnouin suggests happens to be a plan that I live by. My husband and I get paid every 2 weeks. So, the plan is easy. Every 2 weeks we go grocery shopping. (I go to the Farmer's Market or Produce Junction every week for produce) Plan out your meals. I get out my cookbooks and make a note on the calendar each day for the book I used and which page it's on (this way if I'm working late or am not around, my husband can start dinner). I also plan for some lunches because there isn't always left overs to eat the next day. Breakfasts are simple, fruit and a box of cereal and soy milk, and maybe some yogurt. There are also the snacks, which don't vary much from week to week. Chips, salsa, a box of cookies (or the ingredients to make them). If you sit down and plan the meals and stick to the meal plan, a lot less goes to waste. Sounds complicated, but I bet you'll save money too!

"It takes more than 10 times the number of fossil fuels to produce a calorie of beef protein than a calorie of grain protein." If you aren't already eating a plant based diet, call me, I'll convert you.  Start with Meatless Mondays and before you know it, you'll be celebrating Meatless March!!

To get a greener diet, and to inspire you, grow a garden, doesn't have to be big or complicated, just start with a plant or two. Maybe a herb on your window sill, or a tomato plant on the patio. Having something fresh and readily available will change the way you cook. You will also know that there are no pesticides in your food and no greenhouse gasses were used to make this food.

Join a CSA (community supported agriculture), but good luck, the ones in my area have a waiting list to get into. We talked about planting a garden at our fire house, they have a lot of land. And anyone that wants to help with the work, can take the produce. I happen to have a large garden, but really want to support something else, so if you have any ideas for me, let me know.

"Smart Bitches read labels" Why are you still buying processed foods? They are very bad for you. I love shopping at Whole Foods, but you need to double check things there too. Wegman's also has a very large organic section that I find everything I need in (but Whole Foods has more options). 2 simple ways to prevent eating carcinogens and pesticides and over-processed foods, buy organic and read your labels.