How To Be An Eco-Conscious Reducetarian
Being a reducetarian is a step in the direction towards leading an environmentally friendly life. However, there are many other changes - big and small, that you can make in your everyday life to lessen your impact on the earth. From shopping organic to trying new foods, here are a few easy ways to become an eco-conscious reducetarian.
Eat A Whole Foods Based Diet
If you’re a reducetarian, you’re likely aware that animal products have a much higher carbon footprint than plant-based whole foods. For example, beef emits 20 times more emissions than pulses such as beans and lentils. Although, if you’re aiming for an eco-friendly diet, you should try not to replace meat and dairy with processed foods. The diet with the least impact on the planet is a whole foods-based diet focusing on seasonal produce!
Shop Organic
Organic farming is considered the more eco-friendly option when it comes to food production. Conventional farming uses pesticides that contaminate the earth and are potentially harmful to human health. It has also been found that pesticides even cause beneficial soil microorganisms to decline, leading to degradation.
Only Buy What You Need
Food waste that ends up in landfills produces vast amounts of methane - one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases. Disposing of food is a waste of resources, and the planet is struggling enough to provide us with the resources we need. An estimated one-third of all the food we produce goes to waste, and not only is this devastating for the environment, but people are still dying of hunger all around the world. Our food system is broken, and a shift towards buying smarter can make a difference.
Eat Seasonally
Many of us have the privilege of eating a variety of produce all year round. But this convenience comes at a cost. The fruit and vegetables we eat that are out of season have likely been transported from far away. So we can help reduce food industry transport emissions by eating locally grown produce that’s also in season! One of the biggest personal gains from this is that seasonal food tastes incredible.
Try Meat-Free Alternatives
Did you know that a Beyond Burger uses 99% less water, 93% less land, 90% fewer GHGE and 46% less energy than a meat burger? You’ve likely seen plant-based meat alternatives all over the news and in supermarkets by now - they’re truly taking the world by storm. These alternatives are often manufactured with the environment in mind, and so they allow people to cut down on meat while not going without their favourite foods.
