Be A Sustainable Grocery Store Shopper
The word “sustainability” appears everywhere. Sustainability can also be used in relationship with the food system. A sustainable food system is one that provides people with healthy food to meet current needs, as well as those of generations to come, while maintaining the health of water, plants, animals, humans, and natural resources.
Below are some tips for obtaining food in a sustainable manner.
- Buy only the food you need. Less food means less fossil fuel, pesticides and water needed to grow it and less fuel to transport it. Food often is shipped 1,000 miles or more from where it is grown to where it is sold.
- Bring your cloth bags when shopping rather than using plastic bags at the grocery store.
- Shop at local farmers markets when they are in season. The food is not transported as far and benefits local growers.
- Avoid processed food. The more processed the food, the more manufacturing steps and therefore, the more fossil fuel used.
- Bottled beverages use a lot of fossil fuels in production and transportation. Opt for tap water and a water bottle that is reusable.
- Look for foods that are not sold with excessive packaging. Also look for food packaging that is comprised of recycled or renewable materials.
Source: Environmental Nutrition: The Newsletter of Food, Nutrition and Health, May 2010
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