GO GREEN: IMPROVE YOUR
ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR DIET!

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage!" Dale Carnegie

• Plan ahead. To Go Green you need to shop carefully. Don’t get caught hungry or you’ll go for the “easy” meal instead of the healthy meal. Check out your weekly grocery ads and make your shopping list and menu at the same time. Incorporate quick and easy weight loss tips into your meal planning.
  
  
  
  
• Use local, seasonal produce. This will help cut down on shipping costs and decrease our dependence on oil.

  In addition, you can feel good about supporting local farmers, the local economy, and eating the freshest produce available. Local produce may cost a little more but it will last longer and be better for your family. Try a vegetable that you’ve never had before and ask for healthy cooking tips.

• If you can’t find a big selection of locally grown produce, tell your grocery stores that you want to Go Green and ask them to carry more locally produced fruits and vegetables. Most are happy to oblige.
• Get a supply of easy to find reusable tote bags and keep them in your car for that spur of the moment stop at the grocery store or produce stand.
• Be aware of packaging. Notice the plastic and cardboard that is used with your favorite products. Wal-Mart is one of the first chains to begin replacing their packaging with corn-based packaging for fruits, herbs, berries, and vegetables.
• Plan vegetarian meals for your family twice a week. As they get used to the idea and see how delicious the meals can be, add more vegetarian days.

  The commercial meat industry plays a big part in our environmental problems. This industry requires a lot of energy and may be a factor in climate changes due to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the increased demand for meat, consider also the rising cost of shipping, production, and feeding the cattle. One study showed that it takes 4.8 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. Consider whether that grain should be used to feed hungry people instead of hungry cattle.

• Plant protein tends to be cheaper than meat protein. Use beans to enhance your meals. There are many healthy recipes available.
  
• Drink tap water. Purchase a reusable neoprene bottle and fill it up at home. Americans throw away 70 million plastic water bottles each day! A very small percentage is actually recycled. In most cases the bottled water isn’t any more pure than the tap water. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, purchase a filter such as Brita, or use fresh lemon or lime. Imagine the shipping costs for something as heavy as water. Turn on your faucet!
  
  
  
  
• Eliminate or limit sodas, even the diet ones. You’ll save on aluminum and get healthier in the process.
• If you must choose disposable dinnerware, use the kind that is made from corn, potatoes and limestone. It costs about five cents a plate. It can be found at www.earthshellnow.com and will not kill our trees or load up our landfills.
• Did you know that coffee manufacturing can destroy rainforests and be toxic to the workers? Go organic and Fair Trade! With an organic coffee such as Yuban, you can be sure that no industrial chemicals were used. Yuban is Rainforest Alliance Certified. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is a Fair Trade company, which means that incentives are provided to growers for protecting the forests.
• Pack your lunch at home and take it to work with you. Buy a reusable lunch bag or box to save plastic and paper. Take silverware from home and replace it each night. You will save money and calories in addition to making an environmental impact. Research shows that 1.8 million tons of takeout containers and utensils end up in landfills.
• Avoid fast foods. Help the landfills and your waistline at the same time!
• Pack leftovers in reusable containers instead of plastic wrap or plastic baggies.
• Save and use old rags to mop up spills in the kitchen instead of using paper towels.
• Don’t forget those non-toxic cleaning supplies for the kitchen while you’re at it.
• Use cloth napkins instead of paper.

  They’re easy to throw in with your load of laundry and they don’t need to be ironed unless company is coming!

• Instead of choosing vegetables that are prepackaged in individually wrapped containers, choose your produce loose from bins.
• Instead of buying prepackaged lettuce for your salads, buy a head of lettuce and make your own. You’ll be surprised how much fresher it tastes!
• Instead of buying yogurt in small, prepackaged containers, buy one whole container and separate it yourself into serving sizes. See how many other products you can do this with.
• Don’t buy those new, convenient, prepackaged snacks. Save money and the environment by buying a large bag and separating it into reusable containers for the lunchbox or car.
  
• Try out your farming skills. If you’ve never grown anything before, start small. Grow basil for pesto or mint for mojitos. If you don’t have a big yard, plant in pots on your patio or deck. Cherry tomatoes can be easily grown in a pot and enjoyed all summer!
• If you have room and want to expand your gardening skills, start a compost pile and recycle in your own yard!
• Look for other ways to Go Green in your kitchen. Wash dishes by hand every other day. Only run the dishwasher when it’s full. When it’s time to replace your appliances, choose Energy Star products.
• Always use the right size pot or pan for your task so that heat won’t be wasted.

We often become overwhelmed when we need to make changes, but start small and you’ll find it very easy to Go Green. Small modifications to our daily routines really do add up to big changes in our environment!

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