Choose less meat & better meat
Why? Vegans and vegetarians have diets with the least impact on the environment and climate. On our current path, Earth will warm by 1 degree by 2100 from agricultural emissions alone – with meat and dairy responsible for about 60% of this warming.
Resources: The Carbon Foodprint of 5 Diets Compared, 6 Ways to Cook with Less Meat (but Better Meat)
Understand food certification labels
Why? To make powerful informed choices about your health when shopping in supermarkets, check labels to learn as much as you can about the food you’re buying.
Resources: Food Label Guide
Support local and regenerative farming
Why: It stands to reason that buying locally and seasonally is best for the climate. It means your food travels a shorter distance from farm to fork, reducing transportation emissions.
Resources: Farm2market - Alameda Point Collaborative
Why? First, you’ll likely save on your food budget. Plus, research shows that gardening boosts mood as much as exercise! There may be nothing quite as satisfying as getting your hands in soil or walking out to your garden and harvesting a gorgeous ripe tomato or lovely Meyer lemon. But maybe equally satisfying? Sharing extras with your neighbors, friends, or community members in need.
Resources: ABG Video Resources - Alameda Backyard Growers, ABG Free Seed Libraries - Alameda Backyard Growers, Newfound Foodscapes, Breaking Ground Gardening, Backyard Permaculture Guild, A Dirt Simple Solution to Climate Change
Choose Organic Produce
Why? Support the environment and animals while gaining greater nutritional value.
Resources: Which Food to Buy Organic and How to Spend Less When You Do - Consumer Reports