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Tammy Pelstring and Amy Hemmert met one day at the park in 1995…
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Where and how was it grown? How did it get to us? How was it preserved or prepared? We need to think beyond our hunger and look at the complete food cycle.
Buy Fresh Foods
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce than fresh foods and usually contains added preservatives.
Buy Local
On an average, food travels 1,200 miles from the farm field to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel, energy, and keep money in your community. Visit local farmers markets, or get really close to home and start a garden in your yard.
Buy Organic
Organic farming standards prohibit synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, genetic engineering, applying sewage sludge, and many other questionable practices, thus keeping these hazardous things out of the food chain. Another plus, organic farming keeps soils healthier and able to capture, store, and use carbon dioxide at much higher levels than conventional farming soils.
Regarding processed foods, the USDA was directed by the Organic Food Protection Act of 1990 to develop a fixed set of standards that must be met by anyone using the "organic" label in the United States. These standards have been in effect since 2002. Here’s how to understand organic labeling:
100% Organic
The product must contain only organically produced ingredients. These products can display the USDA organic logo.
Organic
95% of the ingredients must be organically grown. These products can display the USDA organic logo.
Made With Organic Ingredients
70% of the product must contain organic ingredients, and three of the ingredients must be listed on the package.
Eco labels you can trust
Certified Humane
Means animals raised for dairy, meat, and poultry products are treated humanely. Growth hormones are prohibited, and animals are raised on a diet without antibiotics.
Fair Trade Certified
Means that farmers receive a fair price for their food grown on small farms.
Food Alliance
Supports sustainable agriculture, pesticide reduction, soil and water conservation, safe and fair working conditions, and humane treatment of livestock.
Green Seal
Seen on napkins, toilet paper, paper towels that meet recycling and bleaching standards.
Marine Stewardship Council
Certifies fish and seafood have been caught with long-term sustainable practices. Recognizes well-managed fisheries.
Rainforest Alliance Certified
Seen on imported products that practice soil and water conservation; they also reduce the use of pesticides.
Salmon Safe
Certifies conservation practices of farms that reduce pesticide use, conserve native biodiversity, and maintain riparian area management regarding erosion, manure, and sediment control.
Eat less meat
According to a study published by the United Nations, almost 1/5 of global warming emissions come from raising livestock; amazingly, this emission statistic is higher than all of the world’s transportation combined. Aside from the energy and resources it takes to raise livestock, when meat is processed, one calorie of meat protein burns 10 times more fossil fuel than one calorie of plant protein.
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