Save a Tree. When you hit your local grocery store or
neighborhood market, take a reusable fabric tote with you to carry your
purchases. If every American used one reusable shopping tote for one
shopping trip, we could save about 60,000 trees. Conserve even more
carbon by walking to the store! Buy Organic Foods.
Organic agriculture is inherently more sustainable than conventional
farming because it is fundamentally designed to work in harmony with
natural systems, without the use of potentially harmful chemicals
that affect our ecosystems. Even if you just commit to buying one
organic food item — like peaches or milk or lettuce — it can help! Meatless Meal.
Meat carries a higher environmental cost for its food value. Producing
beef in feedlots requires about 16 times more fossil fuel energy and
generates about 24 times more CO2 than the caloric equivalent of
vegetables and rice. Choose a great meatless meal once a week — all
organic, of course — and enjoy! Night on the Town. Don’t feel
like cooking? More restaurants are cooking with organic ingredients. By
rewarding those eateries with your business, you can make a difference
right in your own town. If your favorite restaurant isn’t using organic
food, let them know you’d like to see it on the menu. Clean Green. Use natural cleaning products to reduce your exposure to harsh chemicals and toxins, and keep the planet healthier, too.
Organic, sustainable, all natural, farm-raised...
Having trouble
deciphering the latest buzz words in the world of food? You are not
alone. Sustainable foods are certainly a hot topic, but deciphering the
new vernacular
is a common issue among shoppers.
Federally regulated since 2002, the term “organic”
means
food grown using methods that foster the health and harmony of the
ecosystem, including the people and animals living in it. Natural and
sustainable have no federally regulated definitions for most products.
Organic food is produced with:
• No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fumigants
• No fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge
• No genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
• No irradiation
• No hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients or trans fats
For
many, the word organic means produce such as apples, potatoes, and
oranges. But you can find organic varieties of nearly every kind of
food. From milk to meats, choosing organic items helps keep potentially
dangerous chemicals out of our bodies, and helps protect the
environment.
Chopped Garden Salad with Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing Serves 6 to 8 Dressing 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/3 cup buttermilk Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Salad 14 ounces Earthbound Farm Organic Romaine Hearts, or about 1 head Earthbound Farm Organic Iceberg Lettuce (washed and dried) 1/2 cup sweet peas 1 cup fresh corn 1/2 cup diced zucchini and/or yellow squash 1/2 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced ripe tomato 1/2 cup diced cucumber 1/2 cup diced radish Combine the dressing ingredients in blender and puree. If using a head of iceberg, roughly chop lettuce into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in large bowl, add vegetables, and toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup of dressing, toss to blend, adding more dressing as desired. Serve immediately. California Waldorf Salad Serves 4
Dressing 1/3 cup Horizon Organic non-fat plain yogurt or sour cream 1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon grated lime zest 2 teaspoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar
Salad 1/2 cup Earthbound Farm organic celery, thinly sliced 1/2 cup Earthbound Farm organic raisins 3/4 cup Earthbound Farm organic seedless grapes, halved 1 Earthbound Farm organic apple, unpeeled, cut into 1/3-inch dice (1 cup) 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted 5 ounces Earthbound Farm organic baby spinach or mixed baby greens (about 6 cups) Place yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, zest, curry, and honey in small bowl, and whisk to combine. Place celery, raisins, grapes, apple, and nuts in large bowl. Add about half of yogurt dressing, and stir to combine. Just before serving, add spinach and toss to combine. Add more dressing if needed.
