EcoChallenge 2012

Sustainable Food Options

[photo: boot pushing shovel into soil]

There are many options to consider when choosing your food. Is it organic? Is it locally produced? Is it in season? Sometimes it is hard to distinguish what is a good choice for you—and the planet. As a consumer, we encourage you to “vote with your dollars” when making food choices,during the EcoChallenge and in the future.

Pick from the list below to create your personal plan to fulfill your EcoChallenge.

Looking for a little inspiration? Check out Kate Rinder’s blog from her 2009 Food EcoChallenge.

For my EcoChallenge action(s), I will:

Limit my meat eating to twice per week (if I eat meat)
Purchase most of my produce & fruit from the farmers market
Source food for office meetings and events from local producers
Visit a nearby farm, learn about what they produce and pick my own fruits and veggies
Purchase 90% of my food from locally produced and/or organic sources
Try out the 100 Mile Diet and eat only food that has been raised and cultivated within a hundred mile radius of where I live (http://www.takepart.com/lists/food-inc-hungry-for-change/10420).
Plant an herb windowsill or herbs in pots
Try cooking 5 new recipes that feature organic and/or local ingredients
Choose sustainable seafood options every time I eat fish during the EcoChallenge
Consider joining a community garden
Try something new with food such as canning, drying, or jamming local foods or baking bread
Participate in planting and growing food-- either in my own or a friend’s garden or at a community garden
When eating out ,ask where the restaurant sources their ingredients--choose and encourage local and organic options
Get involved in food legislation and share my opinion with my elected representatives
Research and become involved in a local group/campaign such as a community food council or effort to provide sustainable food in school cafeterias
Organize NWEI’s ‘Menu For The Future’ Discussion Course: invite friends, neighbors or coworkers to form a new discussion group
Watch a documentary film about food with friends, to get them involved in sustainable eating (some suggestions include: Food Inc., The Future of Food, Supersize Me, and King Corn)

Resources:

Nationwide database locating farmers markets, farms, and sustainable food near you.
Information on sustainable seafood
Slow Food USA’s recommended reading list with a range of topics and authors
Local eating resources: a website dedicated to eating locally, seasonal cookbooks, blogs, and information
Guide to certifications: find out what organic, fair trade, etc. mean