Okay… not “shit”… but I meant “cool!” Going green and eating green foods is definitely cool – on your body and also on the Earth.
We talk a lot about eating for health here at Skrewtips, and to watch out for the perils and pitfalls of what is the modern food industry. It is a virtual minefield trying to eat healthy food some days. We have a countrywide use of poison pesticides sanctioned by the government, genetically modified food that science still isn’t sure is safe for us, and worst of all, inconsistent and incorrect labeling, making it near impossible to know what you are getting. Just read these articles, if you haven’t already, to learn more about these dangerous problems:
- Genetically Modified Foods (GM): Do You Really Know What’s in Your Fruits and Vegetables?
- Read the Numbers on Your Fruit
But it doesn’t have to be hard to eat clean – meaning the food you ingest is free of chemicals and poisons. Being green has come to mean many things, but for most, it stands for reducing your footprint upon the earth, therefore eating green means to make sure the food on your table didn’t travel too far to get to you. There are four easy and simple ways to do both of these:
1. Grow a Garden
Do you have a yard or patch of earth? Or even a porch or a basement? Why not grow your own food?
The small investment it takes for dirt and maybe mulch, depending on what your natural resources might be, are more than worth the benefit of having fresh food delivered all summer and fall. You control the pesticide use, you control the fertilizer, and you have peace of mind that your food didn’t have to be transported from some faraway place, therefore producing no emissions. Even a small patch of land can produce quite a lot of vegetables, and fruit trees can be planted anywhere in the yard.
One thing to watch out for, though, is your groundwater; so check with your city to see the levels of contaminants it may contain. Herbs are easy to grow, and can even thrive well in pots. And the basement? Well, these have great climates for some root vegetables like potatoes, which can even be grown in winter.
2. Explore Farmer’s Markets and Food Stands
Usually, these local farms pick their fruit, vegetables and herbs the morning before they set up shop, so you know the food is fresh. Most of the time, you can get information about how the food was grown as many of them will be glad to tell you. The food is generally better priced, and you would be supporting your local farmers and economy. The carbon footprint, though there, is significantly reduced.
3. Join a Cooperative
These are groups of people who buy into a piece of local land together, work it together and reap the benefits together. Ask for specifics, but many are pesticide free and organic. Most people who join the co-op don’t really do any work; they just pay a small fee to pick up fresh food every week, and some even include milk and eggs. Here is a site to get you started that lists current and forming co-ops both in the US and around the world.
4. Start Eating Green Foods
The connection may not be so obvious, but actually eating green foods helps to not only clean and purify the body, but to actually change and re-program the way you look at the world. On a spiritual level, green represents the heart; it’s the center that controls your love, compassion, understanding, and empathy. By eating more green foods you’re actually empowering yourself on the highest level.
And I know that for some of you, eating 3 salads per day and chugging some green smoothie concoction isn’t that sexy, so I always love to recommend my favorite way of getting my greens: spirulina tablets. These little green suckers are great! You just take 6 per day and all your green needs are fulfilled in literally seconds. You can’t beat that, can ya? That’s what’s so cool about them and, get this, they’re tasteless!
So take a stand and take better control of your dinner!
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