Article 5: Sustainable Eating Practices

by Sapna Rao

Seeker, Nature Lover, Home Chef, Exploratory Gardener

“In a consumer society, contentment is a radical proposition. Recognizing abundance rather than scarcity undermines an economy that thrives by creating unmet desires. Gratitude cultivates an ethical fullness, but the economy needs emptiness”
– Robin Wall Kimmerer in Braiding Sweetgrass

As consumers of the Earth’s abundance, every choice we make has an impact on the wellbeing of our planet. Being conscious of these choices is an expression of gratitude. Developing the sensitivity to think not only about what we gain, but also what we can give has the potential to transform us from being consumers to also being protectors of Nature’s Gift. This understanding can even be practiced with some of our most routine habits – like eating.

Why should we talk about food? The routine habit of eating has a heavy impact on our Earth; global food systems are responsible for ~26% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) across production, land use, and processing (conversion of farm produce to final products, transport, packaging, and retail). Shifting our practices where possible is one way we can reduce our environmental impact.

How did you choose what to eat today? How did people choose what to eat 100 years ago? 300 years ago?

My observation is that the choice of what i eat is increasingly guided by my preferences and what is convenient for me. i am privileged enough to decide to eat a banana for breakfast without a second thought of the environmental impact that choice has. Preference and convenience drive decision-making in a consumer-based society, in which people focus less on the abundance that is most naturally available and instead try to fill emptiness. 

How can we evolve our eating practices? There are several factors we may consider to evolve our eating practices to be in harmony with the environment. Overall, the most natural and simplest of foods will be better for the Earth (and for our physical health!):

• Prioritizing plant-based foods | Nearly half of GHGE from food production comes from the raising, farming, and processing of meat products, making the choice of a vegetarian diet quite impactful. For those wanting to move towards a vegan diet, consider removing cheese, which has a relatively high GHGE impact versus other non-meat products. “Plant-based” doesn’t have to stop with cutting out animal products. Much of the processed food we might enjoy are also visibly far from plant-based, and often individually-wrapped in materials that cannot be easily recycled.
• Eat in season | In industries like fashion, the whole concept of seasons drives a harmful consumer behavior to spend more and acquire new. In our food choices, however, it could drastically simplify our choice of what to eat! Seasonal food guides offer a reference to what is in season in our area, and therefore less resource-intensive to grow locally.
• Source local | Simplifying how food gets to you can reduce emissions from transport and resources spent on storage and packaging of produce. If growing your own fruits and vegetables is possible for you, it is a great practice to take on. If not, consider supporting local agriculture, such as shopping at a farmer’s market or participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. Farm shares can also have a meaningful impact on the local economy and support the financial livelihood of farmers in your area. Buying straight from a farm often lets us opt for less plastic bagging of produce.

It should be noted that little of what is shared here is new thinking; it is how civilizations had been living on lands far before we got here. For those of us in North America, living in harmony with the cycles of seasons is a beautiful, practical way of life for the Indigenous Community. The ask now is simply for us to learn and return to simple and natural eating.

Action to Implement

Post your reflections & observations in the comments section below ⬇️

🌱 May 2022: Implement the following actions.

• Reduce food Packaging.
• Learn about local and seasonal foods.
• Support a local grower & shop at Farmer’s Markets.

Past Months Action to Implement

🌱 April 2022: Sahasra Vrksha Sankalpa – As a CommUnity, bring your heart and hands to the ground to plant 1000 trees together. Track and share here.

🌱 March 2022: Contribute to the health of our planet and the health of beings by doing the following:

Each day take inventory of what goes in the trash.
Identify the most common item.
   Find an alternative that eliminates this waste.

🌱 February 2022: Implement the following and encourage others to follow:

• Unplug chargers when not in use

• Use the ‘Energy Saver’ mode on phones & laptops

• Use cold water for laundry & line dry

🌱 January 2022: Identify 3 actions you do that help the environment and 3 actions that harm it

May PS Workshop

CommUnity Reflections