Earth Day is this Sunday, a day meant to help citizens around the world unite to create a healthier planet. We live off the earth, but in doing so, we are often poisoning it and destroying wildlife.

To make a better tomorrow for future generations that are going to inherit the earth from us, we need to do our part and take care of the present. In the spirit of helping Mother Earth, here are three ways to incorporate sustainability into your daily eating habits.

Prioritize plants

Putting plants first is a helpful way to eat well while supporting the planet. This means minimizing the amount of meat you eat, which helps to reduce greenhouse emissions. Within the livestock sector, animals generate as much greenhouse gases as all cars, trucks and automobiles combined.

Waste less

A large problem faced in the United States is the amount of food waste that’s produced each year. Households buy in bulk to save money but end up throwing away a large portion of the food, either because they bought too much or weren’t able to properly preserve the food. The main focus is to shop realistically — don’t overshop, because most of the time the food you bought won’t all get used.

Limit the amount you buy, which in turn will help reduce your carbon footprint and reduce the amount trash that ends up in landfills. Conserve the food you do buy. It will help you save money and extend your budget while in turn minimizing garbage. Also, start composting rather than throwing away food scraps.

Most food is packaged in a way that was designed to help your food get from point A to point B. Find innovative ways to reuse aspects of what you buy, keep track of what you throw away and think about how you dispose of foods. Be mindful of what can be recycled, and remember that that garbage has to go somewhere. If it’s improperly handled, it can end up further polluting the ocean and harming our ecosystem.

Look locally

My favorite tip on how to eat sustainability is to look locally. Buying locally-sourced goods helps to reduce transportation emissions and supports local businesses. Buying from farmers markets is not only healthier, as you get whole foods straight from the source, but you’re also helping return money into the economic infrastructure of your community.

By shopping locally, you also get a seasonal focus on fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for a local market to check out, the Central New York Regional Market Authority takes place every weekend across from Destiny USA.

Taylor Lucero is a sophomore information management and technology major who is hoping to pursue a career in cybersecurity. His other passions include tasting food, sipping coffee, hugging dogs and taking the occasional power nap. He can be reached at tlucero@syr.edu.

Published on April 18, 2018 at 10:52 pm