Earth Day is coming up, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate sustainable eating!

Isn’t it convenient that the things you can do to benefit the Earth also happen to benefit your body? Here are ten tips that will not only save the environment, they just might save you:

1.  Go Veg

Vegetables require less energy and water to grow and produce no greenhouse gases, so they’re a far more efficient food source than domesticated livestock. If the average meat-eater were to become vegetarian, they would reduce more CO2 per year than if they traded in their average vehicle for a hybrid. Bonus: Studies show that vegetarians live longer!

2.  Eat Real Food

Follow Michael Pollan’s advice, and you’ll be on the road to healthy and sustainable eating. “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food… Don’t eat anything incapable of rotting… If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”

3.  Learn to Cook

Eating real food becomes easier if you know how to cook it! There’s no way around this, my culinary cuties… cooking is imperative for sustainable (and healthy) eating. If you don’t know how to cook, take a class, check out a few good cookbooks, or turn on the Cooking Channel! There are countless resources out there these days to turn you into a champion chef.

4.  Buy in Bulk and Purchase Less Packaging

Not only is buying in bulk cheaper, but you can stock up on seasonal produce and freeze them for the future. The production of packaging wastes resources, and, if that’s not enough, ponder your pocketbook. Buying in bulk costs you less at the grocery store. When given the choice, buy produce in bunches instead of in bags.

5.  Buy Organic

There are so many reasons to buy organic, but here’s the best one: Buying organic food promotes a less toxic environment for all living things. And you’re a living thing. So this is good.

6.  Buy Local

Food grown close to home requires less fuel and other resources to get to your grocery store. Eating local is also a good way to support your local economy because you buy products produced by farmers who live in your community. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), shop at a Farmer’s Market, and support family-owned farms, ranches, and businesses.

7.  Grow Your Own

You cant get much more local than that! Pass on the pesticides and you’re guaranteed an organic outcome.

8.  Look for Fair-Trade Products

Fair trade honors producers, communities, consumers, and the environment. Buying fair-trade products helps promote sustainability… for both the planet and the people on it.

9.  Compost What You Don’t Use

Turn your food waste into a valuable resource! Compost turns food scraps into gardening gold, so it can go back into the soil and nourish new plants.

10. Walk the Walk.

Literally. Walk to work. Bike to your buddy’s, skip to school. Just leave the car at home whenever possible. Not only will you be saving fuel, you’ll also be doing your body a big favor by increasing your daily exercise.

So now you can preserve the planet AND benefit your body. What could be better?

We wish you a happy and healthy Earth Day!

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