We vote three times a day. With every meal we chose to help the Environment or harm it. How do you vote?

Question

OK - clue number 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWNLvgU4MI

Clue 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8316862426942405289

Clue 3

Store Wars
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MfTQergr29M

Clue 4
http://www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/

Googie I am a Vegan and we have a Permaculture smallholding. Permaculture is permanent agriculture, the aim being that you become auto sufficient in food, fuel and materials deal with own wastes, outputs. This is done on least amount of land as possible and copies FROM nature to produce a yield for man's needs.

Thanks everybody, some very interesting answers.

Answer 1

patience is a virtue Googie

Vegetarian and organic food - Good for your health, for animals and for nature


A sustainable system is one that can be maintained with minimal use of scarce resources from outside the system; with minimal negative impact on the planet; and with maximum benefit for the producer. Substitute sustainable agriculture for the industrial model based on pesticides, herbicides and poorly tested genetically engineered foods.

"Sustainability means living in such a way that there are enough resources to live well, in an alive, thriving environment—indefinitely." — Jon Jeavons, author of How to Grow More Vegetables.

"Getting rid of outrageous subsidies and restoring family farms is only a first, relatively easy step. Next comes making serious public investment in agricultural research, to put the world's cumulative, sophisticated knowledge of plant ecology to work."
by Carl Pope

HOW TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE

EAT Local:

- If you care about global warming, don't buy food that has traveled hundreds or thousands of miles by plane and truck to get to you.
- If you care about open spaces, buy food that is grown on small local farms, which help keep open spaces from being paved over.
- If you care about stopping sprawl, buy from local producers rather than from big chain stores.


EAT Organic:

- If you care about biodiversity and endangered species, don't buy food that is produced with toxic pesticides, which kill all sorts of creatures.
- If you care about global warming, don't buy food that is grown with petroleum-based fertilizers.
- If you care about clean air, water and soil, look for food that is grown on farms where farmers don't use chemical pesticides that are sprayed from the air and leach into the water and soil.


EAT more vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and seeds

- If you care about forests, wild places, biodiversity, and endangered species, you should know that a leading cause of deforestation in the Americas and elsewhere is the raising of cattle and their feed.
- If you care about clean water and soil, don't buy meat from factory farms where animals are raised in confined operations so that their wastes poison the air, soil and water around them.

HOW TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE

EAT Local:

- If you care about global warming, don't buy food that has traveled hundreds or thousands of miles by plane and truck to get to you.
- If you care about open spaces, buy food that is grown on small local farms, which help keep open spaces from being paved over.
- If you care about stopping sprawl, buy from local producers rather than from big chain stores.


EAT Organic:

- If you care about biodiversity and endangered species, don't buy food that is produced with toxic pesticides, which kill all sorts of creatures.
- If you care about global warming, don't buy food that is grown with petroleum-based fertilizers.
- If you care about clean air, water and soil, look for food that is grown on farms where farmers don't use chemical pesticides that are sprayed from the air and leach into the water and soil.


EAT more vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and seeds

- If you care about forests, wild places, biodiversity, and endangered species, you should know that a leading cause of deforestation in the Americas and elsewhere is the raising of cattle and their feed.
- If you care about clean water and soil, don't buy meat from factory farms where animals are raised in confined operations so that their wastes poison the air, soil and water around them.

Here's what you can do:

- Go Vegetarian: www.goveg.com .

- Find out where the food you eat comes from and how it's grown, raised, and processed. Get to know the farmers who grow your food and support them.

- Buy food that is grown locally. Fresh food from local farmers is more nutritious and avoids pollution caused by transporting food.

- Eat seasonally; you might find blueberries and peaches in Northern supermarkets in February, but they've been shipped from far away—and they're probably tasteless, anyway. Wait for the delicious produce that's grown in your area and you'll enjoy the pleasure of anticipation and learning the rhythm of the seasons.

- Eat the greatest variety of the least processed food and eat less of it.

- Buy organic whenever you can. Organic farmers don't use the chemicals that are polluting our water, air, and soil.

- Start your own organic garden—you can never get fresher food than by growing it yourself!

- Eat less meat. Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and seeds are healthier and more sustainable

- Eat with family and friends; learn to cook; share recipes and your knowledge of sustainability.

- Buy grass-fed, free-range, or pasture-raised meat and dairy.

- Try "Sustainable Tuesdays: Learn more about this at www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/

- Shop at farmers' markets and farmstands; find one at www.localharvest.org or www.sustainabletable.org .

- Join a CSA, a food co-op that supports a local farm. Check www.csacenter.org.

- If you choose fish, eat fish that is raised sustainably. Learn more at www.seafood.audubon.org.

- Ask restaurants, stores, and schools where they get their food. Support those that buy locally. See www.chefscollaborative.com, www.dinegreen.com.

- See the Sustainable Consumption Committee's Activist Toolkit.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Young children can't fully comprehend the science behind the decisions to eat safe food—but that doesn't mean it's too soon to involve them.

- Plant seeds and watch them grow. You can grow lettuce or herbs in 3-inch pots on a sunny windowsill. If you have room, try squash or tomatoes in the ground or in 5-gallon pots. No yard? Look for a community garden.
- Make composting a family activity. Here's a way to ensure that your kids will get involved: add worms to your pile—kids can't resist them, and they make explaining the composting process fun.
- Start a worm box; they're available through most garden centers and worms teach kids about sustainability—as well as being great fun.
- Organize family outings to farmers' markets and to farms, for apple and strawberry-picking or helping with weeding and harvesting. Introduce your kids to the farmers and to farmers' kids. Joining a CSA—a Community-Supported Agriculture program in which consumers buy shares in a farm's harvest—make this especially easy to do.
- Whenever possible, bring your kids' friends, and their parents, along. Peer pressure is so important to kids; getting your child's class involved will help enormously.
- Get involved in your school's PTA and advocate nutrition education. Try to get local food brought to the school breakfast or lunch program and start a school garden.



KIDS AND VEGETABLES

We're not going to say that it's easy to get kids to eat vegetables, certainly not when their friends are all eating sugar- and fat-filled foods. But here are some ideas for veggies that many kids are happy to try:

- Dips and dunks; it's more fun to eat a broccoli spear or a carrot stick if you've dunked it yourself. Try different vegetables--not every kid will like every one--and try some dips with special kid ingredients, like sweet fruit or peanut butter.
- Make your own pizza: Ask your kids to decorate with vegetables and they're more likely to find them palatable.
- Most important: do it together. Involve your kids in preparing meals—even a two-year-old can tear up greens—and eating as a family.

Answer 2

Unfortunately for many years I have to plead ignorance. I did my job and figured that people were doing theirs.

I thought everything hitting my table would be healthy and appropriate until I started working more with environmental medical professionals specializing in toxicity. I was shocked to learn that like a car, I had to put the right fuels in me for optimum performance and wellness or there were compromises.

Your body need 100% natural or it is a toxic invader and your body attacks itself. I started reading labels and was shocked at what was being touted as nutrition.

I am getting educated everyday environmentally and our lives depend on living naturally within the earth's environment. If we don't it will impact future generations.

As a former redneck who used to say chopping down a tree with a tree hugger in it was the way to handle the situation. Now I am embarrased at my ignorance because they are trying to save the environment that sustains my life. Now I am the worst kind, I am a redneck tree hugger and appreciate your work more every day.

Answer 3

Permaculture Belle ; You are certainly into this environment project with a vengance. I applaud you for that. But what is the premise that we either help or harm the environment by what we choose as food for our meals.Why didn't you include your vote as an adjunct to your question.? Where do you Help the environment at every meal by your choice in food? As an advocate I feel you should clue us inas to what you do.

Answer 4

I so wanted to make a poop joke in reference to voting but really can't come up with a good one.

People eat whats on the table, in the stores, what our corporate overminds give us to eat. Its hard to go off mainstream eatting because of the cost and effort. Believe me I'd love to eat nothing but organic food, but I'm busy and I barely get by on ramen and 99 cent pizzas.

Anyways I think the problem is lack of social and corporate responsibility. We need to, as a whole educate and promote a more healthy and environmentally friendly way of life, not just food, but our lifestyle as a whole.

This way morlocks like me may one day enjoy 99 cent organic real cheese pizzas and 100 percent recycled ramen.

Cheers

Answer 5

we vote more than that..
every time you shop - did you buy something locally made or imported? and what resources went into making it? or were you ultra environmentally friendly and bought NOTHING..

you vote when you decide how big your family will be - -1 kid.. 4 kids or none..
obviously the more people on the planet the more demands each places - less environmentally friendly

I have 10 acres, we try to grow much of our own food and had free range chickens in the summer..

Answer 6

i eat a lot of junk food but i cook more now at home and i eat more pasta and vegetables,just a coincidence i suppose,i really like pizza.

Answer 7

ok don't eat for 3 weeks and then tell me if you helped the enviornment.