10 Easy Ways To Eat Green on Earth Day

From townofbenoit.org

Happy Earth Day! Take some time today to appreciate our planet. One way to do that is through food.  Believe it or not, your everyday food choices can make a big impact. Here are ten ways you can eat green today:

1. Don't purchase any food at the grocery store that isn't natural. Read the labels. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't eat it.
2. Don't purchase food in packaging that cannot be recycled. If it can be- recycle it.
3. Buy organic. Whether you're grocery shopping or looking for lunch, there are many places that you can buy organic. You can go to Whole Foods, Yes! Markets and now most regular supermarkets have an organic aisle. Don't forget to bring reusable bags. You are sort of canceling your good deeds out when you walk away with those plastic bags.
4. Eat at a restaurant offering an organic/sustainable menu. Click here for a list of some DC restaurants offering Earth Day specials from organic menus to green hours.
5. Drink green. Don't use water bottles. Drink from the tap. I guarantee it's good drinking water, and it's quite possibly more purified than the one Coca-Cola sells. 
6. Buy food that's in season and, if possible local. You may not think about this when you go to the grocery store, but if that organic avocado had to be shipped or flown here from California, you are contributing to the problem via global emissions. The Natural Resources Defense Council can tell you what is in season and local to you. If you're from around DC, just look to the left of this post.
7. Only buy what you will eat. No one likes throwing out leftovers that stink up your fridge. Learn to shop for what you will consume, not for what your stomach tells you.
8. Reduce your red meat intake. Cows produce methane (eew) which is a global warming gas.
9. Plant your own herbs or produce. Not only are you helping out the planet, you will appreciate it a lot more.
10. Cook for yourself. By cooking your own meal, you know exactly what you're getting. You can avoid those preservatives and ingredients you can't pronounce.