Entry#2: Saving the Earth With Food

About a year ago the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report about the current state of the environment. The report surmises that we to immediately change course to prevent irreversible change to the environment. Obviously, this is a little bit concerning. I'm sure we are all aware of today's current state of politics and how little is actually being done about this issue. While it may seem that there isn't anything we can do as individuals to combat this issue; there are a few ways that I have come across that can help. The easiest way to promote positive change without effecting your daily life is to vote for candidates that support climate change initiatives. That's all the easy solutions I have. Sorry. However, if you keep reading I promise I will convince you that the other solutions will be just as easy in time. 

Overcrowded cow farm from mscpa.org

I'm sure most people reading this are meat lovers. I am. Nothing really compares to a 12 hour smoked brisket with some collard greens and cornbread. However, one of the main culprits of climate change is the meat industry. A lot of resources are spent to raise and sustain farm animal populations that are meant for consumption. There's a video I watched a while ago that can explain the meat industries involvement in climate change much better than I can. The video is created by Kurzgesagt. Side note, their videos are really interesting and you should check them out. One solution that the video offers is to reduce your meat consumption; even if its just one day a week where you don't eat meat. This is something that I have implemented in my own life. During the week most of my time is occupied by work, so I choose this time to eat vegetarian meals instead of meat. The weekend is when I make an attempt to be social and go out, so this is when I usually eat meat. Picking a restaurant is already hard enough when you don't add dietary restrictions into the equation.

For the next solution I have to offer we are going to go on a mental field trip. I want you to imagine yourself walking through the produce section in your local supermarket. Picture the array of different colors of produce. Now unless you shop at a farmers market, most of that produce probably came from far away. Usually this is because it might not be possible to grow that certain fruit or vegetable in your local area during that time of year. Shipping produce from grow locations to areas that can't grow that specific produce creates a lot of carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce my part in this, I decided to try a method that our ancestors used long before the invention of cars and boats; eating seasonally. What I mean by eating seasonally is to eat what can be grown in your local area during that time of year. For example, corn grows extremely well in Arizona during the latter half of the year. So how do you know what's in season in your area? I came across an app that helps answer this question. Seasonal Food Guide contains a database for all 50 states about which plants are in season throughout the year. It also contains guide on how to cook certain plants. Eating seasonally doesn't just help reduce carbon emissions. Produce that is grown close to home and during the correct time of year is allowed more time to mature on the plant. Produce that matures on the plant tends to have more flavor.

Front yard food forest from greendreamsfl.com

The final solution that I have to offer isn't the easiest to do in Arizona. Growing as much of your food in your home can help to drastically reduce carbon emissions. The less food you have to buy from a grocery store means less carbon emission from shipping and more money in your pocket. I know most people in Arizona opt for rocks instead of grass lawns, but for most of the country grass lawns are the norm. Grass lawns aren't that environmentally friendly. The amount of water needed to maintain grass along with gasoline needed to power lawn mowers puts a lot of stress on the environment. One alternative to the grass lawn is to create a food forest in your own yard. The concept is simple. If you're already going to use water to maintain grass why not use that water to grow food instead? This idea is starting to grow a lot of traction, but there are still many barriers stopping this practice from becoming widespread. Most HOAs (home owners association) mandate that owners have grass lawns. The blog Permaculture Apprentice contains a lot of information about this type of farming practice. 

I know climate change seems like an impossible beast to conquer, but don't despair. While it may not seem like it, every little bit counts. You can make a difference, even if you just choose to not eat meat one day out of the week or plant some plants in your yard. Most importantly make sure you're registered to vote, and vote for the people that take the environment seriously. 

Here's the link to register/update to vote for Arizona.