Step into spring with a fresh perspective on sustainability! While Wisconsin’s spring may not bring instant warmth, it offers an opportunity to embrace brighter days and more environmentally conscious habits. This season reminds many of blooming flowers, fresh air, and colorful gardens which are perfect symbols of sustainability. Growing your own garden is certainly an excellent way to support the environment, but there are plenty of other simple yet impactful ways to adopt this lifestyle without the extra time commitment.

What is Sustainable Eating?

Sustainability means making choices that promote a healthy, thriving environment. From carpooling to reduce carbon emissions to using reusable bags at the store, these conscious decisions positively impact our planet.

Sustainable eating applies these principles to our food choices. It involves reducing waste, prioritizing eco-friendly options, and supporting practices that minimize environmental impact. Aligning our diet, which is something we need every day, with more sustainable practices is an easy way to promote a healthier environment for generations to come.

Sustainable Eating Ideas

Here are a few simple ways to incorporate sustainable practices into your eating habits:

1. Choose Seasonal Produce

Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season in your area reduces the amount of transportation and resources needed to get them on your plate. In Wisconsin, the Department of Health Services provides a helpful list of seasonal foods to guide your choices.

Pro Tip: Prep your produce at the start of the week so it’s ready when you need it. This makes healthy eating more convenient and prevents food waste.

2. Minimize Food Waste

Eat your leftovers! Plan your meals ahead of time and account for the amount of leftovers you may have during the week. Not only does this save you time preparing another meal, but the planet will thank you.

Reducing food waste can also go beyond your leftovers. It includes excessive packaging, which often finds its way to our landfills. Reduce packaging waste by using reusable produce and grocery bags and seek out sustainable grocery stores in your area that sell unpackaged goods. You may be able to purchase bulk items like oats, pasta, or flour without packaging and use your own containers for storage.

3. Support Local Businesses

Shopping locally is a great way to eat sustainably. Locally grown and produced foods require fewer resources for transport and are often sold with less packaging. Later this spring, typically starting in May, make a visit to your neighborhood farmer’s market. In the meantime, check out locally owned grocery stores or gardens offering fresh, seasonal produce.

Impacting Our Environment

Implementing even one or two sustainable eating habits can make a big difference. Remember, it takes many imperfect individuals to make an impact versus a few perfect ones. Small changes made by many people can benefit our environment greatly.

As spring begins, consider how you can incorporate sustainability into your daily life. Whether it is supporting local farmers, eating seasonal produce, or reducing waste, each step brings us closer to a more healthy planet!

Resource:

U.S Department of Agriculture

Photo by S’well on Unsplash

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