Check for the Checkmark - Just as there are certification programs to monitor the production of organic produce and meats, there is also a program that determines whether the seafood that reaches our markets has been harvested in a sustainable, environmentally sound manner. The Marine Stewardship Council monitors fisheries worldwide and allows those that meet their standards of environmental responsibility to display their blue ecolabel. Buying seafood that has the MSC label is the best way for us to know that we aren't contributing to the global environmental problem of overfishing, so look for it when you shop, and make sure your fishmonger knows that you will only buy products that carry the blue checkmark. 

Look for the Logo - Many of the foods we eat are grown in faraway places where we know nothing of the economic and environmental impact of the farming practices used. Fortunately there is a worldwide program that helps consumers identify products that are grown under conditions that respect the rights of small farmers, farm laborers, and the environment. The Fairtrade certification system covers a growing range of products, including bananas, honey, oranges, cocoa, coffee, cotton, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, nuts and oil seeds, quinoa, rice, spices, sugar, tea and wine. The list is growing rapidly, so check out the Fairtrade website for the latest information, and look for the logo when you shop.

Bean Bags - Legumes are an essential part of a balanced diet, and they are also an eco-friendly source of protein compared to meat. So we should fill our pantries with cans of beans, right? Well, not exactly. Stocking your pantry with a good selection of beans and lentils is an excellent idea, but please buy them in bags rather than cans. Making plastic bags requires a small fraction of the natural resources and energy required to make metal cans, and they are cheaper to transport as well. It will take a little longer to cook your dried beans, but think of the money you'll be saving by not paying for the liquid that accompanies canned beans.

Know Your Foods - Not all foods are created equal. Some foods require fewer pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics to produce, while others are more likely to arrive at your market laced with chemicals. If an all-organic diet isn't practical for reasons of cost or availability, then there are a few products you should put at the top of your list of organic priorities based on the level of contaminants they are likely to contain. The top twelve food products you should buy organic whenever possible are meat, milk and other dairy products, coffee, peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers (capsicums), celery, strawberries, lettuces and other leafy greens, grapes (especially imported grapes), potatoes, and tomatoes.

Looking at it from a different angle, there are some fruits and vegetables that require fewer pesticides to grow commercially so you don't need to worry about buying organic when it comes to asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kiwi fruits, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples, sweet corn, and fresh or frozen peas.

Think Quality, Not Quantity - There is no question that organically-grown and locally-grown foods tend to be more expensive. In fact, they're about 50 percent more expensive on the average, but there are easy ways to offset the added cost and eat healthier at the same time. If you focus on quality you can buy healthier foods in smaller quantities. A baked potato is healthier, cheaper, and more eco-friendly than a bag of potato chips could ever be, so avoid the expensive processed foods that lack the nutrition of their more natural counterparts. Keep in mind also that cooking your food at home will save money over buying meals at restaurants and fast-food outlets, so buy better (and more expensive) foods and cook them yourself. Your wallet will thank you, your waistline will thank you, and your planet will thank you.

Keep a Green Kitchen - Few places in the home offer as many opportunities to save energy as the kitchen. Many kitchens have up to a dozen electronic appliances, and that's not even counting the big ones like the refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, and stove. There are a few simple strategies to help you reduce the amount of energy needed to feed the family: make sure all your electric appliances have the Energy Star rating (see "Look to the Stars" at Top Ten Tips); be sure to unplug appliances when not in use, especially the ones with clocks, timers, or electronic displays; use the smallest appliance suitable for a given task (i.e. a toaster oven rather than a full-size oven, a hand-held immersion blender rather than a counter-top blender, etc.); use old-fashioned manual tools such as can openers rather than electric gadgets whenever possible; don't preheat the oven unless absolutely necessary; and always keep pots on the stove covered to retain heat. Substantial energy savings can be achieved by simply being aware of the many ways we use energy when not absolutely necessary.

Shop Small - Giant supermarkets are a marvel of modern commerce. Few retailers carry the number and variety of products that can be found in the typical large chain store, and their prices are often hard to beat. However, there is one area in which their smaller competitors have a distinct advantage: locally owned and operated grocery stores are more likely to carry locally grown fruits and vegetables. Many of the small "Mom and Pop" stores get their produce from local growers because it's less expensive than the produce that has been shipped thousands of miles. Make sure your grocer, whether large or small, knows that you prefer your produce to be grown locally. You'll get seasonal fruits and vegetables that are fresher, and it's healthier for the environment too.

Eat Out Green - Adopting green practices in your home kitchen helps the environment in many ways, and it makes sense that restaurants that practice green habits would have an even greater impact on the environment. So how do we know if a restaurant is green? The non-profit Green Restaurant Association certifies restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and college and university food service facilities that are "minimizing their environmental impact and serving as models for other businesses" through their Certified Green Restaurant program. Learn more about the program and find green restaurants near you at their website: DineGreen.com

Know Your Fish - Eating a diet that includes fish has long been associated with many health benefits, but those benefits don't always extend to the environment. Some fish populations are suffering from overfishing, and some marine ecosystems are balanced on the brink of catastrophe due to species depletion. So how do we know which fish should be avoided, and which are okay to eat? Fortunately, there are several watchdog groups whose mission is to monitor seafood populations and fishing practices and to help the consumer make the right choices when choosing seafood. The Seafood Watch program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is among the best of these. Check it for the latest word on which seafoods are the best choices, and which are to be avoided. This information changes frequently, so please bookmark the website and check back often.

Less Red = More Green - No one here is going to try to persuade you to adopt a vegetarian diet, but there is no denying that a vegetarian lifestyle is more earth-friendly than one that includes the meat of domesticated animals. However, you don't have to forego meat entirely to reduce the impact of your food preferences on the environment. Since the production of meat requires considerably more natural resources on a pound-for-pound basis than the cultivation of plant foods (actual ratios of efficiency vary greatly depending on the foods in question and the production methods involved, but they range from 4:1 to 54:1 according to a study by Cornell University), it follows that eliminating even a small portion of meat from the standard American diet would result in a geometrically magnified effect on the environment. Take into account also the fact that livestock represent a large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions (through various, er... "natural bodily functions") and that pasturage demands account for a large percentage of the world's deforestation, and you have an even stronger case for reducing the amount of meat in an earth-friendly diet. You can substantially reduce the ecological impact of your omnivorous diet by eliminating meat from just a few meals every week. Your health (and your wallet) will probably notice the difference as well.
 

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