Last post - reclaimed smoothie made with yogurt a coworker was getting rid of, frozen grapes a roommate was pitching, and a banana I found in the work kitchen! It's like a meal and a scavenger hunt all in one!
I have been successful in avoiding the use of paper and plastics by carrying my own cup when buying coffee and carrying my own reusable bag to stores. I use washable dishes and silverware when I am in charge of dinners at home and at my fellowship. I am composting and gardening in my yard and do not use chemicals on my yard or garden. We use smart thermostats and led lights and minimize my use of electricity. I recycle all that I can and try to use less and reuse. My goal is to shrink my footprint.
I have been doing research on maximizing the small yard space I have. By building a raised bed and making vertical herb/ veggies boxes, I can grow a lot more of my own salad s.
Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these advantages inspire you the most?
Although it is MMmore expensive to purchase a CSA share with aalocal farmers, I know that the food is good for me, the price is more in line with aarealistic cost to the production and the farm is close enough I can go visit or help pull weeds!
Fun fact: Your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 20 minutes of eating. While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come out of this?
I'm sure I'm also losing some weight! I'm talking with my family more during the meal and taking longer with each meal yet getting full on smaller portions.
Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. How can you better support communities by supporting women?
I'm curious as to the "why" - is this out of need? Seems like we could make an impact on either side - better supporting women, who in turn better support their communities, or meeting community needs so women don't feel the onus is on them. In any event, continuing to support women-owned organizations or places that employ a high number of women seems advantageous.
An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?
What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than other countries, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How do we start shifting a meat-focused food culture?
Without doing literally any research, my hunch is that people in North America equate meat with protein, and equate protein with a means of managing weight. Additionally, I think meat might be considered to be somewhat of an indicator of wealth or resources. I think providing additional education and options to people at a young age, and by putting efforts towards food-production policies, could help shift our culture around food.
I look forward to the summer farmer's markets and buy a lot from them every week. I have a home garden, too. I love the gardeners and all the local businesses that are so inventive with new products and how we can meet up with them and see what they have been up to at the markets. There is even a weekly market right down the street from me. People walk and ride bikes there and it is a great community resource.
Mara Hill 4/25/2018 8:30 PM
Elayne Hunter 4/25/2018 12:58 AMI have been successful in avoiding the use of paper and plastics by carrying my own cup when buying coffee and carrying my own reusable bag to stores. I use washable dishes and silverware when I am in charge of dinners at home and at my fellowship. I am composting and gardening in my yard and do not use chemicals on my yard or garden. We use smart thermostats and led lights and minimize my use of electricity. I recycle all that I can and try to use less and reuse. My goal is to shrink my footprint.