Reconnecting with our food for Sustainable Living
With all of this talk of Climate change it is easy for media outlets and studies to play the blame game. However as we are all to blame isn’t it better if we begin to tackle the issues resulting in all of environmental destruction we see around us together.
We can’t go back in time to change our farming processes, our over reliance on the meat industry, our greed for fossil fuels and our refusal to see the signs from natural disasters around us but we can work towards a new value system.
I hate that sustainable living has become a buzz word today. We are all capable of getting back to nature and that is called living. Taking a walk in the woodlands, breathing in the fresh air, getting to know the plants around us and how our ancestors used those plants to feed themselves in the past is a sustainable way forward. If we reach into our childhood curiosity we can find creative solutions and abandon our over reliance on convenient produce that is contributing to the damages that we see in the environment today.
Foraging is one way that we can reconnect with the land. Taking all of it’s principles and building a brighter future.
A special UN and IPCC report on the impact of land management practices on our ever changing climate is significant. Food production, consumption and waste are three key areas that we must tackle to prevent further degradation of our landscapes. A collective approach is always best and we can by simply learning about the foods we eat and valuing where that food comes from. Here are five food choices that will help us to step away from materialism and towards sustainable living.
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Admire and Value Nature
It is easy to forget to stop and smell the roses. Many of us spend our days rushing from here to there or cramming into a train to get from A to B.
2. Enjoy your local farmers market
Visiting a local farmers market is always a treat. Not only does a market offer fresh produce and seasonal foods, it is a place that values community. Hang around, have a coffee, talk to the vendors and get some tips.
3. Love Fruit
Fruit is easy to ignore when you reach the supermarket because it is usually positionned right beside rows of carb deliciousness and shelves of nuts that call for our attention but never underestimate the juiciness of a Spanish orange. Organic fruit or freshly picked fruit is packed full of flavor and goodness.
4. Know where your food is coming from
Taking time to learn about where our food comes from may be the biggest way that we can contribute to the environment today. Picking is hard work. It is physically demanding and the hours are long if you plan on taking it up full time for the harvest season. Fruit picking is also one of the most rewarding ways to spend an afternoon and to witness and understand the intensive labor it takes to get your fruits to the market stalls.
5. Go Foraging with Friends
Last but certainly not least forage with friends. Joining a local or international foraging tour will open your eyes, give you plenty of food for thought and give you a taste of the last around you.
This is not an exhaustive list but rather some easy tips to start thinking about your daily food habits in a mindful way. We hope this gives you some food for thought and look forward to living closer with nature in a sustainable world.
