What Does a Climatarian Look Like?

Our everyday activities make a big difference and small positive changes by everyone, can make a big difference to the health of our Earth. A Climatarian thinks about their impact on the Earth everyday, and they work to reduce their daily impact.

The news just keeps getting worse and worse for our warming planet as some places are overwhelmed by drought and fires, and others are inundated with storms and water. Warmer air holds more water and has caused ocean levels to rise causing hurricanes to become more destructive. Wildlife and humans are on the loosing end of this destruction. The lives lost, and the struggle to survive and rebuild are staggering. We are facing a climate breakdown! Read about the latest climate report by the world’s scientists here.

Instead of trashing our air and water we need new paradigms to live by to protect our home.  Our current United States government is determined to make this climate breakdown worse. Our warming planet is not going to heal itself. With a little personal responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint we can have cleaner air and water, and a much healthier planet. Let’s make it a team effort and make it a win-win for us all! As self-described Climatarian below are the things I work on everyday to reduce my footprint on Earth. To be successful start small, and when one thing becomes a habit try to add another.

Take personal responsibility to heal our Earth. My vision of a Climatarian is below. What is yours?

Bulk shopping reduces food and packaging waste. Refill your own containers

** Work for zero waste by reusing, refilling and refusing. This takes practice and commitment, but it is fun and easy once you get the idea of how, you can become an almost zero waster! Also, don’t waste food: Freeze and label your leftovers, and put them in wraps, stir fry or something you cook next. Be creative!  Managing food waste takes constant vigilance. I will help you get started with zero waste, ask me how to begin????

** Reduce your meat consumption. We haven’t eaten beef or pork for many years, and I actually forget about purchasing from our local chicken source. Meat takes lots of water and energy to raise, and it is a terrible pollutant to our air and water.

** Drive less: No one wants to reduce their driving, but carpooling, public transportation and walking can be fun. Try it!!

This symbol means a lot more than to recycle. A circular economy manufactures and purchases goods from recycled materials.

** Consume less! The more we consume the more the planet suffers and the more garbage we generate. Buy less stuff and purchase things that last, and that you will reuse over and over. Try to become part of the circular economy.

And from EcoWatch, things you can do to avoid climate catastrophe. From the Washington Post things you can do for our Earth.

 

Jump Into July Happiness

Yahoo, jump into July!  We are half-way through 2018, so enjoy July and find extra time to enjoy the outdoors. Action For Happiness has a new July calendar. Always add a daily outdoor activity for your happiness. Load the Action for Happiness July calendar here.

It’s July and, yes, many places on Earth are hot, but I hope you still can get outside for walks, bike rides, or just sitting and listening. Appreciate the Earth’s amazing diversity and beauty this July.   Will our hot temperatures create more climatarians, thinking about how our actions affect the earth as we consume, eat, drive around, travel and waste?   A climatarian is aware of their complete footprint on Earth.  Maybe in July, strive for #PlasticFreeJuly  #ChemicalFreeJuly or #nofoodwasteJuly.

July happiness is being kind to yourself and others, being kind to our earth, and spending time in nature.

A song/poem for July

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
If I had a day that I could give you
I’d give to you the day just like today
If I had a song that I could sing for you
I’d sing a song to make you feel this way
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I
If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I’d make a wish for sunshine for all the while
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me smile. John Denver

https://health4earth.com/reduce-chemicals/

 

 

 

Be Healthier in 2018

  • Buy less stuff: Reuse, reuse and reuse the things you have
  • Reduce food waste: http://www.savethefood.com/
  • Drive less: Walk, bike, ride share, Carpool, combine errands, and take public transport.
  • Protect butterflies and bees: Add more pollinator friendly plants to your yard or balcony, and eliminate your use of pesticides, and all chemicals in your home. Your family, your pets, birds and butterflies will be much healthier.
  • Reduce or eliminate beef from your diet.  Producing beef uses lots of energy! Go meatless and fishless several days a week!
  • Reduce all plastic use, and recycle, recycle and recycle everything you can. Always work for zero waste.
  • Become a climatarian: Always consider the earth when you make decisions
  • Walk: Everyday get outside to enjoy nature.
  • Finally, work to elect leaders that believe in climate change, clean air and clean water, and support clean renewable energy solutions

Ways to be a better environmental steward from Ecowatch

From Earth911 ways to be more sustainable. Read at Earth911

Celebrate Climatarian Week!

Bulk shopping reduces food and packaging waste

What is a climatarian?  A climatarian considers the foot-print they are making when they make their purchases. The idea is to buy local and reduce beef and dairy.

My suggestions on being a Climatarian:

* Eliminate beef, and reduce dairy consumption
* Walk or take public transport to purchase groceries.
 *Participate in Meatless Monday, and go meatless often.

Use real dishes

*Buy in bulk and refill your own bottles.
 *Work to reduce all food waste and compost any food waste you have.
 *Choose minimal packaging, and recycle as much as possible.
 *Use real dishes!
* I love “clean out” the refrigerator stir fry or soup.
*Shop food co-ops, farmer’s markets and eat locally grown foods, and grow your own food.

 

 

Fish for dinner? Where was it caught?

Locally caught fish is the best choice
Locally caught fish is the best choice

To think that people are going to stop eating fish is a heavy lift.  Even the vegans I know will eat fish and sushi. Do you purchase fish and shrimp?  Some things to consider:

Why would anyone purchase or eat fish caught in Viet Nam or China? I thought this was such an interesting and strange story, and It should be shared to heighten people’s awareness. Most Americans eat fish caught in Asia while fish caught in Massachusetts is exported to Europe. Why would anyone purchase or eat fish caught in Viet Nam or China? Watch the segment on Dog Fish, a sustainable fish, here.

In the United States it is possible to purchase sustainable Gulf caught shrimp and scallops, as well as wild caught cod, salmon and other fish from the Pacific Ocean. Also, fish from the Great Lakes is excellent.

Be a Climatarian, consider the planet when you make all food and fish choices, and buy local and USA products if they are available.  And then there is the thought that we shouldn’t be eating fish at all. Read it here from One Green Planet

 

 

Happy Climatarian Thanksgiving!

Bulk shopping reduces food and packaging waste
Bulk shopping reduces food and packaging waste

What is a climatarian? I get this question often.

A climatarian is somebody who chooses their food with the climate in mind and, in particular, replaces beef and lamb with pork or poultry to cut their carbon footprint by a ton a year.” http://climatesnetwork.com/index.php

Read the entire essay here

Reducing your beef consumption is huge, but to me being a climatarian is much more. A climatarian thinks of the climate every step of the day! A climatarian also buys local, reduces their food waste, and reduces energy used in cooking.  All this is easy to make part of a terrific Thanksgiving meal!

To me being a climatarian also means reducing energy for shopping trips.  It is more difficult to walk or take public transportation to shop, but everyone can combine their car errands and leave out an ingredient instead of driving to get that one item!

 Celebrate kindness and gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 

A Man Wears His Trash

Avoid plastic, fill your glass or metal bottles with water or other liquid
Avoid plastic, fill your glass or metal bottles with water or other liquid.
Bring you own bag
Bring you own bag

Enjoy this video, as an individual makes a statement on our consumerism. Each American(USA) consumes 4 1/2 pounds of trash a day.  As I shop at grocery stores and Menards, I am overwhelmed by the amount of packaging and waste that goes into our purchases.

What can you do to reduce that 4 1/2 pounds a day?   I have just returned from a bus zero waste food coop shopping trip, filling my own bottles, and using only packaging that can be composted(paper not plastic).  I work everyday to be a climatarian. You don’t need to be as extreme as I am, just become aware! How can we consume less?

Use reusable cotton sacks or paper bags
Use reusable cotton sacks or paper bags
Please recycle plastic bags at grocery stores!
Please recycle plastic bags at grocery stores!

 

Backyard Compost Collection
Backyard Compost Collection

 

Meatless Monday, Think Climate and Waste!

Climatarian diet involves choosing what you eat based on the carbon footprint of the 13086949_1065267483539895_4417987934062182771_ofood, and using your power as a consumer to drive down the production of beef and lamb which have the biggest impact on our climate.  A climatarian is about eating local food to reduce transportation and reducing food waste.

 

 

 

My easy suggestions on being a Climatarian:

  • Walk or take the bus to purchase groceries.
  • Participate in Meatless Monday, and go meatless other days, also!
  • Eliminate beef and reduce cheese consumption.
  • Work to reduce all food waste and compost any food waste you have.
  • Choose minimal packaging, and recycle as much as possible.
  • Use real dishes, and reuse jars and products.
  • I love “clean out” the refrigerator stir fry and ideas from Tom Colicchio
  • Thoughts from Huffington Post
  • Shop food co-ops and eat locally grown foods, and grow and preserve your own food.

 

 

 

Reduce Consumption and Waste

13086949_1065267483539895_4417987934062182771_o

Earth Day Zero waste tips from http://earth911.com  Take a zero-waste pledge.

Challenge yourself to focus on the first of the 3 R’s and REDUCE your consumption
• To better visualize your efforts, use a glass jar or bowl to collect your waste for the day
• Use cloth produce bags for buying in bulk
• Visit a local farmer’s market for fresh produce, meats and cheeses.
• Bring lunch in a glass container or jar.
• Carry washable utensils and a cloth napkin in your lunch bag or purse.
• Take this day to de-junk your mailbox by removing yourself from mailing lists of unwanted promotions and catalogs. Earth 911

This is a good list, but to be really zero waste you need to compost food

Refilling a bottle of olive oil.
Refilling a bottle of olive oil.

scraps, and reuse and refill jars

Take a zero-waste pledge:

http://earth911.com/earth-day-pledge-2016/

The amazing Johnson family and zero waste: http://earth911.com/home-garden/7-steps-zero-waste-lifestyle/

Our Purchases Fuel Climate Change

“A new study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology shows that the stuff we

Do we need all the things we buy?
Do we need all the things we buy?

consume—from food to knick-knacks—is responsible for up to 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and between 50 and 80 percent of total land, material, and water use” From Audubon and Grist.org

This post is a follow-up to two of my earlier posts.  Every time we make purchases we need to weigh what the impact is to the earth.  Purchasing high quality items that will last, fixing broken things, bundling our errands, and becoming climatarians are a few easy things to start with.

https://www.audubon.org/news/the-surprising-way-stuff-we-buy-fuels-climate-change

I like one of the comments from the above link:

“Some of us have become “anti-consumers”. Think 3 times before you purchase. Is it necessary? Can I get it second hand? Can I make it myself or just do without?
#VoluntarySimplicity may be our only hope.”

More to read:

http://www.npr.org/2016/03/13/470314387/this-jacket-will-last-30-years-guaranteed

https://health4earth.com/2015/12/28/climatarian-a-new-resolution/

https://health4earth.com/2016/03/06/e-commerce-comes-at-a-price/

http://grist.org/