Green Your Diet

Every aspect of our food chain – from production, to delivery, to waste – produces carbon emissions, but by making smart food choices, you can significantly lower your diet’s carbon footprint.

Consider meatless meals at least one day a week. Animal agriculture is extremely inefficient and exacts a significant environmental toll through excess resource consumption, pollution from animal waste and fertilizers used to produce animal feed, and deforestation for animal grazing and animal crop production. In fact, a recent Stanford University study concluded that “phasing out animal agriculture represents our best and most immediate chance to reverse the trajectory of climate change.” Lowering the amount of meat you consume also lowers your risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Get your diet on a healthier track for both yourself and the planet with inspiration from these easy and delicious vegetarian recipes.

Buy local. Buying local or growing your own food can reduce the energy needed to transport produce by 1,000 miles or more. Support local farmers by shopping at the Brookline Farmers’ Market, held from June to October on Thursdays, rain or shine. Allandale Farm, Brookline’s last working farm, is another source of locally grown produce. They and other local farms, like Siena Farms in Sudbury, have local farmstands and also offer a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program through which consumers purchase a share of the coming season’s harvest.

Minimize food waste. Up to one-third of all food produced in the U.S. goes to waste, and along with it, all of the energy used to produce and deliver that food. Save money (and the planet) by minimizing the amount of food you waste with these tips.

Compost. Even with your best efforts, you will inevitably have some type of food scraps and waste. Organic waste that ends up in a landfill produces methane, the most powerful greenhouse gas, but if you compost those food scraps they will instead turn into nutrient-rich soil. There are a number of ways you can compost at home, or you can sign up for a composting service that will collect your waste on a weekly basis. Learn more about composting in Brookline here.

Diet and Climate Change Resources

• Seasonal guide to New England produce
• Food’s impact on climate change
• Vegetarian and vegan diet myths
• How dietary change can reduce impacts on the climate