Earth Day, Every Day - Tip # 30 - Go Vegetarian at least one meal a week

For those raised on a meat and potatoes diet, skipping meat for even one meal may be difficult, but the benefits for the Earth are great.

Raising animals for food takes not only large amounts of food and water, but a 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than ALL the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.*

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, "if every American had one meat-free meal per week, it would be the same as taking more than 5 million cars off our roads." Now that's an impact!

I encourage you, try one meat free meal next week, and then try to do it again the week after, and the week after. It's good for the Earth and it may be good for you too!

*H. Steinfeld et al., Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, Livestock, Environment and Development (2006).
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As I look back over the 30 Earth Day, Every Day tips I posted, I'm sure I've missed many of your favorites, but I've tried to share the ones that I thought were easiest to do, while still having a great impact. And I hope I've shared at least a few that you've not yet done.

So, Happy Earth Day 2011, and please do a little each day to leave the Earth a bit better than we found it.

Susan

Earth Day, Every Day - Tip # 12 - "Green Remodeling" for your Kitchen

GreenDemolitions.org is a "kitchen recycler." Homeowners donate their gently used kitchens (donors get a tax deductible receipt), then Green Demolitions resells them, with the profits going to charity.

Donations come and go daily, so visit often. Plus if you're looking for a carved wood mantel, a pedestal sink, a stained glass window, a high end Wolf Range or a double oven, they just might have it, and at a fraction of the retail cost. You can find Green Demolitions stores in NY, CT, PA and NJ.
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Speaking of Kitchens... “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” returns for its second season TONIGHT, Tuesday, April 12 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) on ABC.

This time Jamie heads to Los Angeles, working to educate families on choosing healthier food choices... and encouraging the school district there to offer better school lunches.

Food, Inc. a new documentary

I recently saw the documentary Food, Inc. This scary and eye opening film has left many looking at their food very differently and questioning the regulatory effectiveness of the FDA and USDA.

The film points how our nation's food supply is controlled by a handful of large corporations who make decisions based on the bottom line rather than on consumer health, the safety of workers, the environment, or even our farmers.

The film also has interviews with authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma), plus Stonyfield Farms' owner Gary Hirschberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin.

As they say in the close "you'll never look at dinner the same way." And as you checkout, thanks for voting.