Prioritize your shopping list: what to buy organic
3. Go for organic
Organic farming is better for the environment and for your health because no chemicals and pesticides are used. Pesticides have been linked with increased risk of cancer, organ damage and neurological impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease, Suzuki writes in his book David Suzuki's Green Guide (Douglas & McIntyre, 2008). Where nature is concerned, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report that pesticide exposure is responsible for the deaths of millions of birds and fish every year.
There are more upsides to going organic. It provides the assurance that food doesn't contain genetically modified ingredients or organisms, and that meat is free of growth hormones and antibiotics. To learn more about organic practices and principles, visit the Canadian Organic Growers's website at cog.ca.
The downside to buying organic food is it's still more costly than conventional food products. If your budget won't allow a 100 per cent switch, then go organic with only the items that are most contaminated with pesticides. According to The Environmental Working Group, these foods include:
-peaches
-apples
-bell peppers
-celery
-nectarines
-strawberries
-cherries
-kale
-lettuce
-grapes
-carrots and;
-pears.
4. Choose sustainable seafood
Our oceans are in trouble. They're over-fished and that means we're taking out more food than they can sustainably provide -- and their ecosystems are being destroyed, according to SeaChoice, a Canadian program that raises awareness of threats to oceans. Researchers estimate that if we continue to demand and consume seafood at our current rate, the world's seafood supply will be gone in 30 years.
You don't have to give up fish for life. Rather, answer the urgent call to choose sustainable seafood -- species that haven't been fully exploited or depleted, or caught in ways that damage marine ecosystems.
Visit Seachoice.org for a list of the most eco-friendly fish to eat, and pick up a copy of A Good Catch (Greystone Books, 2008) by Jill Lambert for delicious, sustainable seafood recipes. Fish isn't typically labelled, so ask questions to find out where it's from and how it was caught. Then, you can buy an eco-sound choice when you shop.
5. Ditch bottled water
When you're thirsty, fill up your canister or cup rather than buying bottled water from the store. "A jaw-dropping 1.5 million barrels of oil go into making the plastic for water bottles every single year," says Vasil. "Plus, only 35 per cent of them are actually recycled in Canada (the rest end up clogging landfills)."
If you buy bottled water because you prefer purified over tap water, consider installing a good filtration system at home. The best reusable bottles and cups are those made of stainless steel. Vasil suggests avoiding clear and hard plastic ones, which can contain the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A.
Choosing eco-friendly foods and drinks significantly lightens your footstep on the earth. If the environment could talk, it just might thank you for greening your diet. Happy Earth Day!
Visit Eco Logic for daily tips on how to live greener and be kinder to the earth.
Aileen Brabazon, CNP, is a freelance journalist and holistic nutritionist based in Toronto. Passionate about eating green, she volunteers -- and shops -- at Evergreen Brick Works Farmers' Market, where local and organic food is abundant.
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