These three green goals are all works in progress for the Accidental Locavore.
And they’re the kinds of goals that should be works in progress for all of us.
No matter why you do it, every step helps the planet (and in these days, it’s going to need help from all of us).
How and what you eat is a big part of that.
So, here are a couple of goals I’m setting. They’re not big, just some small steps in the right direction. How about you?
Support local business.
Whether it’s a local grower, farmer, purveyor, or the small very specialized business down the street, local is better.
And get out of your comfort zone with food.
A green goal might be to try a cut of meat you’ve never had, experiment with an unusual vegetable at your farmer’s market, or go for a different type of fish that might be more sustainable than the best sellers.
Most sellers (especially when it comes to food) are more than happy to explain what it is and share ideas on how best to cook it.
You can’t believe how much I’ve learned from talking to the people behind the counter. That’s one of my favorite things about farmer’s markets and local purveyors.
Clean out your refrigerator, and fill your freezer.
One of your green goals should be to clean your refrigerator.
Believe it or not, the experts say you’re supposed to clean your fridge every time you go grocery shopping.
If by cleaning, they mean shoving stuff around to make room for the new food, I’m there.
You know that’s not it.
We’re all guilty of keeping stuff around past its prime, or not tossing that bottle of ______ that no one will touch.
And how many jars of mustard do you have in your fridge? There are at least 4 in mine (that I can find).
I’m going to do a complete cleaning and toss all the science experiments. Then when I reload it, I’ll do it the smart way, so everything stays fresh as long as possible. If you have questions about keeping or tossing food here’s a useful site (that obviously my mother has never been to).
Why fill your freezer? A full freezer works better and more efficiently than a partially full one. Mine must be working pretty well….
Swap plastic for ___?
Here’s where I could use some help with my green goals.
We go through an amazing amount of plastic food storage bags, and while I’ve made some inroads in swapping some Ziplocs for small, reusable containers, I’m always tossing plastic bags.
What do you use?
The problem for me with glass containers in my crowded fridge is that if it slides off the pile, it breaks. I’ve found that Ball jars work for a lot of things, fridge or pantry. And swapping styrofoam take out boxes (which I hate) for plastic ones, may not be the best, but it’s a step in the right direction.
With the GIR lids, covering glass or china containers in the microwave has stopped being a problem.
What about the grocery store/farmer’s market? My ChicoBag is always with me to gather groceries, but once I get them home, if the lettuce and scallions aren’t in a clear bag (i.e. visible) they get overlooked and quickly become food waste.
Do you just try to minimize the plastic bag use, and make up for it somewhere else? I’d love your ideas.
