6 Ethical Ways to Prepare and Cook Food to Protect the Environment

Posted on by Cantrell Conscious Living

Food and climate change are intertwined in a sophisticated way.

The food industry worldwide requires a significant amount of energy to produce food, transport and store it, and eventually prepare and serve it.

The result is greenhouse gas emissions. Forests, rivers, soils, and oceans also get destroyed and degraded.

Meanwhile, climate change is responsible for creating a vicious cycle of activity with countries vulnerable environmentally experiencing the most severe food insecurity.

The agricultural potential of such countries declines as climate change worsens. They over-rely on increasingly sophisticated food aid logistics because they need food.

Therefore, it’s important for such nations to engage in global food discussions on how to enhance their resilience and adaptability.

But…

No two foods are made equal due to differences in transportation, storage, preparation and servings.

However, some foods have more impact on the environment than others. Various factors influence ecological impact.

And…

You can develop an eco-friendly diet to support environmental protection.

Meat, especially beef, has the most impact on the environment among all types of food. Even so, the complete picture is complicated just as in other foods.

Limited livestock rearing has a few environmental benefits that are often overlooked. For instance, instead of buying chemical fertilizers, you can use livestock waste to fertilize your crops.

Waste products such as spent grain usually make up livestock feed, meaning you can easily consume extra calories when raising livestock.

But…

It takes moderation to gain these benefits. Daily consumption of meat isn’t sustainable. Most foods require some moderation in consumption to avoid consuming excess calories.

Even so, pre-defined choices can make your diet eco-friendly.

Studies continue to emphasize the increasing impact of food on the environment and how it affects climate change.

Globally, food causes almost 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. If action isn’t taken now, the figure is forecasted to grow. This explains the need to look ahead for climate targets to be met.

Food also impacts land and water systems with 70% of fresh water from lakes and rivers being utilized in agriculture. The current food system causes 60% of all loss in biodiversity worldwide because of agriculture results in deforestation.

Here’re a few ethical ways you can ensure that the foods you prepare in your kitchen are eco-friendly, sustainable and meet your family’s nutritional needs:

7 Ways Ethical Food Preparation Can Support Environmental Protection

  • Eat more plants

Focus on eating vegetables, more so nuts and beans.

Add flavor and choice to your diets to protect the environment. Malaysia and China are good sources of inspiration because most of the foods eaten are plants-based.

Ranging from vegetable stews to delicious salads to pasta tagines and rice dishes, you’ll also find inspiration from Mediterranean dishes.

Plants are nutritious and full of flavor.

  • Consume various foods

Expand your taste horizons without negatively impacting the environment.

You don’t have to rely on similar core ingredients and dishes such as chicken. Instead, make your plate colorful and exciting with flavorful and natural yet nutritious ingredients.

  • Avoid food wastage

Wasting food translates to throwing away money and natural resources.

Studies show that households waste about 30% of food bought on average. This translates to withdrawing $100 from your bank account and stashing $30 into the bin.

Similarly, avoid bottled water.

Instead, drink filtered or plain tap water. This minimizes waste that occurs during transport and packaging. Check out here – http://www.sustainweb.org/page.php?id=137 – how drinking tap water can save both you and the planet.

  • Eat meat in moderation

Eat red and white meat in moderation.

Most people eat chicken daily because it’s the new trend. You can get more of your proteins from plant sources when you eat less chicken.

Expand your horizons and try different new foods to find what suits your taste buds without eating excess calories.

  • Buy food that meets credible certification standards

What’s on the packaging of the food you buy?

Various standards were established to ascertain that the foods you consume are ethically produced and sourced for sustainability. Check your food packaging to determine the certification standards it meets.

Look out for the following certifications on your food packaging:

  • MSC and ASC for seafood
  • Fairtrade – protects workers and farmers in developing nations
  • RSPO for palm oil
  • Freedom Food for animal welfare

Eat less foods rich in salt, fat and sugar

Eat smaller amounts of foods rich in salt, fat and sugar. Alternatively, consume them less often because they’re not staples but treats.

Include generous amounts of vegetables, fruits and starchy staples such as wholegrain in your meals to protect the health of your family.

Eliminate or reduce the amount of fats and oils, salt, and artificial additives you add to your food. Find out what the Food Standards Agency says about this.

Buy eco-friendly kitchen appliances to support environmental protection. Make sure your choice of kitchenware is sustainable and made from natural materials.

Similarly, choose kitchen appliances that support usage of less salt, fat and sugar.

For instance, the best pellet smokers are easy to set up and give value for your money, hence great addition to your kitchen. You’ll use less oil when grilling your foods, reducing your fat intake.

Additionally, grilling makes for added aroma in your meat for better taste. So, you won’t just eat less meat but a healthier meal.

  • Support Fair Trade

Fair Trade ensures that foods are ethically produced through fair treatment of the earth and employees.

Check if your foods have a Fair Trade label to prepare sustainable foods in your kitchen and support environmental protection. This is a great way to support farmers and other producers who’re committed to ethical practices in food production. Generally, reduce your meat consumption, eat more plant-based foods or try a vegan diet to support an ethical and sustainable food system.

Ways You Can Help The Environment Through Woodworking

Posted on by Cantrell Uncategorized

The use of plastic has increased drastically in the last few decades due to the lower cost and durability. Yet slowly people are realizing the adverse effects of plastic on the environment. Unlike many other materials like wood, paper, plastic is not biodegradable and does not decompose into smaller molecules quickly. Typically it will take hundreds of years for plastic to degrade into smaller molecules. Hence the plastic product remains in the environment, polluting the environment. Most of the waste plastic is dumped into the oceans and this adversely affects marine life, since they mistake it for food, leading to the death of many fish and marine animals.

Additionally, plastic products like bags often clog the drainage system in many cities and towns. This leads to flooding of the areas, damaging property, furniture, and other items. It also impossible for businesses to function normally when the area is flooded. This results in great losses to the business in the area. Hence slowly the governments in different countries are realizing the damage caused by plastic to the environment. Hence laws are changed restricting the use of plastic and regulating the disposal of waste or unwanted plastic to minimize the damage caused to the environment.

One of the ways to reduce the environmental damage caused by plastic is to patronize wooden products instead of plastic ones. Compared to plastic, wood is very eco-friendly since it is derived from a renewable source of energy, solar energy. When not required, wooden furniture will decompose quickly and can be used as mulch for growing plants. There are many insects and animals which will consume the wood without affecting their health. So in addition to replacing plastic bags with paper bags derived from wood pulp, plastic furniture, and other items should be replaced with wooden items.

It is often difficult to find wooden products which meet the requirement of the user. Hence in these cases, the ecofriendly person can make the wooden product himself, using wood from local sources and the right tools. Though a person may have no prior experience, if interested he can learn woodworking using the various videos available online for guidance. Initially, he can make smaller items from wood to get practice in making the wooden items, and gradually he can make larger items from wood like furniture for home use, or decor items. These items can also be given as gifts to others.

One of the reasons why wood is not used in the furniture is that it is not as strong as plastic or metal. Hence to overcome this problem it is advisable to use the precision ground on the sides for your DIY woodworks. It is also necessary to have the right tools and equipment for making the wooden items since it will be easier and also take less time.

Before purchasing a tool for woodworking, the user should check the specifications and reviews and then make a decision. Hence, for tool reviews go to www.thetoolsy.com/best-wood-lathes-reviews/ which has reviews of the wooden lathes available in the market.

Why Everyone With A Smoker Should Use A Smoker Thermometer

Posted on by Cantrell Uncategorized

The traditional cooking process has undergone profound changes over time and advances in technology. A wide range of kitchen thermometers is available to constantly monitor the temperature of food prepared by smokers or barbecues. This is certainly an extremely ingenious invention of advanced technology for users.

Smoker thermometer
If you have a good smoker thermometer at home, you can achieve optimal health by obtaining effective and reliable information about the temperature of the smoker. Buying such a smoker thermometer is a wise decision as it offers a wealth of features. These include long battery life, a very bright display, Bluetooth connectivity, application integration and much more for users.

Grill thermometer
You can never achieve a consistent meat taste if you do not know the temperature at which your meat needs cooking. In this situation, it is important to get the best barbecue thermometer for your kitchen and to prepare the meat perfectly. So you become the culinary master of grilling and cooking.

Combined features of the best thermometer for barbecues and smokers
Both types of thermometers have their own characteristics. However, they have much in common because of their purpose. Some of these features include the easiest way to check the temperature right temperature to smoke meat effect of the heat to the environment.

Simultaneous processing of multiple tasks: Given the availability of exceptionally intelligent technology on the market, it is important to find such a grill and smoker thermometer that can perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Currently, smart Bluetooth technology is available in thermometers, allowing users to check the temperature of the grill, smoker, oven, or grille while they perform other tasks. This type of thermometer is considered the best barbeque thermometer due to its easy access via smartphones.

Dual probe function: The availability of dual probes is another important feature of grill and smoke thermometers, which attracts the attention of the users. This special feature allows you to become a great chef at home thanks to its great flexibility. With two separate probes, your thermometer can withstand a maximum temperature of 600 degrees Fahrenheit and read a maximum temperature of 393 degrees Fahrenheit.

Highly illuminated display: Users often prefer a thermometer with a backlit display that provides fast food temperature information.

Equipped with an app to connect a device: Several commercially available thermometers offer a great way to connect your device to your smartphone. The best barbeque thermometer is usually available for Android and OS-based apps. It allows users to integrate their smartphone into their device and enjoy many benefits such as the timer, graphics, social sharing, exclusive recipes and more

This device is sometimes referred to as a wireless smoke thermometer and uses a digital display to indicate the current temperature, even if you are in a location that is not suitable for the smoker. An internal transmitter sends a signal that is received by a wireless receiver. In this way, these thermometer types can receive information at a distance of 30 to 40 meters from the smoker.

A good restoration program is not just about watching the smoker, it also monitors the temperatures. Yes, you want your food to be perfect, but you also want to mix and have fun. A remote-controlled smoke thermometer allows you to do all of this.