Eat and Drink Sustainably

When it comes to being earth-friendly, one of the easiest changes to make is ditching single-use paper and plastics when eating and drinking. If you’re not already using a reusable water bottle you should get on it, it’s time to start. But there's more you can do beyond cutting out plastic bottles. Begin with your morning coffee - use a reusable coffee filter. When you drink out, hand your barista a travel coffee mug or make your own traveling french press with the JavaPress. Take it a step further by investing in a reusable silverware set to keep in your car for takeout meals. This small change keeps one less fork and wrapper out of the landfill, making a big difference over time.

Our fridges can be a source of significant plastic waste, but simple changes can reduce our food footprint. Use reusable produce bags when shopping and seek out grocery stores that sell bulk goods to cut down on packaging waste and save money. S Keep a few reusable bags in the trunk of your car for easy access in the parking lot (we know, we always forget them at home too). At home, swap plastic zipper bags for reusable storage containers.

Paper towels may be convenient on a camping trip, but are they necessary? The US uses 13 billion pounds of paper towels each year—a number we can certainly reduce. Instead, keep a few microfiber towels in your mess kit and leave the paper towels at home on your next camping trip. By switching to camp towels, we can clean up messes without making a mess of the earth.

Reducing trash helps when we shop for our food, but the food we buy can make a difference as well. We can lower the impact of our food choices by picking in-season produce and supporting local suppliers for fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats. Eating less meat can drastically reduce your food footprint, as can cooking for yourself instead of consuming processed foods. Choosing “ugly” produce makes a difference too, as many slightly deformed fruits and vegetables get discarded at grocery stores. Best of all, grow your own food for a rewarding combination of food appreciation and outdoor recreation.

Last but not least, we can reduce our food waste by composting. Composting is perfect for fertilizing your garden and is doable in any living space (no, you don’t have to live on a farm to compost). Many cities offer compost collection, but there are also countless videos online for setting up a personal composting bin at home. Composting not only prevents food from rotting for hundreds of years in landfills, but it also helps you become more aware of how much food you waste over time.