Shifting Consumption to Plant Based Local foods

I grew up in the heartland of the United States. Omaha, Nebraska, which is known for the company – Omaha Steaks. I had no idea about veganism. I ended up moving to Florida, and in middle school, I remember my best friend going vegetarian for about three days – that didn’t last. Luckily my mother did instill nutritional concepts into me, which I am grateful for. But at the time I continued to eat like an average American, I didn’t have a care in the world for the consequences. I was like most – completely oblivious to the ecological ramifications. In school they made us watch SUPER SIZE ME and I was grossed out but reasoned, oh well I don’t eat it that much!

I am far from a perfect vegan. Veganism goes beyond the plate – it’s a lifestyle that promotes sustainable health for the collective. That means also avoiding companies that test on animals. I prefer the word plant-based though because sometimes things are labeled vegan but are still harmful to the Earth. There is a lot of processed vegan food that has become quite popular. Generally, I cook plants from scratch, rather than buying vegan food in boxes with ingredients I don’t recognize.

I want to spread awareness on the environmental aspects because I wish I was educated sooner on the facts. Personally, I didn’t do it for the self-love health reasons, but I have noticed a dramatic quality of life upgrade since being plant-based. Specifically a clearer mind and more energy! I am plant-based because I recognize the intricacy of the interconnected ecology on Earth.

Currently with the Earth on fire, there has been a lot of vegan propaganda pushed. Rightfully so, industrial mass farming especially cattle is a detriment to the environment. The Amazon Rain-forest has been slashed and burn for years now, intentionally to make more room for cattle & soy farms. Now the current president is accelerating the process due to a sickening interest of monetary growth in the pockets of the people with power. But the changes in the diet need to be made more than just stopping the mass slaughter and the exploitation of animals. The mass agriculture system of plant crops is a detriment to the environment as well.

Importantly, I’d like to point out it’s not just the Amazon Rain-forest experiencing fires. But there is a fire even larger than the Amazon fire in Africa and also places in Siberia, and Alaska that are experiencing eerie fires. Due to the change in climate from environmental pollution.

I can’t stress enough the impact you have on the whole Earth. When you choose to consume processed and artificial foods, GMOs, pesticides, animal products, palm oil, plastic, etc you are voting with your dollar to support these harmful industries. This means modern society as a collective is investing in mass monoculture agriculture industries. These industries have polluting practices and are not sustainable. Such as deforestation, degrading biodiversity; killing bees and other precious species, degrading the soil with intensive farming, poisoning the soil with pesticides, polluting the water with runoff (waste, antibiotics, chemicals etc), and emissions impacting the air quality and impression of the carbon footprint. Lastly, the greedy companies running this industry do not treat the majority of their employees fairly. Everything is connected to this planet’s eco-system. So even if you are okay with eating processed foods and how it affects your personal health, you are also having an impact on the Earth.

Moving forward as one can imagine – isn’t so simple. This calls for radical change. What’s more important than identifying with veganism, is food sourcing. Growing your own food, joining community gardens/ food forest and buying local food from farmers’ markets. If you are going to continue to eat animal products, knowing your local source is more sustainable. This shifting into local foods is of course nearly impossible to completely live off that criteria in modern society, but at least transitioning into shopping local more often makes a wave of change. When shopping at the grocery stores it’s best to buy organic raw foods not wrapped in plastic. Essentially, avoid or transition into cutting back consuming the packaged processed foods in the aisles. Find stores that have a bulk section you can refill your grains, nuts, etc in reusable containers.

Building community and taking care of your own body unfolds into a healthier ecosystem around the world. Setting examples, and sharing eco-conscious practices, is crucial. We are all from a society that blinded us from the repercussions of consumerism. Together, we can learn and share ideas to strengthen our stewardship with the Earth that sustains us all.