Eat More Plants! Eat Local, Live Balanced: Tips for a Healthier Planet and You

Eat More Plants! Eat Local, Live Balanced: Tips for a Healthier Planet and You

Graph listing different food types and their carbon footprint
Eating more plants and sourcing food locally are two of the simplest ways to improve personal health, protect the environment, and even save money. By making small adjustments to our diets, such as incorporating more fruits and vegetables and reducing reliance on carbon-intensive foods like dairy, livestock, poultry, and highly processed grocery items, we can cultivate better health, conserve natural resources, and economize our budgets.

Why Eat More Plants?

Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Additionally, plant-rich diets have a much lower environmental footprint compared to energy-intensive meat and dairy-rich diets. Furthermore, research shows that eating either a vegetarian or Mediterranean diet can be up to a third less expensive than omnivorous diets.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that adults eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables every day. However, many Americans fail to meet this recommendation, mainly due to easy access to highly processed foods. Fruits and vegetables are rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants that boost immunity, lower inflammation, and reduce chronic disease risk. Whole grains provide fiber and sustained energy, supporting digestive and heart health.

Ready to take the first step? Visit resources like MyPlate https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables to learn more. Together, let us create a healthier planet and healthier lives, one bite at a time.

Cautions Against Carbon-Intensive Diets

A carbon-intensive diet includes any type of meat raised as livestock, poultry, dairy, and seafood. Livestock farming accounts for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation and water use. Within this category, the larger the animal, the larger the environmental footprint.

At the same time, these animal food products are nutrient dense and provide important amounts of protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that are the common nutrient deficiencies globally. [cite] If you want to know more about locally-raised and regenerative meat sources, please visit the Organic Consumers website and use the Farm Map tool.

Likewise, seafood provides a rich source of essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lean protein, vitamins (especially B and D), minerals (including iodine and selenium), which are crucial for maintaining a healthy heart, brain function, strong bones, and a robust immune system. However, not all fishing operations are sustainable, and these impacts are compounded with increasing climate change events. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the best-managed fisheries prevent and mitigate the adverse impacts of fishing activity and promote conservation and management of other living marine resources that interact with fisheries.

To find out more about sustainable seafood and how as a consumer you can contribute to these mitigation efforts, visit the Marine Stewardship Council website.

Real-World Impacts

Individuals must make choices about their diet based on traditions, health conditions, accessibility, and affordability. Each of us has the power to have influence through our food choices. Simple changes in how we source, store, and consume food can collectively create a significant impact.

Here are some practical tips for eating more environmentally friendly: 

  • Plan Meals: Include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your weekly meal plan to prevent unnecessary food waste.
  • Compost: Recycle food scraps into nutrient-rich compost for gardens.
  • Support Local Food Systems: Shop at farmers' markets, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), grow your own produce, or advocate for community gardens in your community.
  • To find farmers market that accept CalFresh (food stamps) and offer Market Match, visit their website to learn more. Market Match provides additional money for CalFresh users to spend at participating markets.
  • Participate in municipal food waste collection: Many cities now offer programs to divert food waste from landfills. The County of Ventura has resources for residents to learn about programs in their city.
  • Check out these video resources: The Diet that Helps Fight Climate Change and A Healthy Diet and a Healthier World.
  • Prefer to listen to a podcast or an audio book? Check out these resources: What You're Eating podcast by FoodPrint and Climate Change Resources website with a list of 50 books they recommend to educate yourself about this topic.

Conclusion 

Eating more plants and sourcing food locally is a win-win for your health, the planet, and your budget. By making small, mindful changes—such as planning meals, sourcing local food suppliers, and embracing a plant-rich diet—you can contribute to a sustainable future. Start with one meal a week and explore the wealth of resources available to guide you on this journey. Together, our choices can make a world of difference.

 

 


By Jill Santos
Author - Community Climate Education Specialist 2 (Ventura- SoCal)