Easy Tips for Eating Green
Eco-friendly ideas for the market and the kitchen

1. Shop locally.
Look for locally grown produce at farmers’ markets, farm stands and food co-ops. You get fresher fare, support your community and help reduce fuel waste and emissions from long-distance shipping.

2. B.Y.O.B. – "bring your own bag."
Skip your supermarket’s plastic bags and transport groceries in reusable tote bags or canvas produce sacks.

3. Opt for organic.
Organic foods reduce the amount of pesticides in your diet and the planet’s water and soil, and organic options are available for many types of foods — fresh and packaged.

4. Keep an eye on the "9."
Check the numbered stickers on fruits and veggies. If they start with nine, your produce is grown organically.

5. Recycle!
Kick those cleaned-out cans, jars, plastic bottles and pizza boxes to the curb on recycling day. When sorting plastic containers, look for #2 and #3 on the bottom and trash or reuse the rest.

6. Reduce waste.
Buy in bulk, pick fresh ingredients and look for products with limited — or at least recyclable — packaging. Switch to cloth napkins or buy paper towels and napkins labeled "recycled," "unbleached" and/or "post-consumer waste."

7. Grill it!
Outdoor grills take less energy than your stove and keep heat out of the house, reducing costly strain on your AC. Better still: upgrade to induction cooking — it’s most efficient.

8. Ditch the plastic bottles.
Outfit your kitchen tap with a purified water filter, and tote around a refillable sports bottle, made of glass, aluminum or recycled plastic.

9. Chill out.
Fill empty space in your refrigerator or freezer with crumpled newspapers or full water bottles — it improves cooling and saves electricity and money.

10. Clean greener.
Scour cast-iron pans with salt to preserve seasoning, turn off the tap while scrubbing dishes and only run a full dishwasher. Plus, stock your pantry with the best natural cleaners: baking soda, lemon juice, white vinegar and club soda.

11. Go compostal!
Feed fresh kitchen scraps (no meats or oils, please) to a compost pile. Then use the nutrient-rich compost to perk up your herb garden.

12. Eat less meat.
It takes much more energy, water and resources to produce a pound of meat, than a pound of grain or produce.

13. Or be meat mindful.
Look for beef products labeled "grass-fed." They’re better for you — less cholesterol, more nutrients and good for the planet.

14. Don’t over boil.
When heating water for tea, boil only the amount you need — it takes less time and helps save energy.

15. Try organic milk.
Earth-friendlier organic milk contains a better ratio of good to bad fatty acids and more vitamin E, an important antioxidant for the heart.