eating  for  the  green  apple

Eating a Diet that Emits Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 8 Actions for the Empowered New Yorker
The following eight actions will help you find a diet that has less of an impact on climate change:

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                                                                                                "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can
                                                                                                         change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has!" 
                                                                                                                                         - Margaret Meade

Action 1)
  Eat More Cool Foods!

Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.  Shopping for and cooking cool foods is an effective way to reduce your meat consumption 

Check out the “Eat Well Guide” to find local, sustainable, organic food in your area: 
http://www.eatwellguide.org/

Action 2)  Join a CSA or  Food Co-Op

With Community Supported Agriculture, you pay the farm in advance for a weekly share of the crops that are in season[give a couple of examples of what you get]. You pick up your food at a nearby collection point in your neighborhood. 

Find your nearest CSA: 
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Food Co-operatives take many forms. Typically they require some kind of membership, and foster a strong sense of community. Co-ops are usually either member-owned or have some other avenue for member-involvement in the decision-making process, so you’ll be able to voice your opinion about which cool foods you want to be available.

Find your nearest food co-op: 
http://idealistnyc.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/all-of-nycs-food-co-ops-not-just-the-famous-one/http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm#International

Action 3) Talk to your grocer. 

To harness your power as a consumer, it is critical to communicate your wants/needs to the people from whom you buy your food. Show them that there is a market for fresh, cool foods. 

Action 4) Prepare Your Own Food. 

Cooking at home is inexpensive, and allows you to choose your own ingredients, so you can maximize your cool foods consumption. Another great way of preparing food is storing it for later. You can buy local fruits and vegetables while they are cheap and in season, and then can, pickle, or freeze them to keep them fresh. Here is a step-by-step guide:
http://www.freshpreserving.com/

Action 5) Network With NYC Food Communities.You’re not alone in wanting to eat more responsibly! Here are some organizations around NYC that are helping people make reduce the climate impact of their food choices: 

Just Food - 
http://www.justfood.org/ 

Slow Food NYC - 
http://www.slowfoodnyc.org/

The Real Food Challenge - 
http://realfoodchallenge.org/

Sustainable South Bronx  - 
http://www.ssbx.org/ssbxblog/

Sustainable Flat Bush - 
http://sustainableflatbush.org/

Added Value - 
http://www.added-value.org/

Action 6) Grow Your Own Food.
Join a community garden! There are over 600 gardens throughout NYC.  Gardening is a great way to build community while producing fresh, cheap, and climate-friendly food.

Find a garden near you:http://www.greenthumbnyc.org/gardensearch.htmlhttp://www.grownyc.org/openspace/gardenshttp://oasisnyc.net/garden/gardensearch.aspx

Start your own window farm for less than $30 - Grow your own food year round, extremely cheaply, in your window. This is a great educational opportunity for children to learn the responsibility we have to take care of the earth. Here’s how to make a window farm:
http://www.windowfarms.org/http://www.windowfarms.org/howto/3plantairliftHOWTO_3_4_10.pdf

Action 7) Influence the people and organizations you are involved with.

Download this toolkit and encourage others in your community (your school, business, family, friends) to take action. 

Advocate for more cool food options at lunch, or in your board meetings. 

Explain your food choices to your peers and co-workers.

                                                                                                              Additional Actions For NYU Students:

Action 8) Have a vegetable themed potluck [tie to climate change?]. 

Have people over, and watch a good movie. Foster the food community.

Action 9) Join the Community Agriculture Club and/or Slow Food NYU at NYU 
http://gardennyu.wordpress.com/

Get involved in Food Studies events.  
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/nutrition/food/ma/

Action 10) Start the Earth-Friendly Diet club. 

Over a quarter of NYU students polled [in April 2011] said that they were likely to get involved with a campus group promoting a cause they believe in. (cite survey)

Action 11) Try Meatless Mondays
Eating a meat-free diet one day per week. Nearly half of recently polled NYU students [in April 2011?] said that they would be willing to try a meat-free diet one day per week given that the livestock industry is responsible for high levels of GHG emissions. (cite our survey)

Action 12) Encourage your food service provider to incorporate better food in the dining halls. 
Demand foods (vegetarian + vegan options) similar to those in Hayden hall to be more accessible in other dining halls.