From doing your weekly grocery shop to preparing and serving your dinner, every day decisions of what and how we eat impacts the environment and the climate. So how can we help?

Today is Blog Action Day 2009, an annual event bringing together blogs in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance.

Climate change is the topic of choice, and we’re devoted to bringing forward the details about food and its affect of the planet.

There are plenty of factors to keep in mind when thinking about how to reduce our food’s climate impact, among them the type of food, how the food is grown, where the food is grown, and what we are eating.

Meat and the climate

We’ve written before about Veganism in the planet, and how the production of meat is a simple – and major – cause of climate change. The production of livestock takes up a whopping 70% of our land – about 25% of Earth’s land in total. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), “the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport [14 percent]. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.” (Read more.)

Producing beef and other animals also takes a lot more energy than plant-based foods, at a ratio of 1kg of beef to 5-7kg of grain.

Chemicals and the climate

Fossil fuels are the source of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and even more greenhouse gasses are produced through the transportation of them. According to the FAO this type of farming uses approximately 30 percent more energy per unit of production than organic farms do. (Read more). Also, the soil in organic farms naturally store more carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

Location and the climate

Ever stand in the grocery store and really check out where your food comes from? Eating local can be easy or somewhat difficult, depending where you are from, but opting for in-season foods doesn’t always mean they were grown closeby.

Most of the food we eat travels quite a distance to get to us, but food grown close to home travels far less to get to us. And because these foods don’t have as much of a chance to get spoiled, they often require less chemicals and additives.

How to help the climate

• Try going vegan a couple times a week. Check out our site for ideas, and get creative in the kitchen!
• If you’re going to eat meat, try to reduce the amount of red meat you eat, as it has the highest impact.
• Opt for certified organic foods – especially produce – when possible
• Support your local farmers and check out your markets!
• Buy in season – it tastes better, has more nutrients, and is often found locally
• Grow your own – gardens can be easy to maintain, and you can control it to be pesticide free!

Blog Action Day recipe: Local Apple and Parsnip Soup

Try this satisfying soup on Blog Action Day, highlighting in season parsnips and apples with a simple recipe that’s sure to please.

You’ll need:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds (about 4) Granny Smith apples, cut into chunks
6 shallots, sliced
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 teaspoons ground coriander
6 cups homemade vegetable stock
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté  for four minutes, until softened. Add parsnips and saute for approximately 5 minutes, until beginning to caramelize. Add apples and coriander, stirring for a minute or so until fragrant.

Pour in broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Allow to simmer until parsnips and apples are tender.

Using an immersion blender, purée soup until smooth, adding more broth if needed. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

blogactionday.org.
twitter.com/blogactionday

Image courtesy of galensgarden.co.uk

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