Looking out the window, the sun shines, the grass is a vibrant green, and birds are singing sweetly in the air. Buds begin to bloom the the trees, and budging open the window, a warm breeze fills the room.

You smile as the warmth spreads across your face, until realizing the actual problem.

It’s January. You live in Ontario. And frankly, it should be frigid and snowy outside.

Most of us know what global warming is, as a general terminology that refers to the environment falling apart. Many are still turning a blind eye towards the effects they are adding to the environment – even recycling and composting isn’t the norm in every household.

What exactly is global warming?

Global warming is, essentially, the average increase in the Earth’s temperature, causing changes in climate, whether we like it or not.

An easy way to tackle global warming is beginning with the food we eat. [Read more]

Enter The Cool Foods Campaign. Designed to educate the public about our food vhoices and global warming,  it offers resources and information to help individuals begin to tackle the problem.

They use the term “FoodPrint” to define an individual’s contribution to global warming, based upon the food they eat, including the total greenhouse gases produced to grow, process, package, and transport that food.

The Campaign promotes the idea that consumers can have a major influence based on their food choices. Using the “FoodPrint” as a guide, the cooler the food, the less excess greenhouse gases are produced.

What makes my food cool?

Five main questions make up the bulk of the campaign [read in detail].

1. Is it organic?

• produced without pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics
• are not genetically engineered
• chemicals, then, do not emit into greenhouse gases and fertilizers cannot pollute water sources

Be cool by eating organic.

2. Is it made from an animal?

• conventional meat and farmed seafood is the number one cause of global warming
• livestock consume 1/2 of all grains grown in the US, using increasing amounts of chemicals

Be cool by limiting meat, dairy, and seafood consumption, and when you do, enjoy organic varieties.

3. Is it processed?

• As much as you might like the personality that Cheez Whiz has to offer, processed foods use energy-draining processes, and consist of (often excess) packaging.

Be cool by eating whole foods. If necessary, try organic versions.

4. How far did it travel?

• Food transportation emits 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas yearly
• Conventional food travels about 1,500 miles to the grocery store

Be cool by eating locally (or close-by).

5. Is it over-packaged?

• The plastics often used to create the materials to hold those containers together are responsible for emitting 24,200 tons of greenhouse gases yearly.

Be cool by, again, buying whole foods. You know, real fruits and veggies that are set up in mass amounts, allowing you to choose your freshest options. And when you check-out, use reusable bags.

The campaign also offers a handy Cool Foods Mini Shoppers Guide if you don’t know where to begin, featuring the five tips listed above, and a summary of how you can save the environment, in a handy-fold up pocket-pal that you’ll always have with you in your wallet.

So how cool am I? I do use reusable shopping bags, buy whole foods, support local farmers, and, as a vegan, don’t eat any meat, dairy, or fish. I own one or two pre-packaged foods, but seldom buy them.

Alas, not everything from my food-shopping is 100% organic. But maybe, just maybe, one day, I’ll be as cool as (a certified organic) cucumber.

For more information, visit the Cool Foods Campaign at coolfoodscampaign.org

Image courtesy of Sheknows.com

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