My Ecological Food-Footprint

Access my weekly food habits through this padlet.

Have you ever considered the difference between grass-fed beef and feedlot beef? It isn't just the welfare of the animal that stands out between the two different agricultural techniques for me, but the natural processes that are taken into consideration within one system and the lack thereof in the other (Matsumoto, 2019).

When considering sustainable food choices for my family I not only consider the ecological footprint that is accumulated by my purchases but also the conditions in which the animals are raised, the ability for the animals to exist in their most natural element (behaviours, feed etc.) and the love put into the farming practice. I truly believe the food we eat shares its energy with us and the energy I put into the preparations of the food is accumulated into the energies passed on to all those it nourishes.

According to the Global Footprint Network my global footprint is 3.8 planets. The solutions it offers are contacting my MLA's to inquire about city planning, considering the use of public transit more often, eating more vegetarian meals, and supporting women's rights ie; family planning.

I wonder if instead, they could come at it from an angle of more practicality. I'm not going to lie, it feels very authoritarian. What would happen instead, if they suggested developing life skills that could contribute to a more sustainable energy exchange? What if we learned how to plant some of our own food and medicines? What if we learned how to capture water? What if we learned about plants that sustain each other and develop and mature through symbiotic relationships? What if we learned how to sequester more carbon within our own backyards? What if every lawn was actually a more practical space? Learn more about "the perfect lawn" with this podcast from Talking With Green Teachers. What if we learned how to contribute within our communities, bringing our talents to the forefront of what we have to offer?

     

I've started to look into the idea of permaculture practices and how this can support my urban attempts at gardening to be more sustainable and move the needle towards less of an ecological footprint. Albeit, I do think I can write my MLA and I do consider different meals throughout the week, I can't help but feel and think how my tiny actions, consistently built into my life routines, can bring me to a more energetically balanced state through which I can practice reciprocity. A great conference coming up that I will be attending is here for you to peruse:

And a last thought to consider....

References

Doug (Host). (2023, November 21). Nature's Best Hope (60). In Talking with Green Teachers. PodBean. https://greenteachingpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-60-nature-s-best-hope-for-kids/

Global Footprint Calculator. https://www.footprintcalculator.org/en/results/0/solutions

Matsumoto, N. (2019, August 13). Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Better For The Environment? Here's The Science. Food for Thought. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/08/13/746576239/is-grass-fed-beef-really-better-for-the-planet-heres-the-science