How to Eat Ethically As a Deliberate Consumer: 3 Easy Ways to Make Ethical Food Choices Opinion Promoted
The meat and dairy industries make up a large percentage of our food sources. This means that sometimes it can be challenging to find ethical means of eating your favorite meals. With more than 60,000 dairy farms, more than 900,000 calf and cattle operations and more than 200,000 poultry farms in the United States, knowing where dairy products and meat comes from and how the animals were treated can seem daunting. Unfortunately, the most convenient options on our shelves are often the ones that have a history of animal abuse, overproduction of carbon dioxide and deforestation.
Our culture of fast food, constant preservatives and a frequent disconnect between what we should be eating versus what we’re actually eating should come to an end. It's time to overhaul these normalcies into a new standard – not only for the ethical and environmental responsibility, but for the safety and health of our own bodies.
1. Research Your Favorite Brands
The best place to start may be by taking inventory of what companies you support on a regular basis. You may be surprised to find some favorite restaurants or brands are culpable of some of the most amoral means of production – whether it’s dismantling workers’ rights, abusing animals to enhance product or destroying the environment surrounding it for more space.
Boycotts may not seem like a significant way to contribute, but the more people who revoke their financial support of unethical businesses, the greater the pressure on those companies to concede. Along with boycotting, you may want to consider writing to the business stating why it no longer has you as a customer and what you think they should change going forward . This type of feedback is invaluable in promoting progress within the food industry.
2. Find an Ethical Source to Support
So much of what the food industry is made up of is a reflection of consumers’ loyalty. As shoppers, we determine the market, and an extremely effective way of overturning the market can be by shifting the companies we support.
Many new businesses have sprung up in response to the state of the meat and dairy industries. Companies like Seven Sons are a great example of people who have taken it upon themselves to package and sell meat, eggs and dairy with an environmentally sound focus.
While redefining your diet is certainly a means of contributing to a more ethical food market, it is not the only way. Products like meat and dairy are not inherently a danger to our environment if they’re sourced through ethical means.
3. Produce Your Own Food
What better way to be in control of your food than to grow it yourself and ensure every step of the process? Of course, it doesn’t have to be as extreme as running a farm – something as simple as minding a tomato plant or some lavender can greatly impact your relationship to food and the journey of harvesting it.
The internet has archived a wealth of information when it comes to taking care of plants. Even those of us without a green thumb can be taken through the process in a comprehensive way. If you have a backyard, gardening can enhance the soil and bring nutrients back into your surroundings. No matter how small your endeavor may feel, starting small and locally is just as efficient a way to contribute to a healthier tomorrow.
Changing such an integral part of our lives can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Eating ethically may mean some differences in your life you weren’t expecting, but it also can introduce new favorite foods, new favorite brands and a newfound appreciation for where your meals come from. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing – so much of adapting to new lifestyles is a process and has as much flexibility as you require.
Awareness is always the first step. Just by knowing your options, sourcing your food ethically has become that much more possible, and that is, without a doubt, a win.
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