This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tetra Pak for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
I firmly believe that the little things can add up – when it comes to everything from a healthy lifestyle, to helping to protect our planet. Since Earth Day was celebrated last Sunday and the entire month of April is dubbed Earth Month, now is a great time to reflect on how our small choices can have a big impact on our environment. It’s also a nice time to think about the ways that we can do more to help protect our planet – one little habit at a time.
Hiking at Joshua Tree National Park
Today I’ve partnered with Tetra Pak, a brand committed to sustainably sourced food packaging solutions – including boxed water, coffee, and broths – to share some of the ways that I try to minimize my carbon footprint and make a positive difference. I love their brand motto, PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD – because all of us should be committed to how we can protect our food, people and planet. Below are 6 ways that I live a green lifestyle and help to protect what’s good, and I welcome you to comment below and share your favorite green habits with me!
Eating a predominately plant-based diet. One of the biggest ways that each of us has the power to reduce our carbon footprint is to change our diets and eat less (or even better, no) meat. It’s just a fact that it typically takes a lot less resources to produce fruits, veggies, grains, and other plant-based foods, than it does to produce any kind of meat.
According to Business Insider, the amount of resources used per quarter-pound of beef are as follows: 14.6 gallons of water, 13.5 pounds of feed, 65 square feet of land, and 4 pounds of total carbon footprint… and that’s to produce just one hamburger!
Vegan banana oat protein pancakes topped with almond butter, strawberries & mini chocolate chips
I made the decision to forgo eating meat 20 years ago (!), and while giving it up entirely may not be right for you, it absolutely will reduce your carbon footprint to eat meatless even just one day out the week.
If this vegetarian meal thing is new to you & you aren’t sure what to make for dinner on #MeatlessMonday, check out my recipe page for inspiration!
Eating locally sourced food whenever possible. Going along with my plant-based diet talk, I also eat local whenever I can. Growing up on the east coast, my family made it a habit to stop at local farm stands for seasonal produce when the warmer seasons hit. I think that these childhood memories helped develop my love for being connected to the food I eat.
I now have an advantage living in California where so much of the country’s produce is grown, and I love shopping at local farmers’ markets, stopping at avocado stands on the side of the road, and popping into the small family farm a few minutes down the road from me to see what they’ve picked for the day. I also like to support restaurants that make the effort to source their ingredients locally, and I eat organic when it’s doable.
To me it’s not about being perfect, but it is about making an effort to do what I can to eat food that hasn’t traveled very far to make its way into my kitchen.
Being conscious of my eco footprint with the products that I use. Purchasing products from brands that are working hard to make smart, ethical choices with their business practices – from sustainably sourcing materials to giving back to wonderful causes – is something that I pay attention to.
With a focus on developing new, innovative solutions that reduce the environmental footprint of their products and services, Tetra Pak is committed to sustainability. For instance, the boxed water cartons they make are sourced from renewable materials and produce up to 74% less carbon versus similarly sized plastic containers.
In 2015, 184 billion Tetra Pak packages were sold!
Buying products that are sustainably sourced from brands like Tetra Pak is a perfect example of a little choice that, when multiplied by every person that makes the more eco-friendly purchase every day, adds up to create a significant impact.
Driving a hybrid car. When I went to purchase a new car a couple years back, I was thrilled to find a hybrid vehicle at a great deal, and these days I get wonderful gas mileage. I love getting 40+ miles to the gallon and feel like I’m doing better for the planet by driving a fuel efficient vehicle – not to mention that it saves me money on gas.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2017, about 143.85 billion gallons of motor gas were used in the U.S. As hybrid and electric cars get more cost effective, it’s my hope that we’ll see more & more of them on the road – and that America will be able to decrease the amount of fuel that’s used.
Being mindful of my electric and water consumption. When I walk out of a room, the lights go off. When I wash dishes, I try to optimize my water consumption. I don’t take super long showers. I also use a high efficiency washer and dryer, and I don’t wash my clothes with hot water. It’s the little things that add up!
Recycling. I freely admit that I’m a recycling nut, because recycling is such an easy way to be kind to the planet. If you think about all of the materials that we use every single day, adding up over the weeks and months and years, recycling is the epitome of small choices creating a big impact.
It’s all of our responsibilities to do our part to protect what’s good, and I hope that each of us can reflect on the Earth Day theme of renewability, sustainability, and recycling to look at how we can do better, together. I join Tetra Pak in the belief that protecting our environment, our food sources, and our natural resources is an essential part of preserving our shared future.
Tell me… How do you protect what’s good?
These are great ideas on how to makes small steps to reduce your carbon footprint. I’ve gotten better at recycling but I am sure I can do more
That’s great to hear! Thanks a lot for reading.
I love how Tetra Pak is helping to reduce our carbon footprint. With the world population growing as it is, we really do need to focus on ways we can help with the carbon footprint that we are leaving for the next generation. I would challenge those stats on beef production, but the overarching message is the same…every industry needs to focus on how it can improve efficiency and renewability. Happy Earth Month, my friend!
Thanks for reading, David! I was reading an article that was saying that the #1 thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is not have kids.. I was thinking that while true, that seems like a pretty heavy thing to deprive people of parenthood haha but we can all do more to help our planet in our own little ways. Happy Earth Month!
This is such a great post Nicole! We eat less meat in my house than ever before and I try to do plant-based products wherever possible. All of us can do so much to help!
That’s awesome, Marcie! I try not to get preachy about it even though I’m so passionate about a meat-free lifestyle, but eating less meat really can create a positive impact on our planet. Good for you! 🙂
I’m so jealous that you have a hybrid car, I’ve been wanting one! One day hopefully. I also enjoy buying products from brands that are focused on ethical business practices. That’s so important!
That’s wonderful! I honestly love my hybrid. It’s great for road tripping, which I do pretty often!
I’ve love to incorporate more meatless dishes into my diet. Recipes do help inspire me. I drive a hybrid also and try to recycle at home when I can. Also turn off the water while brushing my teeth or other sink-related chores. Of course, I could do more but happy to at least be conscious about it.
It’s wonderful to be conscious of our energy consumption – being aware is the first step to being able to make small positive changes!