thirds of the ammonia released into the air due which uses a huge amount of feed, water, and land. does not include red meat, the production of Mgests that the most environmentally friendly diet On top of that, cow burps are responsible for two-y eating has had to change a bit. Research sug-DAY 10 Fashioning Change |PERSPECTIVES
to Global Citizen, creating microclimates of acid human activity (so we’re not counting wild bison rain. Cattle and other domesticated ruminants are significant producers of the greenhouse gas methane, according to Phys.org, contributing 37 percent of the methane emissions resulting from to human activity (like dairy farming), according in Mtimes more land to produce than chicken or pork. ness). Their grazing space takes up 26 percent of the agricultural area of the planet. Beef takes 28 Unfortunately, as the earth’s population grows ontana or wild sheep in the Idaho wilder-
appetites change; the world now consumes seven to see the beaches of Wtimes more animals than it did in 1950. flammation. “I always discuss the importance of Pare, Mvegan diet is the most successful at lowering in-year (on a Backroads biking trip with my children and more people are lifted out of poverty, their avid cyclist, and she told me on that trip that a us and carbon neutrality!). She’s a vegan and an a plant-based diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and The best diet, of course, is vegan. I call Jeanne D, a New Jersey rheumatologist I met last orld War II—hooray for
based, low-fat, high-fiber diet has been shown to vegan diet was shown in one study to lower CRP lower systemic inflammation, measured by mark-ers in the blood such as CRP, IL-6, and homocys-teine. Diets high in fat and processed meats are associated with elevation of these markers. The vegetables with my patients,” she tells me. A plant-in just three weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Longer term, a vegan diet is associated with a lower BMimprovement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. And it will help save the planet! I, lower cholesterol levels, and an
obtain adequate amounts of calcium, vitamins D and basically drink from it—along with a bottle of and BThe less food has to travel before it’s eaten, the CrossFit crowd. are usually necessary. I buy a bottle of Blately reemerged as a kind of energy elixir for the in my grandmother’s medicine cabinet, which has less carbon is emitted. In the dead of winter in Geritol, the old people’s tonic I remember seeing Eating turns out to be my biggest challenge. Being vegan can, however, make it difficult to 12 , and essential fatty acids, and supplements 12 drops
Idaho, eating 100 percent locally isn’t easy. The good news is that apples and citrus fruits last up to two months in the refrigerator, and potatoes and root vegetables can last up to four months. I planned in advance, and by the end of November, I collected 100 apples from the trees in our yard. That’s net-zero carbon footprint! The bad news
away, but four apples a day makes my gums bleed, because I’m not getting lettuce, also grown there. Unfortunately, to eat such a meal, you have to vol-enough fresh leafy greens. I vow to steal some from our school’s greenhouse. riding a chairlift to ski down Bald Mountain would be a no-no—they are pow-Some friends are in from out of town and want to go skiing. I would assume aquariums inside Sun Valley Community School’s greenhouse, with butter is, I now have to eat apples every day. I know an apple a day keeps the doctor unteer as a lunch lady, which is really hard work. ered by electricity with a diesel backup. But hey, lots of people hike up on special My best carbon-free meal is a plate of grilled pollack, raised in the giant DAY 15
plume of such intense steam, I imagine down below it looks like there’s some equipment for the cardio, and then ski down. No problem!set off with my skis. I have strapped “skins” to the bottom of them and wear boots that allow me to lift my heel out of the binding so I can walk straight up. It is 7 a.m., dark and cold. I put in AirPods so I can listen to Fat Joe and Remy Msort of motile hot geyser moving up the hill. guys!” I am too tired to ski down. I take the lift. caress the mountain, and although it is not even 10 degrees out, I am stripped down on top to just my long underwear and a wool half-zip. I am sending up a a sing “All the WI tell my friends I will meet them at the top of Bald Mountain at 9 a.m., and I get to the top, soaked in sweat, breathless, my quad muscles cramped. “Hi, ay Up” on repeat. About an hour in, pink fingers of sunlight
have sold some clothes and a pricey watch I associate with bad memories. I can handle a month. I upcycle, sending all my boys’ and my used clothing I hate.) I turn off and unplug my computer and other appliances when not in use. (I do this already, but mostly because I am paranoid.) I dress sustainably. Not an issue; I don’t need a single piece of new clothing for a whole month. WThe list goes on. I replace all the lights in my home with LED lights. (Wto be resold at ThredUp.com. I check my account at TheRealReal, where I “The fashion industry is one of the world’s top-polluting industries at a time when climate change is threatening the planet,” its website reads. Half of all fast fashion produced is disposed of in less than a year, clogging landfills. asteful! But the sales of my Reed Krakoff stilettos, a Gucci skirt, and some DAY 20 hich
car miles. Ma carbon-neutral footprint. That’s a purity test very few of us can pass. Wand that saves gas. Drive friendly; aggressive driving habits like gunning the sick of the walk. pressure; and combine short trips, because a warm engine runs more efficiently, I come to the conclusion that the world is not set up for those who want to leave Christian Louboutin pumps have saved the world 812 liters of water and 252 did learn is that you can do several things to mitigate yours. engine, screeching around corners, and flooring the gas pedal are major fuel For your car: Perform routine maintenance; keep tires inflated to the ideal aybe I will drive the boys to school tomorrow. They are getting DAY 30 hat I
hay), which you place in the sun so your meal can finish cooking. Or a solar box to help save energy—like haybox cooking, where you heat your Dutch oven etarian diet just one day per week for a year saves 1,160 miles of driving for a year, according to one study from Carnegie Mbaked by the sun! Even Greta Thunberg would love that. inefficient refrigerators. And recycle, recycle, recycle. cooker, which uses only the power of the sun to cook your meal. Imagine a cake wasters. Don’t idle, and please carpool. in the stove long enough to get the cooking process started, and then take it out of the oven and put it into a haybox (a pioneer-era contraption filled with Eat no red meat. Try vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan diets. Eating a veg-In the summer, I can try some of the more extreme and interesting ways ellon University. Replace old, ▪
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