Top 5 Food Choices to Keep the Planet (And You) Healthy

1. Eat Close to Home 

• Search for produce grown in your county/state
   

2. Try Tofu Tuesdays

• Eating 20% fewer animal products every week reduces your greenhouse gas footprint as much as switching from a sedan to an ultra efficient Prius
  

3. Get it Fair and Square 

The U.S. water supply is considered to be among the safest in the world, with all but 15 million Americans receiving treated tap water from public water systems.For those 15 million relying on drinking water from private wells, though, regular testing or a water filter may be the only protection from contaminants that can be colorless and odorless, but do real harm. Many rural water supplies are safe because groundwater is naturally filtered, but shallow wells or nearby sources of pollution may compromise their integrity. In some areas, contamination can come from the ground itself, if naturally occurring arsenic or fluoride deposits are nearby, for instance.

At health food stores like Wild Oats/Whole Foods, community co-ops and even many supermarkets, you can often get foods from bulk bins, whether that's candy, bagels, rice or honey. Choosing this option will save packaging waste, and you can get exactly how much you want.Packaging materials make up more than 30% of all consumer waste, according to the EPA. So making a dent in all those boxes, cans and piles of plastic wrap will have a real impact. Ideally, bring your own reusable containers to the store and fill up with what you'll need. You can even bring a measuring cup so you don't have to eyeball it.For the best in fresh, healthy eating, ask the bulk bin manager how often the stock is replenished. When you get home, store your dry goods in airtight containers in a cool, dry place.

Preparing for and cleaning up after a holiday meals and parties can use much more water than ordinary, everyday use. Running your tap continuously while preparing food or washing dishes wastes water and can use more than two gallons of water every minute your tap is running. That's a lot when you're cooking a big meal for extended family members and friends! Find ways to reduce your water and energy use, for example:

• Scrape dirty dishes clean, instead of using water to rinse them before you put them in the dishwasher.
• If you don’t use a dishwasher, fill the sink with a few gallons of soapy wash water, clean your dishes, and put them aside. Then rinse them all together afterward.

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Want to save money, energy and the planet, while still lighting up the house for the holidays? Consider strings of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which use a fraction of the energy of conventional light bulbs, roughly 90% with a 50,000 hour bulb life. Based on semiconductors, LEDs are also cool to the touch and extremely durable.