(article, Ashley Griffin Gartland)
I’m an ardent recycler of all things plastic and paper. I attempt to bring my own bags to the grocery store, and I'm trying to eliminate my rampant Ziploc bag habit. But trying to go eco at the grocery store and on my plate is a little more confusing. Two websites, TreeHugger and Ideal Bite, do a pretty good job of tackling this consumer conundrum. Treehugger's food and health section allows me to sample a blog entry about farmers' markets; the entry reminds me, for example, to bring my own bags and to try to walk or bike to the market. One click later, I learn the top 10 ways to green my meals. Every weekday at Ideal Bite, meanwhile, founders Heather Stephenson and Jennifer Boulden send out an anyone-can-do-this, environmentally friendly tip to help email subscribers lessen their impact on the world they live in. Bonus: they detail multiple benefits for each suggested action. After all, who does anything without the promise of a reward these days? Though Ideal Bite's categories range from beauty to home and garden, many of their tips apply to the kitchen. Recent postings have included advice on how to use stale bread by making bread pudding or French toast, and how to save big on waste and money by purchasing bulk foods. I especially enjoyed the site's tip about potato chips, reminding me that, while chips aren't exactly an everyday health food, I can rationalize my shopping choices by buying organic.