Published:04/01/2010

Quiz: Are You an Eco-Conscious Eater?

By Allison Young

You go to the grocery store armed with canvas totes and you compost your kitchen waste, but are you really an eco-conscious eater? “The average American’s carbon ‘foodprint’ is actually greater than her combined driving and flying footprint,” says Matthew Kling, science analyst at Brighter Planet, an online tool that helps people analyze and reduce their impact. But the right shopping, cooking, and dining choices can make a meaningful difference. Take this quiz to find out where you fall on the eco-food chain.

1. When you pack your lunch, you:
a) Brown bag it
b) Opt for an microwavable, organic meal
c) Bypass petroleum-based plastic containers for sandwich baggies
d) Skip the Saran Wrap in favor of reusable cloth wraps




Most eco answer: D
Paper bags pillage trees; single-serving meals mean trashing plastic, cardboard, and food scraps; and all those convenient sandwich baggies contributed to the 13 million tons of plastic waste sent to US landfills in 2008, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Rather, switch to reusable wraps, sacks, or containers. Try Ecobags Recycled Cotton Canvas Lunch Bag or LunchBots Stainless Steel Lunch Containers.
Bonus tip: “Pack modest portions so there’s no food waste,” says Kate Geagan, RD, author of Go Green, Get Lean (Rodale, 2009). The New York Times reported in 2008 that the US Department of Agriculture estimates that just 5 percent of Americans’ leftovers could feed 4 million people for a day.

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2. When buying fruits and veggies, you:
a) Go organic whenever possible
b) Shop for freshly picked produce at your local farmers’ market
c) Stick to seasonal items at the grocery store
d) Buy what’s on sale




Most eco answer: A
“If you have to prioritize—and many of us do—organic produce tops the list, followed by local, then seasonal,” says Lisa Frack, online organizer for the Environmental Working Group (EWG). According to the Rodale Institute, converting all US farmland to organic practices would cut the world’s carbon emissions by 40 percent—not to mention that choosing organic also reduces the amount of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in our waterways and soil.
Bonus tips: Choose organic for the Dirty Dozen—the top 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables. For the full list, visit ewg.org. Then find out where to purchase organic food grown closest to you at localharvest.org.

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3. When it comes to eating meat, your best eco bet is:
a) Grass-fed beef
b) Organic chicken
c) Eating only what you hunt yourself
d) Mock meat—you’re a vegetarian
 



Most eco answer: D
Sorry, meat lovers, the most environmentally conscious choice is to eat less meat. Just look at the numbers: The world’s livestock industry beats out transportation in the amount of greenhouse gasses it emits into the atmosphere, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Can’t do without? Grass-fed and organic mean animals are not given hormones or antibiotics, nor are they cloned or fed animal byproducts. In terms of their carbon footprint, buffalo, wild game, and poultry trump beef.
Bonus tip: USDA Organic does not stipulate whether animals were treated humanely. Look for animal products labeled Certified Humane.

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4. When it comes to cooking, you:
a) Use a toaster oven
b) Heat the oven only when cooking several dishes at a time (the more the merrier)
c) Skip preheating and turn off the oven a few minutes before food is ready
d) All of the above




Most eco answer: D
The right cooking techniques can cut energy usage by 50 percent. “Only about 6 percent of the oven’s fuel actually goes toward cooking the food,” says Kate Heyhoe, author of Cooking Green (Da Capo, 2009), who recommends using the stovetop and smaller appliances instead of the oven. In fact, toaster ovens use up to two-thirds less electricity than conventional ovens, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute. Other ways to cut your, ahem, cookprint: Cook with the lid on and opt for EnergyStar appliances.
Bonus tip: “Cook a double batch of grains or beans, and freeze half—you’ll save fuel and water,” adds Heyhoe. 

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5. When ordering seafood, you:
a) Always choose shrimp
b) Consult your pocket sustainable-seafood guide
c) Order wild Alaskan salmon
d) Opt for fish farmed in the US
 



Most eco answer: B
There are no longer plenty of fish in the sea, and some species are crammed full of harmful contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury. Sure, wild Alaskan salmon is lower in pollutants and planet friendlier than farmed salmon, but a diverse diet is better for you and the oceans. So what’s a seafood lover to do? Go small: Communities of low-on-the-food-chain fish, such as sardines and anchovies, replenish quickly and have fewer contaminants than large predators like tuna or swordfish. Typically, US fisheries are held to stricter sustainability practices. And don’t forget to choose US-farmed shrimp—Asian and South American shrimp farms are major polluters and contribute to mangrove destruction. Download a free pocketsize guide of the best and worst seafood choices from seafoodwatch.org. Or when standing at the fish counter, text FishPhone to learn about a particular species (text 30644 and enter FISH followed by the name of the fish).
Bonus tip: “Search out restaurants where wait staffers understand the issues and are familiar with the choices they serve,” says Sheila Bowman, senior outreach manager for Seafood Watch.