Eat, Save, and Be Healthy

On Christmas morning, like many of my fellow fathers, I spent probably half the morning trying to separate toys from their packaging. As I was cursing underneath my breath at the thought of undoing one more twisty tie I thought to myself what impact all of this packaging has on the environment.

When products are manufactured, stored, and transported to stores pollution can occur from extraction of raw materials, burning of fossil fuels, and production of garbage. Taken collectively, packaged products create societal problems for today and for future generations such as the production of greenhouse gases, growing landfills, dependence on fossil fuels and pollution of natural resources. Therefore when shopping think of the environmental impact when making purchases. By reducing the amount of waste you produce, you save energy and reduce pollution.

According “Enviroshopping: Buy Smarter” from the University of Florida Extension, consumers should buy products that make the best use of energy, don’t pollute air and water, are reusable or recyclable, made from plentiful resources and recycled materials, and use minimal of materials in design and packaging. Although packaging serves many useful purposes such as product preservation, consumer education, and consumer convenience much packaging is still wasteful. Before purchasing a product consider the following points: 

• Buying larger food and beverages in larger containers produces less waste since they require less packaging. Be sure not to buy volumes that you can use before food spoilage.
• Is the packaging made from recycled materials- sometimes it will say on the package. Recycled plastics cannot be used for packaging food for it has not been approved by the FDA.
• Buy products with packages that you can re-use before they enter the waste stream. For example, drawstring mesh citrus bags make excellent laundry bags!
• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables with less packaging.
• Go inside restaurants and avoid the drive-thru when possible. Most fast-food serving materials end up in landfills.
• Ask yourself if the packaging is really needed or is just used to make the product more attractive.
• Avoid products that use several layers of materials when one layer would suffice.
• Ask if the materials can be recycled? Many plastics cannot be recycled. Check with Rumpke if you have questions.

What about paper or plastic at the check-out? It would be better if you did not have to ask yourself this question. Purchase and use recyclable bags when you can. Both paper and plastic can be recycled. Therefore, consider if you can reuse the bags before they enter the waste stream. For example, plastic bags have some advantages over paper for some uses such as handling wet or moist products.

There is a higher cost associated with organic food purchases, and many people question whether the health benefits outweigh the additional expense. Organic foods are produced by farming practices that are monitored and controlled to decrease risk of food contamination and improve food quality.

Three practices, called the ‘Big Three’ (genetic engineering, irradiation, and sewage sludge) are prohibited by organic regulations. Other practices not allowed in the production of organic food include the use of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These prohibitions are important because they help to safeguard the quality of our food and to reduce our health risk from food contaminants.

Listed below are four other reasons you might want to consider when deciding whether to purchase organic produce and/or meat.

• 1—The environment. The natural world supplies everything that keeps us healthy, so buying organic to reduce the quantity of chemicals in the environment seems to be a smart, health-conscious decision. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don’t use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. Farmers who produce organic products use sustainable practices to work with (instead of against) Mother Nature by doing the following:
  • conserve water resources,
  • promote biodiversity,
  • build healthy and fertile land
  • utilize agriculture methods that significantly reduce pollution and wasted energy

• 2—The economy. Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments in American agriculture, as more farmers grow and sell foods to customers who prefer to know (1) where their food came from, and (2) how their food was grown. Between 1997 and 2011, U.S. sales of organic foods increased from $3.6 billion to $24.4 billion. China has become the agricultural food powerhouse of the world, but U.S rules and regulations for organically grown foods give you food safety security, and for many people, that is worth the extra expense.

• 3– Taste and quality. “Food is medicine.” Hippocrates said that over 2000 years ago, and it is still true today. Like any medicine you take to keep you healthy, produce is unquestionably the foundation of good health. It’s also why the new MyPlate icon recommends at least half your plate contain fruits and vegetables. When you enjoy delicious fruits and veggies because they taste great, then you will keep eating them. However, taste is subjective, so the only way to know if you prefer organic over conventionally grown fruits and veggies is to try purchasing a few food products and doing your own personal taste test.

• 4—Prevention beats intervention. We don’t know if the increase in cancer, digestive diseases, and other health problems is connected to the chemicals that are present in our modern environments. Each of us is unique in our diet, environment and genetic risk; as well as the fact we are subject to different chemical exposures throughout our lifetime. Therefore, it’s difficult to quantify our risk or assign blame if we do develop certain diseases. But people should aim for healthier diets overall. It’s important to eat fruits and vegetables, however they are grown.

Written by:

Donna Green
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences
Ohio State University Extension

It’s April, which for a lot of us across the United States means tornado season. Because spring is a transitional period for climate, there are more chances of cooler air meeting with warmer air, resulting in more thunderstorms and tornadoes. None of us wants to speculate we may be the victim of a severe weather event, but it happens to people all the time. You would think that we would look at our poor, beleaguered neighbors in other states who have suffered disasters and make a vow to become better prepared. But procrastination reigns free when there is no (perceived) imminent danger; and eventually we forget about the need for assembling emergency supplies. And beyond the immediate concerns of safety and shelter are the less thought-of, but extremely important, financial ramifications of surviving a disaster.

So let’s play “what if.” If you knew your home was going to be destroyed in the next 24 hours, how would you begin to prioritize your needs? What would you take if you knew that everything was going to be destroyed? This is unpleasant thinking, but it is important to plan while you are in a calm state of mind and not in “panic” mode. Below are some suggestions of items you might want to begin storing, purchasing, or getting organized.

• Food and water — It may be difficult to find something to eat or drink the first few days after a disaster, so this should be of primary concern. Don’t forget to include a manual can opener!
• Flashlight and batteries – Odds are high that you will have no power for an extended period of time and will need illumination after darkness falls.
• First aid kit – Emergency personnel will respond to the most severe cases first. You should be able to care for family and neighbors in the event EMT’s can’t get to you, or if your medical needs are minor.
• Clothing – a couple days of clothing changes for everyone in the family will see you through the first, most unorganized, days.
• Tent, sleeping bags, and/or blankets – You may need to take shelter out-of-doors until you can make other housing arrangements.
• Cash – There may not be power to operate banks, grocery stores, drug stores, etc. With cash, you would still be able to purchase goods and services (assuming those entities still exist as well).
• Important documents – Pull birth certificates, social security cards, account numbers for banks and credit cards, and/or any other documents that would be difficult or time-consuming to replace.
• Laptop and cell phones – they may not work after the charge runs down, but you would be able to contact family members, friends, or employers in the short term to inform them of your safety and condition.
• Family mementos – Something small and meaningful, such as a few pictures, might not be too much of a hindrance to include, but should be kept to a minimum.

One of the luxuries of living in the year 2013 is that we have extremely advanced weather reporting systems. Local Doppler radars keep us updated, literally, minute by minute of weather changes. Unfortunately, weather disasters may happen in the middle of night, when you are disoriented and vulnerable. We have tornado sirens in our community, but some people are such heavy sleepers they can sleep right through a warning alert. Be sure to watch the news on a regular basis every day so you are cognizant of weather issues and the potential for a severe outbreak of bad weather. Tornadoes, flash floods, and even severe thunderstorms can wreak havoc in a split second. I grew up in the Midwest, and like most young girls, spent a few years as a member of Girl Scouts. Their motto, “Be Prepared,” is as relevant today as it was when I was a child.

Written by:

Donna Green

Family & Consumer Sciences Educator

Ohio State University Extension