Above: Local farmers' markets, such as the Flanders Farm Fresh Food Market, are a good way to enter the climate diet.

I recently met some climatologists. This is a lifestyle that has become popular, especially among millennials.  

"What is a climatologist?" The headline of the New York Times described this new climate-centric lifestyle. I think this is "Earth-centered dining". Wikipedia says that there are no strict regulations on climate diets, except "pay attention to the production, source and destination of food." I like. 

A big part of becoming a climateist is paying attention to where the food goes-have you used it all? Give up the extra stuff or feed the animals? Any remaining waste-will they end up as compost, enriching the soil, instead of releasing the powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) methane in the landfill?  

The self-described climatologist is giving a TED talk. One of my favorites is "Reshaping Our Future Through Climate Diet" by Australian Mark Pershin. His dark eyes flickered talking about his love for kebabs from his native Russia. He defined a climateist as being healthy for both humans and the planet and eating more traditional cuisine, rather than the unhealthy "heavy western diet" promoted by the industrialized "centralized animal farm operation, CAFO". 

Then he smiled and suggested that we try the kangaroo. Since the footprint has been reduced by 97%, “They don’t produce methane, and you don’t need to cut down trees for their grazing.” Mark ends with the same conclusion: They are native, adapted to our dry climate, thin and versatile. When he replaced beef with kangaroo in his dishes, friends said it was delicious. (Think about venison!)

Earlier this summer, I met Amanda_The_Climatarian (her Instagram user). Amanda, a 30-year-old wildlife biologist who lives in western Massachusetts, eats mushrooms with her husband (they are members of the South Deerfield CSA) and often goes to the farmers market to buy all the very mature seasonal produce. 

Amanda said that her cooking is based on plants. The most popular dish is mushroom pizza with truffle oil and homemade tofu "whey". Other specialties of la mansion are mushroom tacos and "oyster mushroom'scallop' with pasta". Do they compost? you bet. 

"I have an outdoor double-compartment bucket composting machine. I like it!" she said.

"Eating in a climateist spirit," Amanda told me, "means consciously consuming with the earth in mind." She first considers the locally grown food, and then how it is grown-whether the resource is protected, Especially water? 

"Each meal we eat in a day is an opportunity to use our money to vote for a more renewable food system. I think anyone who does their best-within their own abilities, means and resources-chooses Anyone with more climate-friendly food can become a climateist."

Brooklynite Taylor likes oysters, so when she visits her parents in the East, she has many oyster stalls to choose from. As for dining out, “I always order the local Long Island option and try more varieties.” 

Many of her friends are "flexible vegetarians", and she said this is really a healthy choice. One friend likes to include seafood in her basic vegetable dishes, and another insists on being vegetarian, "unless they know that the fish or meat comes from humane and sustainable sources."

"I am totally attracted by the reduction of food waste," said Taylor, the newly appointed climatologist. There are too many waste points in the food consumption process, and any waste that we can reduce is important. We should consider packaging and transportation, how much we buy at a time, how much we make at a time, how do we save leftovers, how do we deal with leftovers, and so on. "

In the backyard of her parents' home, Taylor is planning a composting system. At the same time, she put the eggshells and tea leaves in the garden, frozen the vegetable residues, and then took them to the Deep Roots farm in Southold to "feed the chickens." 

In Brooklyn, Taylor participated in the municipal food waste program. She explained that the program was suspended during the pandemic, but now “the city started composting this fall and I’m very excited about it.” 

"This is a great resource," she said. "You can compost almost anything-including bones, protein, greasy food and dirty paper." 

Now, she sends Brooklyn waste to a nearby farmer’s market.

Will climate trends make a difference?

think about it. Today's food system has become the biggest cause of global warming (34% of greenhouse gas emissions) and soil loss, chemical poisoning, rain forest destruction, and ocean death. Our current "Big Silver" chemical agriculture and food waste system can be changed to a regeneration system. (The rebirth of Paul Hawken)

"Halve food waste and halve emissions," said the United Nations Environment Programme (Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 Food Waste Index | ThinkEatSave)

According to Project Drawdown, the first solution in the United States is to reduce food waste. 40% of the food is wasted here, 70% of which is generated at the household level.

 Based on Drawdown’s mathematical calculations, if we can 1) reduce our food waste by 60% (think soup and pasta sauce, this is the key, no food enters the landfill), 2) develop a healthy habit once -One week of red meat (or buy beef and chicken from recycled farmers instead of those cruel CAFOs), and 3) buy locally first, we can convert our wasted food system to use all renewable things, compost Can enrich our soil and sequester tons and tons of carbon. 

This sounds feasible, saves money, and is delicious. try it! Check out @Climatarian.Cafe's ongoing #Climatarian trend. 

The former Locavore is now a climatologist, sailor, and beach explorer Mary Morgan lives in the East with her husband Tom. Tom is a naturalist and mushroom collector. He was the early founder of the Slow Food East Division in 2004. Two years ago, Mary co-founded Drawdown East, a grassroots project that finally inspired local solutions to reduce and sequester carbon. Downsizing EastEnd.org

Climate Local Now is a partnership between East End Beacon and Drawdown East End, whose mission is to inspire local solutions to reverse global warming. | Downsizing EastEnd.org

The East Side Lighthouse is your guide to understanding the social and environmental issues, art and culture of the East Side of Long Island.

Your email address will not be published.

Please prove that you are human: five = ten