Want to Do Something for Mother Earth on Earth Day?

With Earth Day quickly approaching, now is a great time to start thinking of new ways in which we can all be more environmentally conscious.? An important goal of iEat Green is to motivate individuals to make simple, healthy lifestyle changes that will not only benefit body and mind, but the planet as well. And while there seems to be an endless list of ways in which we can make this world a cleaner, more sustainable place to live, the goal is not to do them all at once, but progressively leave behind bad habits and start to form new (greener!) ones. One of most effective steps to achieving this is simply eating less industrial raised meat while eating more plant-based foods that are locally grown, and organic whenever possible. With at least 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, worldwide!, being produced in the raising of industrial livestock, it is clear that factory farm meat is a contributor to global warming. By skipping meat and opting for a vegetarian or vegan meal, you are make an environmentally beneficial decision. Click here to read an article by Bill McKibben about the importance of reducing our consumption of factory farmed animals and it’s role in ensuring a bright future for our planet. As he puts it, “We should simply stop eating factory-farmed meat, and the effects on climate change would be but one of the many benefits.” Hey, and think of all the delicious veggies coming into season now. Spring is great to take advantage of all the tasty produce the earth has to offer!

Don’t Let the Senate Confirm a Pro-Fracking Energy Secretary!

Over the protests of hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens, President Obama nominated Ernest Moniz, a supporter of fracking, to be the U.S. Energy Secretary. No surprise, Moniz has a long history of ties to the oil and gas industry. The Huffington Post reports that Moniz has spent the last decade serving on a range of boards and advisory councils for energy industry heavyweights, including some that do business with the Department of Energy. Moniz is the director of MIT’s Energy Institute, which boasts such Big Oil financial backers as BP, Chevron and Saudi Aramco. Moniz isn’y only a true believer in the need to expand fracking infrastructure and development to serve as a “bridge” to low-carbon sources of energy; he?s on record as calling the controversial and toxic energy extraction method ?paradigm shifting.? The last thing this country needs is another politican in charge who puts oil companies above the interest of the people and the environment. Please click here to sign a letter asking President Obama and?Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to not appoint Ernest Moniz, a Pro-Fracking, Pro-Big Oil Scientist, to Head the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Sodexo and Real Food Challenge?Sign Transparency Agreement

With a growing demand for more local, seasonal, and healthy food options on college campuses, it seems only natural that a shift would start to occur. This week Sodexo, a food and service provider for thousands of colleges and business’ around the world, along with the Real Food Challenge, the largest student food justice organization in the nation, jointly announced an agreement that advances supply chain transparency on Sodexo-contracted campuses.? The agreement puts in place a rigorous and comprehensive set of standards, defined by the Real Food Calculator, for judging the social responsibility and sustainability of Sodexo?s vendors and food producers. The assessment tool, developed by Real Food Challenge student researchers and associated food experts, lays out four key criteria areas for evaluating ?real food? ? local & community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane.? The Real Food Calculator Guide will use a list of criteria to determine what qualifies as “real food”: local and community-based, fair, ecologically sound, humane. Food items will be divided into three sections that model a stoplight, red, green, and yellow. If you would like to see your business or school’s food provider use the Real Food Calculator Guide, The Real Food Challenge provides a step-by-step guide on how to make it happen. Click here to view.