I ride my bike most places.
I don’t use plastic bags.
I grow my own herbs.
I turn the tap off while I brush my teeth.
I hand make presents for my friends.
I don’t use sticky tape.
These little things that I try to do, I feel make a contribution, but one thing that I never really put much thought into was, what I was putting back into myself.
Being a vegetarian, my intake of vegetables, fruit and salad is already large, but lately, I’ve started to really appreciate home-grown products and living frugally, if you’d like to put it in those terms.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has really gotten me into this. Watching his River Cottage program has truly made me appreciate the joys of cooking and eating home-grown and fresh produce. The joy he gets from picking a fresh stem of broccoli or cauliflower and turning it into a dipping sauce for ripe artichokes makes me realise that beautiful meals can in fact be made from fresh products, without adding artificial sugars and flavours.
Sourcing food locally and seasonally, and learning to cook from recipe books that thrive on these products, has really inspired me to eat and cook “green”.
I’ve started to purchase a few new books to help me on my way, and quicker than a push bike on a downwards slope, I’ve taken to this style of cooking, with the help from Hugh, Jamie, Arabella, Ruth and Rosie*.
I personally think every little contribution to living eco, helps.
While I ride my bike to my sister’s to pick some fresh vegetables and turn them into a hearty soup, I feel like I’m only taking what I need from the environment, yet turning it into something fabulously delightful and nourishing for myself.
So snaps for that... and, go put a big stock pot on the stove for a soup to simmer away, while you sew up a storm and wrap all of your presents in brown paper packages tied up with string.
*I have found the most perfect, Carrot, Celery and Lentil soup from the cookbook, “Martha Goes Green”, by Rosie Percival and Ruth Friedlander – I’m in love, and so are all of my friends who have been given oodles, and oodles of soup.
I also try to make the effort of being a little "green". Whenever I go shopping I try to refuse plastic bags, I always turn things off at the wall if they aren't being used, and Mum and I try to use fruit and vegetables grown on my grandparents farm whenever we can. I'm also about to sell my car and switch to using public transport. One comment that really struck me whilst reading this post was the point about thinking of what we put back into ourselves. I eat far too much processed and unhealthy things just because it is easier. From now on I will try and put the extra effort in and treat my body to fresh, healthy cooking. Those soups look like a great way to start this winter!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, Beth! If we all just went back to the way people used to eat, when they ate fresh produce, I think a lot of our health problems would be gone. We all eat way too much processed food, because a) it's cheaper, and b) it's easy. As soon as I cook a lovely soup, I always think to myself, "I should be doing this all the time, instead of eating fried, sweetened food."
ReplyDeleteI have also made the rule of only riding my bikes on the weekend, so I'm getting exercise and doing my bit for the environment!!