One factor that contributed a lot to my carbon footprint was my use of food. As an athlete, I have to consume a large amount of calories to sustain my activity level. However, I find that I eat a lot of animal based foods such as ground turkey and chicken (Never red meat though). Although I do still eat a lot of vegetables, my animal based consumption is still very high which is why I would like to try to have designated vegetarian days in which I can cut back on the amount of meat I eat. Not only are you eating at a higher energy level, but it is also good for your body and fun for your family to try new recipes. In addition to this, I believe that buying from local produce stands or farmers markets are a good goal to reach for because then you are also able to support local businesses. As a result, less food is shipped from around the country.

Another aspect of food I think should be addressed is food waste. There are many places in the world in which food is not guaranteed which is why we should try and waste as little as possible. If you ever have any scraps, try and repurpose them for something else. For instance, I have two pet rats who can eat either store bought food or fresh food made by my family. When we have leftovers, instead of throwing the scraps out we give them to my rats in order to cut back on the amount of store food we buy for them. Other less wasteful methods of food disposal include saving leftovers for a meal on another day or composting materials that can be composted.