Apr 21 2012
Terra Tech Corp. (OTCBB: TRTC), a leader in sustainable urban
agricultural products has 5 Earth Day friendly tips on how to eat for a
healthier body and planet.
Our nation's current agricultural system is oftentimes at odds with the
health of the planet and ourselves. Through innovation we have the power
and technology to redevelop the way the world feeds it's population. In
the early 1900's our country was a nation of farmers, all produce and
livestock were grown and processed locally out of necessity. Fast
forward to today, agribusiness has completely industrialized our food
system. Food production is done thousands of miles from the consumer,
and often imported from outside of our country's borders. Hydroponic and
aeroponic technologies, like those manufactured by Terra Tech, can be
utilized to grow on rooftops in urban settings drastically cutting
emissions that result from transportation. Indoor agriculture reduces
risk of food borne illness, eliminates the dangers of cross-pollination
with GMO's, and maximizes efficiency thus producing a safer product with
a small carbon footprint. Limiting "food miles" also ensures our produce
retains the nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals essential to good
health.
Below are 5 ways to change the way we view our food ultimately improving
the health of our ourselves and our planet.
1. Eat locally grown produce: Farmer's markets are sprouting up
in urban centers across the country. This locally grown produce is more
likely to offer heirloom varieties of crops that have been grown by a
small family farmer as opposed to industrialized factory farms who
eliminate food diversity while using heavy amounts of chemicals
throughout the growing cycle. Eliminating long bouts of transport not
only reduces the use of fossil fuels but also minimizes the time from
"farm to table" ensuring your produce will have a higher nutrient
content. In addition handling is drastically reduced, mitigating many
risks of food borne illness. The benefits of speaking to the farmer who
grew your salad fixings are numerous and reconnects us to our food in a
way that has been lost over the last 50 years.
2. Plant a small garden at home: Gardening is fun for the whole
family and gets kids interested in eating more fruits and vegetables.
Even where space is limited, many plants and herbs will thrive in pots
on balconies or in kitchen windows. This provides your family with a
low-cost consistent supply of fresh foods while adding to the aesthetics
of your home.
3. Eat organic: It is impossible to avoid all the chemicals
that surround us in the modern world. Everything from cosmetics,
to household cleaners, and food additives are full of potentially
harmful toxins. One way to reduce our toxin exposure is to eat as
much organic produce as possible. If organic seems out of your
budget familiarize yourself with the "clean 15" which are often thicker
skinned and naturally resistant to pests making the conventional
versions safer for consumption. The "dirty dozen" are often
thin-skinned fruits and leafy vegetables that are more susceptible to
retaining heavy amounts of pesticide residues. By purchasing
organic we can cleanse our bodies from the inside out reducing our risks
of diseases and other side effects of traditional chemical agriculture.
4. Veg out on weekdays: Factory farms and feedlots that house
commercial livestock are one of our environment's worst enemies. Disease
is rampant, water use is inefficient, desertification and deforestation
of land is devastating, and animal agriculture produces more
atmosphere-altering emissions that all of transportation combined. Toxic
runoff from these huge operations is responsible for many outbreaks of
food borne illness such as e.Coli and Salmonella contaminations. The
United States alone slaughters 10 billion food animals per year! By
vegging out on the weekdays we could cut that amount close to 66% -
think of the impact that would have on the health of our air, land,
forests, and ground water!
5. Eat sustainable fish: Fish is very high in brain-boosting
DHA and long-chain fatty acids essential to human health. The
ocean's fish have been drastically depleted by the commercial fishing
industry however there are watchdog groups that monitor which
wild-caught fish are sustainable choices. It just takes a little
research - but with all the brain-boosting power of fish you can
certainly do that! If you are purchasing farmed fish make sure it
is organic, sustainable, and raised without the use of antibiotics. Avoid
fish that are high in mercury and other toxins such as shark, king
mackerel, and tile fish.