Everyday, we are faced with options. We weigh the pros and cons and try to make the best choices for our future so that we can have a good life, a better life. We want to save money for that nice house in a safe neighborhood, for our children’s college education or just so we can have a comfortable life after retirement. But none of these precious things we work so hard for, that we think will provide us with a good quality of life, will be worth working for if the environment in which they exist prevent us from enjoying them. In other words, all the investments we make for our future will have been for nothing if we can’t enjoy and benefit from the environment in which we live.
Our Earth is a complex network of ecosystems that are symbiotic. How we live our lives affects everyone and everything on this planet. Our every action is linked to a carbon footprint, which is a measure of the greenhouse gases produced in our daily activities through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating, cooling, transportation, etc. Our carbon footprint indicates the impact our activities, such as what we eat, how we commute, the products we use and the trash we create, have on the environment. For example, have you ever thought about where your food comes from, the distance it has traveled or the number of hands it has passed through to get there? The further it has traveled and the more hands it has passed through, the bigger its carbon footprint. By purchasing food from faraway places, we are supporting and contributing to environmental degradation. So let’s be more aware, ask questions and do our best to purchase food that are grown or produced locally by supporting local farms and farmers markets. You will not only help the environment but eat more fresh food and keep your money supporting your local community!
As stewards of this Earth, we must learn to make better use of its finite resources instead of continuing on this self-destructing path of rapid consumption. Like any other goal we want to achieve in life, saving our environment, our planet, will take some work. But the effort that is required is worth the cause considering what is at stake here. Even if each one of us made small strides, it would make a world of difference. You can start small, such as canceling subscriptions to magazines or newspapers you never read, shutting the water off while you’re brushing your teeth or recycling your paper and plastics. Then you can build up to bigger things like composting, growing vegetables in your own garden or purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Not only will you save Earth’s energy and resources, you can save money! By putting in a little extra effort to make environmentally sustainable and socially responsible choices, we’re investing in our future – it’s the best gift we can give to generations to come.
We, at Chef JJ’s, are interested in investing in the future of our communities and believe that every effort counts. We hope you’ll join us in our journey and learn with us as we seek to incorporate eco-friendly practices into our business. We thank you for supporting Chef JJ’s and reading our blog – we hope you’ll find it interesting, helpful and worth discussing and sharing. Please feel free to leave us your thoughts and comments. Welcome to our green blog.