Sustainability: Let’s Go Green������������

ANDREA MASSOP RAMOS

MCN

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

What do you do with your apple core, eggshells and coffee grinds when you are done with them? Probably the common response is: throw them out� In my household we practice composting� First we collect compostable items like banana peels, orange rinds, or skins of any fruits or vegetables, and then we take them to our compost bin in the backyard� We add shredded leaves, newspaper, twigs, dirt and pure horse manure� These components mixed with water and sun are the recipe for quality fertilizer for our garden or yard�

A great way to pay it forward to our environment is to go green and promote sustainable actions� Sustainability is when you are not causing harm to the environment or depleting natural resources, therefore maintaining longevity for our ecological future� Composting is a part of environmental sustainability� By utilizing natural food waste we are harnessing the nutrients of food as it breaks down into soil and follows the circle of life� Healthy soil and compost promote nutrient-rich foods and flourishing plants� When pesticides or fertilizers are used on the garden, the soil is robbed of its nutrients and eventually the soil will no longer be able to produce - this is not sustainable� It will take years of mixing in natural nutrients for the soil to produce again�

Going green is when you intentionally choose environmentally friendly products that will not cause harm� For example, instead of using plastic straws that take 200 years to decompose, you can use edible straws or marine biodegradable straws that will break down in 58 days�

Reducing waste is when you use items until they can no longer be used� Let’s use food as an example� When you use an orange, lime or lemon, once you have used the juice, you can use the skin as a rind for flavor in a recipe or dry the skin out for a few days in the sun and use the dried skin to make tea� This is using the fruit fully until there is nothing else to use, therefore reducing food waste�

Whether it’s sustainability, going green or reducing waste, these contribute to the health of our environment and the betterment of all living organisms� Consider what you can do to pay it forward and sustain our world�

Andrea Ramos, MCN, Founder and CEO of Healthy FRIENDZ Nutrition LLC� Through interactive programs, it helps families with health concerns improve the quality of life with fresh foods, customized for ethnicity and cultural heritage� Andrea is passionate about children, mentoring and giving back to our communities� She believes children will learn through interaction and they are excited to take the lessons home to teach the family �

TIPS FROM NE TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY:

y Bring reusable or cloth bags to the grocery store y Turn off your computer at night y Install low-flow toilets and showers y Prioritize energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs y Go digital to avoid printing on paper y Utilize public transport, bike or walk if able y Use a rain barrel to water your lawn and garden y Go paperless with your banking and pay all bills online y Put your thermostat on a timer to avoid unnecessary use y Repurpose old towels to make cleaning rags instead of using paper towels y Carry a reusable water bottle with you y Choose the cold water setting to wash your laundry y Reuse printed-on paper by using the back for scratch paper