Raw Food in Cold Climates – Bad for the Environment?

One of my biggest obstacles as far as raw foods is concerned is eating raw in cold weather. You see I am not in California, Hawaii, or Florida where fresh local foods might be available all year long. I am in Ohio and if I am eating salads and tropical fruits you can count on the fact that it has traveled some distance to reach my plate.

This REALLY bothered me for awhile. Eating local is better for the environment…no ifs, ands, or buts about it. But local eating in cold weather means eating foods preserved/canned in the earlier months and eating lots of root vegetables and nuts. Yes, I did freeze as much as I could and this year I will be dehydrating this year but still, eating local is hard in cold weather. Add to this the desire to eat hot/cooked foods in the winter and you have a struggle on your hands.

This week though I started thinking of all the ways that a raw foods diet is better for the environment than any other diet. In fact I think it is so much better that it may just cancel out any guilt that cold weather raw foodies feel.

Just think:

Most raw foods come without packaging. In fact I have a hard time thinking of very many raw foods that have ANY packaging except for things like nut butters, tahini, cold pressed oils, Nama Shoyu, ect. and all those come in glass or tins cans which are easily recycled. Fresh fruits and veggies require no packaging…not even plastic transport bags if you have your own cloth produce bags. Compare this to people who buy boxes of pasta, TV dinners, chips, candy, Lunchables, cereal, tofu, milk and juices, etc. and you can see how a raw food eater creates less waste right off the bat…ALOT less waste.

A raw foodie can pretty much compost EVERYTHING. Food never needs to go in the trash. It can go right back to the earth. So their food choices are enriching our soil.

Eating raw can mean less water usage as scrubbing caked-on, grimy pots and pans are a thing of the past.

Eating raw almost always means zero or very little meat consumption. This has a HUGE environmental benefit as we grow far to many crops merely to feed animals, our rain forests are being plowed to make room for more animal feed crops, and factory farms are BAD for the environment.

Most raw foodies also eat organic which is a much more sustainable and eco friendly food production method. Many also grow their own fruits and veggies, sprouts, and wheatgrass.

Raw foodies are more likely to eat local whenever possible because they value the quality and taste of seasonal foods.

Energy costs are reduced in the home of raw foodies because they do not need to cook. Think of all the electricity and energy saved when you don’t have to cook 3 times a day everyday. Raw foodies are usually in better health too and are able to regulate body temperature better…heating and cooling bills go down.

Raw foodies generally spend money on organic, natural foods made by ethical companies or they support their local growers. Less money overall is spent with greedy corporations who devastate our planet. Their money is going in the right places.

Overall, I think cold weather raw foodies need to give themselves a pat on the back despite their lack of local eating in winter months.