For industrialized countries, all studies indicate that housing, mobility, food and electrical appliances typically determine over 70% of the impacts of household consumption.
That is to say, the impacts of our household (non-governmental) consumption are based on a propensity toward single-family homes, multiple cars per household, what we eat, and how much electricity we use. I'm pledging here to convert my personal life into a sustainable style by focusing on reducing the impacts of my consumption in these four areas. In August, I'm moving from a too-large two-bedroom apartment to a studio apartment; I'm selling my car on Craigslist (buying used is greener!) and going bike-only; I had an air-conditioned month in my apartment for $25 in electricity; and now I'm going to go vegan.
I'll be making my Vegan Pledge here shortly, but for a great explanation as to how the vegan diet helps reduce impact, take a look at the Vegan Challenge series of posts going up. I've been hearing a lot more about the vegan diet (and lifestyle - though I'm not sure I'm willing to jump that far just yet) lately; a family friend went cold-turkey vegan about three months ago and has started Tweeting about it, and the UN report has stirred up a lot of attention for a lifestyle that had previously been stereotyped as dirty hippie (helped not at all by my freshman year roommate).
Having gone vegetarian for a year and a half in college (inspired by said roommate), I do consume far less meat than your average American. I rarely purchase meat on my own, and eat it only when cooking at other people's houses or eating out. I have many vegan days just as a matter of eating cheaply:
Breakfast:
- 1/3 c Oatmeal
- 1 T flaxseed meal
- 1 T light soymilk
- 1 T raisins
Lunch:
- 1/2 c cooked quinoa with lemon juice
- 1/2 c chopped kale
- 1 medium avocado
- 1 orange
Dinner: whatever I have lying around, usually a pb&j on pita
My challenge is going to be staying vegan through the stresses of grad school. No running over to Babcock Hall for some ice cream, no breaking down and having a bowl of clam chowder for lunch on Friday. I'm going to keep up this blog to keep myself accountable and share delicious recipes when I come across them. I've got a couple of vegan cookbooks already, so I've got to make myself use them now!
