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Half-a-Plate

11/21/2013

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“Faster than a speeding bullet.  More powerful than a locomotive.  Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Look…up in the sky.  It’s a bird.  It’s a plane; it’s Superman!  Yes it’s Superman - strange visitor from another planet who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond mortal men.”

As a kid I LOVED the opening of that 50s TV show.  But that’s so 20th century.  Today we have:

“Faster than…(well it’s not actually fast) but…More powerful than pharmaceuticals.  Able to reduce stroke, hypertension, coronary heart disease, greenhouse gas emissions, and save billions of dollars in medical expenses.  Look…in your kitchen.  It’s an idea.  It’s a plan; it’s Super Concept!  Yes, it’s Super Concept – completely ordinary food from our own planet with powers and abilities way too often ignored.” 

What could this Super Concept be?  It’s called Half-a-Plate.  The Union of Concerned Scientists recently reported that filling half our plates with fruit and vegetables is the most potent and effective prescription for avoiding health-impairing, life-threatening diseases.  That’s it?  That’s it.  It’s that simple.

Here in Iowa Co. that’s convenient and easy to do.  In the summer, lots of folks have gardens or neighbors with surplus produce.  Local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and farmer’s markets are commonplace.  For at least half the year the very fresh stuff is really easy to obtain.

And, generally speaking, eating lower on the food chain (plants instead of meat) also produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions.  When we do eat meat, locally grown and grass-fed livestock are the best options.  Research supports the notion that rotationally grazed beef operations actually sequester more CO2 in the soil than they release.  Perhaps you’ll consider occasionally trying a few non-meat entrees or serving smaller meat portions so there’s room for the Half-a-Plate of fruits and veggies.

As we move into the lots-of-tasty-foods-always-tempting-us holiday season, do yourself (and us all) a favor by trying Half-a-Plate. This human body is the only one we’ll ever have; it needs the right kinds of fuels to last a lifetime.  Thoughtful food selection is good for you and for the planet.  Unlike Superman who left his birth planet, we’ll never leave to live somewhere else, and we’ll never have a superman body.  Caring for our health and caring for the earth is really our only option because we are forever...Earthbound.

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    I'm interested in the topics of sustainability and climate change especially in regards to our local area in southwest Wisconsin.

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