Fun Foods For a Fun Footprint

          M&M back again to provide tips on healthy eating for you and for the environment. We want to help you understand that there are ways you can help the environment without giving up some of your favorite foods. We know that everyone loves food and loves to eat, but did you know that certain foods cause your body to release more nitrogen?

            For example, consuming a lot of protein on a daily basis is not something that we would suggest doing. Protein plays a large role when it comes to nitrogen. A heavy protein diet creates more nitrogen emissions because protein itself is largely composed of nitrogen. Red meat is actually one of the worst foods you can eat for the environment. But before you drop your hamburger and freak out, take a deep breath and know that you don't have to give up your Big Mac completely. If you reduce your consumption of meat by eating more veggies and fruits with smaller portions of meat, then you can still eat all of the foods you love without over doing it. For those of you who are worried about not getting enough protein in your diet, many other foods such as nuts and beans are a great source of protein. Some livestock is more affected by nitrogen fertilizers than others. The next time you go to the supermarket, pay close attention to the label of the meat that you buy! 

          Another way that you can minimize your nitrogen output while managing your diet is to make sure you waste less food. Most people's eyes are bigger than their stomachs, but biting of more than you can chew can be hazardous for the environment. When we waste food, we not only waste valuable sources of energy and nutrients, but we also create a higher demand for food production. The more food is wasted, the more food we need. If we all reduced the amount of food we threw away and joined the clean plate club, then our nitrogen emissions would substantially diminish. So next time, instead of grabbing that extra side of fries or that extra piece of pie, just start off with a smaller portion, finish that, and get more food if you need it. We promise, food will still be there if you're still hungry!  

 

Size Isn't Everything! You May Want To Downsize Your Shoe Size

Hopefully by now you've managed to trim down just a bit, but we wouldn't want you to stop while your ahead! Transportation might mean driving back and forth to your favorite shopping mall but look closer. That fabulous bag you ordered last week didn't just magically appear at your doorstep. That's right! Ordering the latest trends online might be doing harm, even if your not driving the car yourself. That annoying shipping charge you pay goes strait getting your package from one place to another. Which then... increases your nitrogen footprint!
My suggestion to you? Hold off on your copious fashion buys, and if you need something wait until you can make a bulk shipment. What does that mean? Instead of buying each little thing from a bunch of different stores, make a purchase from the same thing that gets a lot of shopping done at one time. This may even reduce the shipping costs because your not having to dole out the extra cash for each individual shipment. This applies to buying food yourself too. Instead of heading off to the grocery store when you need mild, and then again the next day when you need eggs, think about buying everything you need for a while on one day. Setting aside a place where you could store your food until you need it is a great way to be ecosmart and food smart.
Until next time think green thoughts!

Excursions Without Emissions

   Pack your bags people because M&M are back again to tell all of you about how you can travel light with you nitrogen emissions! Like all of you smart cookies already know, certain methods of transportation are more environmentally friendly than others. This is because transportation vehicles release various kinds of harmful gasses into our atmosphere. Can you guess what one of these gasses is? That’s right, Nitrogen! Don't worry, you don't have to cancel your next road trip just yet. There are several ways that you can hit the road and still minimize your nitrogen emissions.
    One of the very best and greenest ways to travel is by using public transportation. Public trains and busses are very sustainable and are the best way to go. These wonderful modes of transportation reduce the amount of Nitrogen that is released into the atmosphere because it enables the maximum amount of people to travel at one time without using up the amount of energy it would take for each person to travel individually. Now, I know what you all are thinking...wouldn't this be expensive? Actually, public transportation keeps our planet green while still keeping the green in your wallet! Public transportation means that paying for gas, tune-ups and oil changes is no longer an issue. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by relying on public transit, which means that you can use those extra dollars to pay for your next trip! 

   Another option is purchasing a hybrid vehicle. These babies guzzle minimal gas and in some cases, run completely on electricity. Less gas means less nitrogen, which is a beautiful thing. Hybrid cars are perfect for those of us who can't rely completely on public transportation. They also allow you to save money on gas because they don't require as much. And for those of you flashier people, hybrid cars won't cramp your style. They come in all sorts of cool designs and colors so you can still ride dirty while keeping the atmosphere clean! 

Fertilizing Your Footprint And Fertilizing Your Food

Check your labels, ladies and gents! And no, not for nitrogen! Today, M&M brings you the black magic of fertilizer. While those corn bread may look super tasty, and that beef may look tender and utterly delectable it many be putting more pounds on your hips that you were expecting. Also, how on earth could corn bread and beef be related in anyway!? Well here is the down low. Bread and Beef both need a common ingredient... corn! Other plants that we use everyday can be thrown into this category, so don't fall to the allure of industrial farming. So this whole concept can be simplified into a kind of equation, corn+nitrogen=lots of corn. Pretty simple right? Well that lots of corn goes into making grain for beef cattle, and it makes lots of corn products for massed produced prepackaged food. The type you always buy at the grocery store.
So, keep up with me now, you eat massed produced food and I can guarantee that a yeti sized supply of nitrogen has been dumped on it to make it grow. Thus causing a huge increase in your big foot foot print. Not to mention that increased fertilization can have a negative impact on mamma earth. You see, there are these things called phytoplankton that are smaller than a hair on a yeti's head, and they really like to take up nitrogen to grow because they're just like plants. I'll throw that formula back at you one more time but using phytoplankton instead of corn, phytoplankton+nitrogen=lots of phytoplankton. Basically, these little organisms can create dead zones in the ocean after they take over an area! Pretty scary right!
Now that I've rambled on about the nitty gritty, Ill share some of those delicious treats I promised. Try and buy from local farms, not only will food be ten times more yummy, ten times better for you, but it will also cut a chunk off your slightly chubby footprint! This includes meat and any other food you can imagine. Think twice about picking up a bag of chips compared to a piece of fruit from a local orchard. Join a CSA, a food group that can bring you monthly rations of all your favorite animals! And even though buying local organic meat might be better for the environment, no meat  is an even better option. Try cutting some meat out of your diet! Those pounds will come off easier than ever!

They Mystery Behind Your Yeti Feet

So here's the skinny on your not so skinny nitrogen footprint. Nitrogen is one of the most abundant gasses in the atmosphere at an astonishing concentration of 78%. Why then does your nitrogen footprint count? Nitrogen can do a lot of other things than making up our air. We won't throw a bunch of yeti sized words at you quite yet. But just know that the balance of the nitrogen cycle is a very important part of maintaining our beautiful Earth, and your footprints can tip the scale. Luckily for you, there are a few simple, yet important, diets that you gorgeous people can use to cut off the extra pounds. Of nitrogen that is!
Check out M&M next week to grab a handful of sweet tips on how to snack smart!

Why Did The Runner Quit The Race Against Bigfoot? He Couldn't Face DEFEET!

M&M here ready to help you defeet your nitrogen footprint. We have tips to show you how you nitrogen yetis can keep your nitrogen emissions in check. We've been on a mission to snag up all the best tricks of the trade and we will bring them right to you. So keep up and keep informed because your nitrogen footprint is charging on with or without you.