Schuyler Mann

Shifting to more of a plant based lifestyle that reduces the amount of meat intake improves the health of the people and the planet. Producing meat has one of the largest carbon costs attached to it, emitting more greenhouse gas emissions than all automobiles combined. The industrial livestock production of meat has cleared millions of miles of forests which have been a major issue for combatting climate change. Meat industries have been accountable for a majority of air and water pollution, ocean dead zones, and many other problems. The demand for meat continues to increase, especially in richer countries, and if we want to see a change in our planet's climate, then we need to recognize where the problems originate and make differences from there. We can help combat climate change by reducing our meat and dairy consumption, eating more fruits and vegetables, and buying more sustainable products. Replacing some of our meat intake with fruits and vegetables is also much better for our health. The saturated fat in meat increases our risks of developing heart disease, obesity, and cancer. It's also an inefficient product which supplies little calories and not all the essential building blocks of protein. Fruits and vegetables supply a vast amount of vitamins and minerals which have been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce the risks of heart disease, and prevent some types of cancer. In my diet I try to only eat red meats once a week and limit my meat intake to one meal a day. Most of my diet consists of poultry, fish, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. By shifting our diet from meats to fruits and vegetables, we would not only be improving our own health, but we would be making a statement that joins the movement towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

After trying this challenge I feel I have understood the meaning of mindful eating and it does not involve eating without distractions. I have three main meals in my day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the other instances involve snacking on fruits, almonds, yogurt, or a protein shake. During those main meals, I usually see it as a time to converse with my family and friends or catch up on the current events of the world, which ultimately gives myself a mental break from my busy lifestyle. I have personally found that eating without those "distractions" steals the enjoyment from my meals. I find the distractions in my meals almost therapeutic, rather than an unhealthy eating habit. When I eliminate those habits, there is a recognizable absence that fills the place of the elements that I look forward to each day. Instead of eating without distractions, I see the practice of mindful eating as an appreciation and recognition of the food that is on the table, showing gratitude to the ones who produced it, the ones who bought it, the ones who prepared it, and ultimately expressing appreciation to the food itself. With this challenge, I have tried to show more gratitude to each meal and have realized how fortunate I am to have such easy access to a supermarket that supplies nourishment which is necessary to be alive. Some people in the world are not as privileged in that regard and being cognizant of that in the practice of mindful eating has only made me more appreciative. 

I've found that going on daily walks has been a great outlet for stress relief. Breathing in the fresh air and feeling the sun's rays truly acts as a reset button. The walks always feel like an adventure and the scenery never fails to amaze me. Life is so busy and fast that we sometimes lose sense of the present, always thinking about what's next or stressing over the past. Taking these 30 minutes a day to go outside for a walk have been my way of pausing and capturing the present. Analyzing nature's scenery always gives me a sense of appreciation and realization of the gifts that we have been granted on this Earth. I believe that appreciation of the resources we have is as important as recognizing the existence of a climate crisis at hand. We thrive and prosper off this land, so why do people think it's okay to treat it harmfully? Everyone has always heard the saying to treat your body like a temple, so we should treat our planet like a temple as well. So far this ecochallenge has been great and there are no changes I would need in the infrastructure to make it more enjoyable...the views of streams, bridges, sunsets, mountains, trees, and sky have been amazing enough. 

Eliminating palm oil, cocoa, and coffee has surprisingly not been too difficult. Before acting upon this challenge, I was not a coffee drinker so I knew going in that I would just have to eliminate cocoa and palm oil. My whole life I have been an avid eater of peanut butter, in particular "Skippy All Natural." Almost everyday I would consume a peanut butter sandwich at lunch or as a snack, and now I've had to eliminate my favorite Skippy Peanut Butter from my diet completely. Prior to this challenge, I was not aware that palm oil was such an impactful ingredient on the climate, being one of the leading causes of deforestation in tropical forests. While partaking in this ecochallange, I have made it a point to educate myself on all foods that contain palm oil and it has made myself check labels a lot more. In addition to palm oil, I have removed cocoa from my diet to recognize its impact with deforestation, even though cocoa does supply a good amount of nutritious benefits from its rich concentration of magnesium and antioxidants. Eliminating cocoa has been a little difficult for me since I love eating dark chocolate. Prior to this challenge, I would add dark chocolate granola in my Greek yogurt every morning and I would eat a piece of dark chocolate after dinner as a snack almost every night. Overall, this challenge has not been too difficult and I'm glad I'm able to participate in these efforts to help fix the climate crisis.