Katerin Rivas

I think that reason why richer people eat more meat than other countries is because of their income. Since producing meat products is not cheap, some people that are have low income can’t afford to buy meat. People that live in lower income countries rely more on what they can grow at home like plant-based ingredients. Eating more meats affects our bodies because red meat has more saturated fat which can raise a person’s cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. It also affects our planet, to produce one kilogram of beef requires about 25 kilograms of grain to feed the animals and about 15,000 liters of water. It also requires a lot of the earth’s land surface for livestock farming. Meat production is very expensive, and it requires a lot of resources like food, water, land that are scarce in some parts of the world. This also affects us, the people because, in order to accelerate weight gain and control infection, livestock farming relies on antibiotics which we consumed. This can make us ill because it contributes to a health problem of antibiotic-resistant. 

One of the different choices that I can make to reduce my carbon footprint is to use my car less. When I go out with my family or friends, we try to use one car instead of driving separately so it helps reduce our carbon footprint. I also started to turn off the lights at night when I am not in that room to save some electricity. As well as my family and I are trying to reduce our water usage by reducing the time when taking a shower. This is not a big change but, in the end, I think it still helps reduce the carbon footprint. If more people try doing this, it will help a lot in the future. 

what I want to prioritize over material 'stuff' in my life is time with family and friends. As well as spend time outside and travel. 

Now that I am eating mindfully, I have noticed that I have not been eating a lot of healthy food. Now, whenever I cook food, I try to add healthier options like more vegetables. Also, I have noticed that I take my time when eating and I get to talk to my family at the dinner table and not be distracted by my phone. 

When we eat/serve smaller portions we will be saving some money. We would not buy or cook extra food that we don’t need. This will also help reduce food waste. It could also help to start eating healthier. When we eat more than usual, our stomach tends to stretch so the more food we consume. Therefore, when we eat/serve ourselves smaller portions, we would be eating what is necessary and this might help get in a better shape. Also, using smaller plates might help eat/serve smaller portions.