Sustainability

"In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30–40 percent of the food supply. . . . Wasted food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills and represents nourishment that could have helped feed families in need. Additionally, water, energy, and labor used to produce wasted food could have been employed for other purposes." This webpage includes links to resources for helping you reduce food loss and waste.

"[A] non-profit project to educate citizens about why organic farming and products are better for families and the environment . . ."

"Agriculture often places significant pressure on natural resources and the environment. Sustainable agricultural practices are intended to protect the environment, expand the Earth’s natural resource base, and maintain and improve soil fertility."

"Sustainable Management of Food is a systematic approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, and consumption and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal."

"[T]he planet cannot feed both increasing human and farmed animal populations, especially when there will be between 2-4 billion more human mouths to feed by 2050. If we are trying to reduce our car use, limit the amount of water we waste, become more ‘energy-efficient’ and generally lessen our environmental impact, we must also examine the most important factor of our personal ecological footprint: what we eat."

"The vegan diet is widely regarded to be better for the planet than those that include animal products, but not all plant-based foodstuffs have a small environmental footprint."

"The resources on this page will help you learn how you can help the environment with your food choices, eating habits, and general living decisions."

"[V]eganism alone is not the best dietary solution to the unsustainable and unethical practices of industrial food, since it exists within the food industry’s colonialist framework. . . . Furthermore, if they lack proper focus on the local context, vegan diets can still have perverse effects on sustainability."

Find tips and resources for creating a healthy vegetarian eating plan that meets nutrient recommendations.

Located within walking distance of Brenau (317 Spring Street), 2 Dog is a restaurant that features a delicious local menu based on seasonal food.

"Our mission is to foster a dynamic economic and educational connection between community members, farmers, and artisans by providing a marketplace for food grown locally using sustainable farming methods and for locally produced hand crafted goods and prepared foods."

"The CSA Directory lists farm or network/association of multiple farms that offer consumers regular (usually weekly) deliveries of locally-grown farm products during one or more harvest season(s) on a subscription or membership basis."

A directory of pasture-based livestock farms in Georgia. The site also includes information about the benefits of grass-fed animals and tips about food safety.

"All of our farmers are hand-picked and invited to participate by the market manager to ensure a varied selection of vegetables and fruits from the best produce growers in the area."

This site features an organic directory, an annually-updated Local Food Guide, a message board for produce growers, information about the annual Georgia Organics Conference, and access to a monthly eNewsletter.

A database to help people "find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies."

"Food is a common language and a universal right. Slow Food USA envisions a world in which all people can eat food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet."