Column: Choose good health, environment options

You might have seen the recent headline that 11,000 scientists endorsed a report calling for the world to “implement massive energy efficiency and conservation practices.” The study, “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency,” is the first time a large group of scientists has formally stated that climate change is a crisis. Regardless of whether you are a climate-change believer or skeptic, we can all agree that human activity — particularly pollution of all kinds — is a dire dilemma for the health of the environment and for all of us.

The study recommends a shift to eating plant-based foods. Even if you aren’t ready to completely drop meat from your diet, a once-a-week commitment or a gradual progression to a plant-based diet is worthwhile.

With the explosion of mock meat products at many restaurants and stores, eating plant-based or being a vegetarian/vegan is suddenly mainstream, making it easier than ever to eat more plants and little to no meat.

The climate emergency study also calls for agricultural practices that increase the amount of carbon the soil absorbs. By supporting organic and regenerative farmers with our shopping dollars, we can encourage more farms to adopt healthy soil practices by avoiding chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and conventional tilling.

Additionally, the scientists prioritize reducing food waste. Currently, at least a third of all the food that is produced in the world is not consumed; instead, it ends up in landfills and incinerators.

At Down to Earth, our stores reduce waste by regularly donating excess food to Aloha Harvest, which is the sole food rescue organization in the state. Its mission is to “rescue and deliver quality, excess food to help feed the needy, hungry, and homeless in Hawaii.” We love supporting Aloha Harvest, helping those in need in our communities, and reducing waste.

We also donate excess food to Chilis on Wheels, which delivers warm vegan meals to poor and low-income residents, and give our produce scraps to Aloha Animal Sanctuary, Leilani Farm Sanctuary and the Pacific Primate Sanctuary.

Anyone who spends time on Hawaii’s amazing beaches recognizes that plastic waste is a crisis. As early as the 1920s, as our society became more urban and more women entered the workforce, manufacturers started promoting products that were convenient, hygienic and single-use. Since then, the habit of using something once and then tossing it has become pervasive and almost unconscious. We need to wake up and take responsibility for each item we throw away, because there really is no “away.”

Everyone can make simple changes, in action and in attitude, to be more conservation-focused. Where can we start? Bring your own reusable utensils when you eat to avoid the plastic ones. Bring your own grocery and produce bags shopping. Skip the straws or switch to a reusable one. Adopt a plant-based diet. Reduce food waste and make compost.

Take inspiration from Hawaii’s state motto, “The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness” (Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘ina i ka Pono). In order to realize wellness for all people, we need to live in a healthy, pollution-free environment. We each have a responsibility to make sustainable choices for the health and harmony of the land, people and animals. Make a commitment and make some changes today.