the clean plate club: part 2

welcome to the second part of the series i started a while back… the clean plate club! the clean plate club is all about learning about food sustainability and how small changes in our lives about food and the environment can make a big impact. part 2 is all about how i became passionate about food sustainability, so follow along :)

I’ve always been curious about how the choices I make surrounding food affect my body, my mind, and the environment around me. last summer when i was home with my whole family i started wondering about our carbon footprints and how we can live more ethically and sustainably. my sister is a pescatarian and i don’t eat meat that often, so naturally we were eating more plants while also getting excited about growing lots of herbs in the summertime. between me being a food studies student, and my dad being a beekeeper, there was a lot of talk in the house about healthy environmental practices and how we can make small changes to impact the planet in a positive way. a few months went by, and after thinking about it for a while my dad and i decided to start composting. we did a bunch of research, bought a compost tumbler (see the clean plate club: part 1 for more info on this), and started the compost! this has been so awesome- it has taught me so much about limiting food waste and creating more with less. 

homegrown sprouts for my urban agriculture class

this past fall i enrolled in a food studies class called intro to urban agriculture and that’s when i became hooked with incorporating food sustainability and ethical practices into my food studies niche. my final project for the class was all about how urban agriculture is naturally so therapeutic and healing, and i found this to be true and relatable in my own experiences as well. going to the farmers market, supporting local food producers, keeping my own compost going, taking care of small plants… it’s all very calming and gratifying to watch something real grow and flourish. i learned so much about food injustices, food deserts, and how growing your own food is so beautiful. my focus in my research class this semester is how sustainable food practices in urban agriculture like community gardens & composting can positively impact impoverished communities. 

second annual family honey harvest

i’ve found that we can learn a ton from just what’s around us on this planet. the more i learn, the more i’ll share with you all following along on here! with spring around the corner i’ll finally be showing more about my compost at home, using the healthy mixture to nourish our home plants. i think it will be fascinating to see something we’ve been working on for months be put to use in real time. so with that… stay tuned! :)

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with love ♥️,

sydney