Cooking Up an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

Going green starts at home, and your kitchen is one of the easiest places to begin.

Just ask Deborah Eden Tull, author of The Natural Kitchen: Your Guide to the Sustainable Food Revolution. An organic gardener, sustainability coach and one-time Buddhist monk, Tull has cultivated a philosophy of "mindful eating" that she shares in her book and at workshops held throughout the area.

At one recent workshop hosted by , the store's community manager, Ellen Prager, said the free class was not so much about cooking, but "how to live a lifestyle that speaks to the environment."

Making the shift to an "earth steward" and being environmentally aware of how your actions affect the world and your home is not always easy, acknowledges Tull. Take simple steps. Make a daily list of your own green accomplishments. Most important, she adds, "don't get discouraged."

Tull suggests you ask yourself the following questions when buying, growing, preparing, eating and disposing food: 

1. Is it organic? If on a budget, is it a food deemed OK to not buy organic?
2. Is it locally grown or shipped from overseas? Do I approve of the production of the food?
3. Can I find it with the least amount of packaging (e.g., can I buy it in bulk)?
4. Is it a GMO-free food, meaning that it is not genetically modified?
5. Can I directly support the farmer of the food in some way?

If the food fits none of the above, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I really need this?
2. Can it become a "sometimes treat" rather than a "regular" in my diet?

Rest assured that as you get your kitchen in order, Beverly Hills is doing the same. Environmental Utilities Manager Shana Epstein says that thanks to a launched in November 2008, about 75 percent of the food waste from participating Beverly Hills restaurants is being turned into compost.

And speaking of compost, bags of the "black gold" will be distributed at the city's Earth Day celebration April 10 at the . Use the compost in your vegetable garden and watch your produce grow!

Don't forget, Earth Day is April 22.

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