Eating lower on the food chain is a great way to curb global warming and reduce your footprint on the earth. Even reducing your intake of meat by a little bit is a big step for the environment.

The average American diet is not only unhealthy, but completely unsustainable due to its reliance on meat for almost every meal. Animal products take more resources to produce, the intensive farming methods used today are very polluting, and, as the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization recently found, raising livestock for food releases more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.

Going vegetarian (and later vegan) was the best choice I have ever made. And anyone who knows me well knows I could write a novel about the virtues of a vegan lifestyle, although I'll try not to do that here. There are many reasons to reduce your use of animal products. Ethical, environmental, and health reasons top my very long list. As I see it, if you consider yourself an environmentalist, it's difficult to justify eating meat.

My green living journey began with going vegetarian and later vegan, and now my partner and I have been exploring going even further with a vegan diet by experimenting with raw and living vegan foods. Raw foods are in a more natural state and contain beneficial enzymes that are normally killed by high temperatures. The main benefits of a raw diet are health ones, but there are environmental benefits as well. Since there is no cooking involved, less energy is used.

So, if you're interested in exploring the exciting path to more sustainable and healthy eating, read on. My favorite recipes for guacamole and raw burritos follow, so prepare for a fiesta of flavor! Ideally, the ingredients for these recipes should be all organic and locally grown. It may be difficult to get local avocados if you're up North like I am, but fresh, local, organic produce is available at farmer's markets, co-ops, or if you're lucky enough to have a garden, your own backyard!

The Best Guacamole Ever
2 - 3 avocados (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 2 cloves minced garlic
1 - 2 diced green onions
1 tsp. minced jalapeño
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 a tomato
lime juice to taste
dashes of salt, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne to taste

Scoop out the avocados into a medium bowl. Add the olive oil and mash avocados with a fork or potato masher. Whip until light and smooth. Fold in remaining ingredients and stir well. Adjust to your tastes. This makes a great chip dip, but be sure to save some for the burritos!

Rawsome Burritos
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I like crimini and shiitake mushrooms, or whatever is locally available)
1 diced red or yellow bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 a jalapeño, diced finely
1 small diced tomato
1/2 a small diced onion
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
2 Tbsp. black olives
1/3 cup shoyu soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 2 Tbsp. each of chopped fresh herbs: cilantro, basil, rosemary, and oregano are good choices
a few dashes of lime or lemon juice
dashes of cumin or chili powder, if desired
zucchini, cut in a spiral cutter or with a vegetable peeler into thin strips
10 - 12 large cabbage or lettuce leaves (whatever is locally available)
several dallops of guacamole
sprouts and hemp seeds to top (I like sunflower or clover sprouts the best)

Chop all vegetables (except cabbage) and mix all ingredients together except the zucchini, guacamole, sprouts and cabbage (just set these aside). Add more shoyu or lemon juice if more marinade is needed. Let vegetables marinate for at least 15 minutes. When you're ready to eat, use large cabbage or lettuce leaves as the tortilla and wrap them around the marinated vegetables and zucchini. Top with guacamole and sprouts, or even salsa, if desired, and enjoy!

Sprouted grain tortillas may be used in place of the cabbage leaves, and they tend to allow for larger burritos. You could also add sprouted beans and/or grains for added protein. You can sprout beans and grains by buying them whole, in bulk preferably, soaking them overnight, and then leaving them in a strainer or sprout bag over a bowl for several days (be sure to rinse them each day). They should start to sprout little tails, use them when the tails are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. No need for cooking!

I hope you enjoy your journey into living foods, or as I like to think of it, the next level of veganism. Eating even a few raw or vegan meals a week can have a significant effect on your environmental impact, and you may just notice some health benefits as well. Eat well, be well, and enjoy nature's bounty!