You are likely aware there are things you can do to help sustain the environment. You can install solar panels on your roof as a way to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. You can recycle to reduce waste in landfills. You can reduce consumption to reduce manufacturing. If you know these things, good for you, because you are eco-friendly aware and hopefully you actually implement some of these great practices. What you might not know is your diet can also have an impact on the environment. Here's a look at several ways the food you put into your mouth has an impact on the environment.

1. The Produce You Purchase

Fruits and vegetables are good for your body, but they're not always good for the environment. That's because when you purchase your produce at the supermarket that produce has traveled hundreds and sometimes even thousands of miles to arrive at your location. That travel means fossil fuels were used, and those fossil fuels emitted toxins and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Consider supporting your local farmers market. Not only does locally grown produce not travel long distances, it's also more likely to be organic, meaning free of pesticides and insecticides which are also harmful to the environment.

2. Your Local Dairy

For the same reason you need to shop locally for your produce, you should also shop locally for your dairy. Local farmers are also less likely to add hormones to their cattle, making their milk products a better option for your nutritional balance.

3. The Beef You Eat

It may surprise you to find out that agricultural livestock release more methane gas into the atmosphere than all modes of travel combined. With the focus on battery-operated cars, you would think there would be even more focus on eco-friendly farming, but there's not.

The one way to cut back on the greenhouse emissions is to cut beef, poultry and pork from your diet. Of the three, beef is the worst, which makes sense due to the size of cattle. To reduce the amount of these emissions being released into the atmosphere would require you to adapt to a vegan diet. It's ultimately up to you to decide what kind of diet you can adapt, but you should be aware of the risks to the atmosphere livestock present.

4. The Ocean's Marine Life

People love seafood, and because of this, the world's marine life is being depleted. While some of that depletion comes from plastic pollution, the largest contributor to that plastic pollution is plastic fishing nets. The earth is coming to an age it's never in its history experienced. What happens if the seas become giant dead zones? What impact on the environment of the entire earth would this have?

There are many unknowns with changes scientists are currently seeing. What they do know is if humans don't change current practices, the damage could be irreversible.

5. Plastic Containers

As previously mentioned, plastics are littering the oceans. While this has gotten plenty of media attention, plastic production shows no signs of slowing. Once plastic exists, it's here to stay. Think about all the items you purchase in plastic containers on a weekly basis. The only way you can effect change in this area is to stop supporting companies that package their products in plastic. Think about dairy. You can purchase it in a gallon plastic jug, or you can purchase it in a half-gallon paper carton. Which is the better option?

Your green diet isn't so much about how you eat. It's more about where what you eat comes from. You should always eat to put the best nutritional value in your body. You should also always be mindful of how far that nutrition has traveled to get to your stomach.