Sustainable Living with GreenChoice Role Model: Hannah Mather

“I believe that we’re all deeply connected on this planet and what affects the smallest of us will eventually affect us all.”

— Hannah Mather

Here at GreenChoice, we’re on a mission to empower people to create a healthy, just, and sustainable world through their daily food choices. Improving our food system and the health of our country depends on the action of many people. With all that is going on in the world, we understand how important it is to spotlight people who are living healthy and sustainable lives and inspiring others to do the same.

Know someone living a life of health and sustainability who deserves recognition? Submit them to be featured.

We are excited to introduce you to one of our inspiring Health and Sustainability Role Models, Hannah Mather — a biologist turned beekeeper who enjoys living sustainably and sharing amazing facts about bees on her Instagram @hannahshoneycomb.

The opinions expressed in this interview are Hannah’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of GreenChoice.

Why is sustainable living important to you? How does this impact animal welfare?

I believe that we’re all deeply connected on this planet and what affects the smallest of us will eventually affect us all. I’ve always had a love and respect for animals since I was a young child, with a particular fondness for the “underdogs” that go unnoticed by most.

What does sustainable living mean to you?

To me, health and sustainability go hand in hand. I believe wellness and health are closely linked to what we eat, and that whole real foods are the best place to get the nutrients we need. I believe that the choices that are best for our health mirror those that are best for the planet. The closer to the source we can get, the better.

What is the hardest part of sustainable living?

Packaging. Everything comes in plastic. Finding substitutions for certain products that don’t come in plastic can be difficult, though I hope that will continue to change.

What are you looking for when you go grocery shopping?

When I grocery shop, my priorities are minimizing plastic waste, avoiding processed foods, and sustainability.

Have you used GreenChoice to implement your sustainable lifestyle? What do you think of the app?

This is the first time I’ve heard of GreenChoice, but I’ve now been playing around with it and think it’s a really clever concept. I try to buy as much of my food as possible from local farmers, but especially at certain times of the year, it’s just not possible. I appreciate an app like this that could make intentional food choices more accessible.

What piece of advice would you share with someone who’s interested in sustainable living?

To just break things down back to the basics. There doesn’t need to be any calorie counting or trendy dieting when you begin to value your food and where it came from. Real, whole, foods — as close as they can be from ground to table — will improve both your health and your footprint. You don’t need to do it all at once, just start somewhere and make replacements you can stick with.

You can follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahshoneycomb.

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GreenChoice, PBC has evaluated and rated more than 340,000 food & beverage products across hundreds of attributes related to diet, health, and sustainability. Easily find the best products for you, the planet, & your budget. Download the free GreenChoice app for Apple iOS or Android!

Sydney W

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