Our Favorite Eco-friendly Snack

As two individuals looking to live more sustainably, one of our biggest obstacles is the food we eat. From packaging to how it’s produced, an eco-friendly snack is hard to come by. Luckily, we found a new company creating some waves in the sustainable food market.

This article discusses the difficulties in finding quality snacks that help our environment. Additionally, we recommend a tasty, ocean-friendly snack that’s both affordable and healthy!

Why should we eat eco-friendly snacks?

We’re all accustomed to going to the supermarket, gas station or local convenience store and purchasing whatever snack fancies our eyes that day. However, what we don’t realize is the environmental impact a lot of those snacks may have on our oceans.

How so?

The plastic packaging is detrimental to the environment

Well for starters, an immense amount of the plastic packaging used in snack food winds up in our oceans. In fact, the Ocean Conservancy found plastic food packaging as the #1 polluter in our ocean in their 2019 International Coastal Cleanup – overtaking cigarette butts as the greatest offender. Horrifyingly, volunteers recovered 4,771,602 food wrappers on a single day!

And unfortunately, no, it doesn’t matter if you recycle it or not. National Geographic highlights a study showing a whopping 91% of plastic is never recycled – many of it food packaging. This plastic accumulates in landfills and will inevitably end up in our oceans. It’s a no win situation.

Snack production releases lethal amounts of greenhouse gas emissions

And it’s not just the packaging. Additionally, producing the food itself is incredibly harmful to our environment, as well. How harmful, you ask?

According to a 2012 study, food production in 2008 accounted for 19%–29% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity. Although much of this includes agriculture and meat production, the snack industry certainly is a large part of these emissions, as well.

The need for an eco-friendly snack

Plastic pollution in the ocean and excessive greenhouse gas emissions are just the two factors at the forefront of why we need to move to more eco-friendly snacks.

However, these ocean-friendly snacks are not so easy to find. Particularly with nutritional value at an affordable price.

Finding a healthy, affordable and eco-friendly snack

Easier said than done, isn’t it? Affordable eco-friendly snacks are like finding a needle in a haystack. Especially when you consider all the relevant factors. Think about it, you could find the healthiest, most ocean-friendly product on the market but if the price tag is too much, you simply won’t buy it.

And who could blame you? Money doesn’t grow on trees, after all.

Thankfully, many companies are turning the tide on this problem. Ocean-friendly snacks with nutritional value, sustainable packaging AND a low price tag are emerging to the market!

We’re here to tell you about one of our favorites.

12 Tides – the Perfect Ocean Snack

Through an Instagram collaboration, we were introduced to 12 Tides – an ocean snack company specializing in sustainability. They offer the tastiest eco-friendly snacks for ocean lovers everywhere!

How is 12 Tides ocean-friendly?

As previously mentioned, the packaging and carbon emissions of conventional snacks make them extremely hazardous to our health and environment.. Making large contributions to plastic pollution in the ocean and greenhouse gas emissions.

12 Tides has the complete opposite effect.

NOTE: the passages below were quoted directly from 12 Tides. You can find the original source on their website here.

Sustainably sourced from the ocean

12 Tides uses kelp as the source of its snacks “from regenerative ocean farms in the United States. These farms sequester carbon, improve water quality, and provide a habitat for biodiverse marine life.”

Active in ocean conservation

12 Tides is “actively working to protect our oceans through a kelp restoration project with our 1% for the Planet Partner, Sea Trees. We’re also investing in compostable packaging to ensure our products pose no threat to ocean wildlife.”

Sustainable packaging

12 Tides is “committed to packaging solutions that have minimal impact on our oceans and planet. (Their) packaging is made form bio-based ASTM D6400 certified material.”

Are seaweed chips healthy?

Compared to the oil-ridden potato or corn chips typically found at the grocery store, seaweed chips provide a multitude of benefits for your health:

• Naturally Boosts Metabolism
• Omega 3’s for Brain Health
• Aids Digestive Heath
• Packed with Vitamins + Minerals

You can read more about the healthful nature of eating seaweed here.

Is 12 Tides affordable?

As of this writing (Oct. 2020), 12 Tides offers package deals to purchase snacks as low as $5 per bag. Honestly, a comparable price to the environmental and health hazardous bag of air you purchase at the grocery store of the leading chip brands.

So is 12 Tides affordable? Of course it is! Particularly if you factor in long term health and nutritional value per ounce. You literally cannot go wrong!

12 Tides is our Favorite Eco-friendly Snack

Whether it’s the beach, dive boat or a camping adventure – we’re starting to pack 12 Tides ocean snacks wherever we go. It’s a healthier and more eco-friendly option than conventional snacks that inevitably end up in the ocean while producing detrimental greenhouse gases.

Visit 12 Tides!

We want to support their cause by including you! Visit their website, learn more about what they’re all about, and make a purchase! Not only are you supporting a small business striving to make a difference, you’re literally helping our oceans worldwide!