THE SMART BITE

We're Part of a Delicate Ecosystem

Last week hanging out on the sidelines, I overheard one of my favorite soccer dads being a bit sarcastic, "when people ask me why I'm a vegetarian, I say I don't have time to explain it all, but basically we're a part of a very delicate eco-system." Huh. I'd never heard someone use that explanation before.

The day before I was at the Ohana Music Festival—yes, I got to see Pearl Jam—but I also got to listen to Darren Croft, PhD, Executive Director of the Centre for Whale Research, talk about how amazing killer whales are. They play, make tools, and navigate their world with intelligence and intention. But what stood out most was learning how their habitat is in danger. We can't see what's happening beneath the ocean, so in some ways it doesn't feel real. But then he shared a stat that absolutely caught my attention.

Here's what I learned: we're harvesting krill from the ocean at a rate faster than the ocean can replenish it. Krill are the primary food source for whales. Nearly half of all harvested krill feeds farmed salmon and shrimp, while about 15% feeds poultry and livestock. We could be growing and eating whole plant foods directly instead. The energy loss in that middle step is massive. And the ocean pays the price.

Why that matters to us? Similar to trees, krill help regulate our climate by sinking carbon. We need them.

And wait. Isn't farmed salmon good for the ocean? If we farm it, we don't take wild ones, right? Apparently not. Farmed salmon introduce new diseases and are killing the wild population. So even our solutions create new problems.

This all sounds overwhelming. We're stripping the ocean to feed our food when we could just grow food on land and eat that. But here's the hopeful part. We get to choose.

Eating whole grains, beans, veggies, nuts and seeds is the win. It's efficient. It restores the ecosystem. Each part of our planet plays a specific role in balance, and we get to choose what role we play. It's not the whole solution. But there is no solution to protecting our planet without it.

YOUR SMALL STEP

Pick one meal a day where you choose whole grains, beans, tofu, veggies and leave the animal off your plate.

Just one meal. One meal a day if you're up for it.

That's it. That one choice is a vote for the ocean, the whales, and the balance we're all part of. It's your role in the ecosystem. Start there.

Pigs Tips

Small ways to make one plant-based meal a day actually work.

Get curious about why. Learning the environmental impact shifts your mindset. This meal isn't restriction. It's a choice that actually matters. That changes everything.

Start with one meal that excites you. Meatless Monday or just pick one meal a week you genuinely want to eat. Plant-based lentil tacos. Buddha bowls. Whatever makes you want to do it. Small changes stick. More recipes here​

Keep staples stocked. Beans, grains, frozen veggies, tofu. When they're there, the swap is effortless. Meal planning helps. Cooking at home gives you control.

Explore plant-based protein swaps. Check out our guide on protein swaps to see what works for your meals. Lentils for ground beef. Tofu for chicken. Beans for everything.

Need more ideas? Here are 8 simple steps to eat more plants. Mix and match. Have fun with it. Make it an adventure, not a rule.

Go Deeper

Want to dig into the nuances? Here's what I learned.

If you eat seafood, shellfish like oysters, mussels, and clams are genuinely the most sustainable choice. They're filter feeders, so they don't require input like krill or farmed fish feed. They actually improve water quality.

The regenerative farming angle is trickier. Even on regenerative farms, raising animals uses significantly more land and resources than growing plants. That model only works if we're eating dramatically less meat overall. It's not a replacement for the shift. It's a supplement to it, and only if consumption drops.

The sources behind this issue:

​Center for Whale Research — Darren Croft's organization. Their research explains killer whale intelligence and why habitat preservation matters.

​License to Krill — Clear breakdown of why krill overfishing threatens the entire Antarctic ecosystem.

​Wild Salmon Mortality Caused by Fish-Farm Sea Lice — The evidence on how farmed salmon impact wild populations.

​Antarctic Krill Market Trends 2025-2035 — Explains how krill meal demand is growing across aquaculture and livestock nutrition because of its growth-promoting and nutritional benefits, driving increased harvesting pressure on Antarctic krill stocks.

Delicious + Cozy Veggie Chili

Cheers to a fall classic! I competed in the school chili cook-off with this recipe and ended up as a finalist. The comments I kept hearing: "It's actually good." Turns out, the meaty texture of portabella mushrooms and smoky flavor convince everyone that you don't need meat. Protein and fiber rich. Easy to batch cook and eat all week.
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GET THE RECIPE

PIGS' INSPIRATION AND SMILES

"This world is intricately stitched together boys.
Every thread we pull, we know not how it affects the design of things."

​— Denis Johnson, Train Dreams

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Small steps are easier when we take them together.