Let’s talk about... climate and food

 

Together we’ll explore food and its effect on climate change. Watch the video and then answer the questions below.

This will take approximately 15 minutes.

 
 

Now take it in turns to answer the questions below.

If you’re stuck, click the arrows for useful facts and prompts.

  • Question 1

    Who grew, produced and prepared the last meal you ate?

    See if you can count how many people took part in your meal, and how many countries it passed through.

  • Did you know...?

    The average distance your food travels is 1500 miles from farm to table. This is partly because much of the food we enjoy year round is seasonal and doesn’t grow all year in the UK - meaning that it has to be imported from other countries to keep up with demand.

    Choosing to eat locally grown food, seasonal food can cut down on emissions produced by transporting the food.

  • Question 2

    How do you think your food choices affect the planet?

  • Did you know...?

    The choices we make about food not only affect the lives of the workers who grow, produce and prepare it but also affect climate change.

    The food industry is responsible for producing about a quarter of the greenhouse gases generated by humans every year – with meat and dairy contributing to 14.5% of global emissions.

  • Question 3

    UK households throw nearly a third of the food that we buy in the bin.

    How does that make you feel?

  • Did you know...?

    30% of all food bought by UK households ends up in the bin.

    When wasted food gets put into landfill, it breaks down without oxygen. This releases methane – a potent greenhouse gas.

  • Question 4

    Do you think climate change will affect the food you eat in the future? In what way?

  • Did you know...?

    Climate change is making some parts of the world wetter and some drier.

    Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns make it hard for farmers to grow certain crops, such as coffee.

    As the climate warms, coffee plants produce fewer beans and become more prone to disease. Farmers are adapting their farming practices and crops to suit new climate conditions.

What can we do?

Small changes now will lead to the big changes we need.

Choose which of these actions you will commit to doing more of as a family or friendship group.

4.png

Freeze food before it goes out of date

There are lots of foods that can be frozen (including milk, bread, meat and many vegetables), which means you can store them past their ‘use-by’ date instead of throwing them away.

This simple step can reduce the amount of food going to landfill and, in turn, methane levels.

5.png

eat more plant-based meals

Halving your meat consumption could cut your personal carbon emissions by as much as 20-30%.

There are now more delicious plant-based alternatives on offer than ever before.

6.png

make meals from your leftovers

One way of preventing food ending up in landfill is getting creative with leftovers, instead of throwing them away.

It’s better for the planet because it stops food waste from generating methane, plus it’s a fun challenge!

You’ve completed the topic of climate and food.

 

Or take a break, and watch our inspirational short film: Rise Up - Jamal’s story.