What we eat, and how that food is produced, affects our health and the environment. Behind our food, there is always someone who produced, planted, harvested, fished or transported it. These food heroes are helping to make sure that everyone, everywhere has enough affordable, safe and nutritious food.
Find out what YOU can do:
Join “Sustainable Sundays”
Sundays tend to be our lazy days, where we don’t cook and usually indulge. But weekends are also the perfect opportunity to visit your local farmers market or try out a new healthy, climate-friendly recipe! Here are some ways to eat more sustainably and make every Sunday #SustainableSundays!
Cut your food waste
More than 900 million tonnes of food – 17% of all food available to consumers – goes into trash bins every year, while nearly 700 million people around the world go hungry. Let’s stop the waste. When you throw out food, you’re also wasting the energy used to grow, produce, package and transport it. Only buy what you need – and use what you buy. You can save money, reduce pollution, and help preserve resources for future generations.
Eat healthier meals
Start eating a more balanced diet – one that provides energy and nutrients from several different food groups – and reduce foods that are harder on our planet, such as foods that need more natural resources, especially water, to produce (meat uses more than plants or pulses), or fruits and vegetables that aren’t in season or local. It is not only good for your health but also for the environment! And remember to buy food with less packaging.
Buy local and seasonal food
Transporting food around the world takes a lot of energy. Lots of fruit comes from far away while local farmers struggle to make enough money to keep producing. Buying local and seasonal food supports your local economy and lowers the carbon emitted to get that food on your table. Local and seasonal produce tastes better, too – give it a try. And don’t shy away from buying imperfect-looking fruits and vegetables. They might otherwise get thrown out.
Try a sustainable recipe
More and more chefs and other food suppliers are focusing on local and organic produce and shifting away from meat-heavy meals and fast food. They are joined by a growing movement of people changing the way they cook and eat. Have a look at these recipes by leading chefs who are cooking up dishes that are not only delicious but also good for you and the environment.
Shop with a reusable bag
Up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year (there are 12 zeroes in that number!). Besides polluting the ocean and environment, they clog up sewers, kill wildlife and cause irreparable damage to nature. Simply bringing your own, reusable bag can seriously reduce the amount of plastic waste in our world.
Save water
Water is a precious resource: less than 3 percent of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), and most of it is frozen in the Antarctica, Arctic and glaciers. Using water smartly can help ensure that we continue to have clean water to drink, wash and stay healthy. So, don’t keep the tap running when washing fruits or vegetables or dishes. And avoid plastics, which often end up in rivers and oceans, polluting water and killing seabirds and marine life.
Learn about “food systems”
“Food systems” – all the activities involved in producing, processing, transporting and consuming food – touch every aspect of human existence. Food systems profoundly affect the health of our bodies, as well as the health of our environment, our economies and our cultures. In September 2021, the UN Secretary-General convened a Summit to launch bold new actions to transform the way the world produces and consumes food.
Tell us what “good food” means to you
Good food keeps us healthy. It helps us reach our potential. It strengthens our communities, powers our economies, and protects our planet. But not everyone gets good food every day – and the way we produce and market food is harming our environment. This has to change. What does good food mean to you? Special moments with loved ones, a treasured childhood memory, or a traditional recipe? Tell us today by recording and sharing a video.
Meet the climate superheroes
Climate change is a menace to our world. Our league of superheroes are taking action now and they want YOU to join them! Meet the Veggie Vindicator, Green Guide, Water Wizard and more, and learn how to help limit global warming and take care of our environment. Each of the superheroes is on a mission with a downloadable activity pack.
Download the A-World app
Want to learn more, track your habits and see your impact? The mobile app by A-World – because there is no planet B – allows you to choose and track a set of sustainable habits and see the impact you are making in terms of CO2, water and electricity saved. You can also take educational journeys, engage in group challenges, get tips and take quizzes, all geared toward living more sustainably. Download it today!
