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Why do we need to think about how we get our food? - Summary
The food we eat goes on a journey before it reaches our plates. In this KS2 video from The Regenerators, students explore where food comes from, how it is produced and transported, and why making sustainable food choices can help protect the environment.
In this video, students will learn:
- How food production can affect the environment.
- Why reducing food waste is important.
- How farming contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
- What seasonal and locally grown food means.
- How small food choices can help create a more sustainable future.
Classroom video - Food and the environment
Eating well for the planet!
Fatima, Daz, Kayla and Jack are calling… from the future! They want to thank today's children for acting responsibly and averting a climate crisis.
Jack and his Dad tell us about how food can be more sustainable in the future.
Jack: Alright past people! I've gotta say, I'm proud of you guys. You tackled climate change the right way. With food!
It was you that started eating smart. In the olden days, YOUR days, 30% of all food grown was just wasted.
You see, that's a bit weird to me. Why would people buy something if they don't plan on eating it? Am I missing something here? And you know, try to put it in the freezer if you forget to eat it.
Unicorn hologram: Magical Unicorn Munchies. The most magical way to start the day.
Jack: Yeah yeah, don't judge. And did people only eat pretty food? Like, did they actually run beauty contests for vegetables? Coz that's what I heard. And only the prettiest veg in the land got into the supermarkets.
Now we let in all the veg. Knobbly or not, they all taste great! And that way we make sure it's not wasted. We eat loads of local veg these days.
Like tonight we're having a veggie night, right Dad?
Jack's Dad: Yep, veggie spaghetti bolognese. Hey, did you show them that old meal planner you found?
Jack: Oh yeah. I found this from the 2020s.
Fresh food flown from the other side of the world and meat every day of the week! That's all changed now. In your time, around a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions came from farming, from agriculture.
Yeah seriously, cows and sheep burp and fart methane which is a greenhouse gas! In some countries, people used to farm so many animals that they removed huge areas of rainforests to make space for them.
So you made some important choices about what you put on your plate and where it came from. Having less, but better, meat and eating fruit and veg when they're in season. You cared for the soil and the land and made farming net zero! So, thanks.
When you guys started eating and farming smart, we got out of that smelly situation.
Jack's Dad: Hey Jack, are you helping or what?
Jack: Alright. Gotta go. Catch you later. And thanks for thinking about what you eat and for giving me a healthy, fart-free planet.
Quick facts about food and the environment
- Around one-third of food produced globally is wasted.
- Food waste uses valuable land, water and energy.
- Eating seasonal fruit and vegetables can reduce the environmental impact of food.
- Sustainable farming helps protect soil, wildlife and natural resources.
- Small changes to what we eat can make a positive difference to the planet.
Let's discuss: What could your family, school or community do to reduce food waste?
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