What We Eat & Drink

cup icon

Healthy Fuel Without Waste

Jump to Resources

Extreme heat, drought, floods and unpredictable weather are reducing arable land and threatening food production worldwide, disrupting food supply and affecting food prices everywhere. Increased drought and extreme heat are expected to pose the greatest threat to humans over the next 40 years, causing “food shock” events that spike costs and lead to mass food shortages and food wars. For this reason significant effort is being applied to reduce food waste, increase local and regional food supplies, and find new ways to produce food.

Food security is something everyone can help with. Understanding how your food selections, uses and waste affects the heating of the planet is an important step.

The meat industry is responsible for a large share of global greenhouse gas emissions. People who eat a lot of meat can help fight the climate crisis by reducing or quitting meat consumption altogether. Around 70% of the destruction of the critical Amazon rain forest is from clearing forests to grow food for cattle. Around 80% of the world’s agricultural land is used for growing livestock, and only 16% is used to grow human food crops. Environmental Impacts of Food Production - Our World in Data

Between two and three billion people globally experience water shortages at least one month each year. City populations with severe water scarcity are anticipated to double by 2050. Mexico City, North America’s biggest city, is facing “Day Zero” (complete loss of fresh tap water) perhaps as soon as June 2024. In Canada, in March 2024, there were over 400 water advisories on First Nation Reserves, with people lacking access to clean drinking water.

Groundwater is contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals that seep down, and surface water is contaminated from poor sanitation, trash, sewage and fuels. Blue-green algae are cyanobacteria that produce toxins causing organ and nerve damage. These algae “blooms” are increasing in Canada’s freshwater lakes and rivers because of warming water temperatures and pollution. Accelerating extreme and prolonged droughts are speeding evaporation in many parts of Canada and the world, stressing water supply for all species - humans, plants and animals.

Food waste releases methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide as it breaks down over 20 years. Methane traps more heat in the atmosphere per molecule than does carbon dioxide, and the more food that is wasted, the more methane it produces.

The average Canadian household produces 79 kg of food waste a year. Canada’s annual food waste equals 9.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Sixty percent of our food waste could be avoided with education, awareness and improved habits.

You can find useful tools and information to guide your choices in the links below.

Why Our Food Production Must Change

Reducing Food Waste

Land & Water Health

Modern Farming And High Tech Food Solutions

What You Can Do To Conserve Water:

  • Reduce your consumption and water pollution. It affects all parts of the world.
  • Avoid using harmful chemicals. Thousands of Eco-friendly products are available. Find what works for you.
  • Plastic contributes massively to water pollution. Avoid single use plastic. Use biodegradable. Don’t throw it into the regular trash.
  • Shortening your shower by 2 minutes can save 2,600 litres per month. Turn off water to brush teeth.
  • Repair leaks and replace old fixtures. Retrofit faucets and showerheads with tap aerators.
  • Use a broom to clean the driveway instead of a hose.
  • Water your garden early in the morning to avoid evaporation.
  • Run washers and dishwashers only on full loads.
  • Use gray water and rain barrels when possible.

Remember, every small effort counts! By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you’ll contribute to water conservation and make a positive impact on the environment.