Food production and food choices are placing massive pressure on the environment. Our typical modern-day diet is too high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, and too low in fibre, which is both bad for our health and the environment, from a greenhouse gas emission perspective.
According to the Word Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Africa, “Living within the Earth’s ecological limits requires a global consumption pattern in balance with the Earth’s biocapacity.”
The WWF established an initiative detailed in its report titled Livewell: A Balance of Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices, aimed at improving sustainability in terms of food production, trade and consumption, and encouraging individuals to be environmentally responsible. It urges us to think about the impact our food choices have on the environment, and provides guidance on ways of adapting our diets and lifestyle practices to reduce our carbon footprint.
