We have to reconnect with nature. In the globalized world we live in, it easily escapes our minds where our food comes from, how it was produced or who produced it. For instance, I recently read on the European Commission website that the top 5 eaten fish in the EU were mostly imported from non-EU countries, including India, China and Ecuador. (*) It shocked me quite a bit. How is it that people actually consume in this manner? Food production counts for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and occupies 40% of global land, while agriculture alone is the largest cause of global environmental change (2). The way we consume affects the ecosystem and this is already visible with more frequent and stronger droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures.
We need to reevaluate the way we eat, produce our food, and live. Small changes at a time make a terrific impact in the end. Even more powerful: your example could inspire people to change their behaviour.
So, take action:
Shop locally
Support your community, aid the local economy to grow. Shopping locally tends to be more expensive than retailers due to (mainly) economies of scale. Small farmers and family businesses may struggle to compete with these business models and conditions, whose earnings ultimately end up in already wealthy pockets.
Besides, reflect on the environmental impact there