By Anne-Sophie Brändlin
October 16 marks World Food Day this year, a day celebrated every year by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
World Food Day is a call to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible for everyone, while nurturing the planet at the same time.
<p>But how can this be achieved?</p><p>One way, according to a new study, would be to introduce different ways for countries across the world to adapt their diets.</p><p>Researchers at the U.S. based Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future looked at diets in 140 countries across the world and measured the ecological impact of their food production in order to identify ways to mitigate climate change.</p><p>The study, called <a href="https://clf.jhsph.edu/sites/default/files/2019-09/country-specific-dietary-shifts-mitigate-climate-and-water-crises.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Country-specific dietary shifts to mitigate climate and water crise</em><em>s</em></a> found that an important first step would be to shift Europe and the United States away from a diet heavy in meat and dairy.</p><p>But study co-author, Martin Bloem, notes that the solutions needed are not one-size-fits-all.</p><p>"The situation for poorer countries is not the same as for high-income countries and the solutions for high-income countries are much more straight-forward," Bloem said.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/world-food-day-how-changes-in-our-diet-can-help-mitigate-climate-change/a-50796472" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em></p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5OTYzNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTY5MjM1NH0.t8i2qDgacEVw-iTHCYMxos1MzJITHNt3-rhzqFyZfX4/img.jpg?width=980" id="4cfbc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c739bf4332c8f07bfef8e5495a2ca32f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Why Meat and Dairy Are Bad for the Climate
<p>Livestock are responsible for almost 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the <a href="http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/197623/icode/" target="_blank">FAO</a>.</p><p>Cattle is the biggest culprit. Raised for both beef and milk, cows represent about 65 percent of the livestock sector's emissions, followed by pork (9 percent), buffalo milk (8 percent), and poultry and eggs (8 percent).</p><p>A byproduct of cow digestion is methane (CH4) and accounts for the majority of livestock emissions. The greenhouse gas is estimated to be at least 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.</p><p>But livestock production is also responsible for other greenhouse gas emissions, such as nitrous oxide (N20) and carbon dioxide (CO2), mainly through the production of their feed, which often involves large applications of nitrogen-based fertilizers.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5OTYzOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTIxNTgyOX0.8F1SHHSaID2I5npqGimiUuE48Gm07i4YFeYXefmCcUY/img.png?width=980" id="d7c92" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a607bc1060e3439bbc0d90f560485117" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />The Opposite Approach to Combat Hunger?
<p>But with over 800 million people still going hungry every day, impact on the climate cannot be the only guide for what people eat, the study points out.</p><p>Animal source foods, specifically milk and eggs, are in fact a valuable source of protein and nutrients like calcium, which are especially important for young children and pregnant women.</p><p><em>Read more: </em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-struggling-to-eradicate-malnutrition-in-children/a-49294026" target="_blank">Pakistan struggling to eradicate malnutrition in children</a></p><p>"Some countries, such as Indonesia, India and most of the African countries may actually need to dramatically increase their greenhouse gas emissions and water use, because they have to combat hunger and stunting," Bloem said.</p><p>In these countries, there is still a 40 percent rate of stunting, a side effect of undernutrition that results in lower than average growth in children.</p><p>Stunting also has a major, long-term impact on the cognitive abilities of the children.</p><p>"It's irreversible by the age of two, so stunting has huge implications for the human capital in those countries. That's why it's very critical that we prevent stunting and we need animal source foods for that," Bloem said. "We cannot keep that out of the equation when talking about climate protection." </p><p>Another solution, according to Bloem, would be to fortify certain products, like cereal. This would help reduce the need to get nutrients through animal products. It's a practice already in use in many developed countries, but so far hasn't been applied in many poorer countries.</p>Fish Could Make All the Difference
<p>Diets in which protein came predominantly from low food chain animals – such as small fish and mollusks – were found to have nearly as low of an environmental impact as a vegan diet.</p><p>"Small fish are really critical for poor people, particularly in Africa and Asia, as that's one of the main sources for protein and calcium, because the milk intake is very low in those countries," Bloem said.</p><p>"But 80% of all the fish produced nowadays actually comes from Asia and is imported in Europe and the US. And the feed for some of these bigger fish we import are actually those smaller fish, which means the poorer people have no more access to this vital source of protein and calcium." </p><p>Researchers also determined that a diet that reduced animal food consumption by two-thirds – termed by study authors as going "two-thirds vegan" – generally had a lower climate and water footprint than vegetarian diets that included eggs and diary, but not fish.</p>Where You Get Your Food From Matters
<p>Researchers also found that local production wasn't always the best way to go from a climate perspective.</p><p>The production of one pound (0.45 kilograms) of beef in Paraguay, for instance, contributes nearly 17 times more greenhouse gases than one pound of beef produced in Denmark. Often, this disparity came from deforestation to create grazing land, according to the study.</p><p>"So a food's country of origin can have enormous consequences for the climate," Bloem said.</p><p>"In Europe the soil is much more fertile, for instance, which makes the production there more efficient. So trade could actually be good for the climate if food is produced in places where the climate impact is the lowest," Bloem said, adding that this is the case even when emissions from transportation are factored in.</p><p>The study concludes that middle- and low-income countries need to be guided and supported by developed countries to avoid environmental mistakes the planet is already paying for. </p><p>"It needs to be a close collaboration between developed and developing countries. It's a joint problem. We are all in this together," Bloem said.</p><p>Another way industrialized countries could reduce their impact on the climate is <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/fighting-climate-change-by-tackling-food-waste/a-48384916" target="_blank">reducing food waste</a> — one-third of all food produced worldwide ends up in the bin, with Europeans on average throwing away 95 kilograms (209 lbs) of food per person, per year. In low-income African countries south of the Sahara, it's only 6 kilograms (13 lbs).</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5OTY0OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODE4NDE2Mn0.uQPcuPUg8AcuSSDvgd87IJOJRFtn6bLm_MBs7P4yJJQ/img.png?width=980" id="3a3ed" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d80706920d88c1ee328e8b9ea51cb4d9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Context Is Key
<p>But despite the findings, one key conclusion of the report is that there aren't always straight-forward answers, according to Bloem.</p><p>"That's why we conducted analyses in all these different countries so that you can see what the most optimal way is for each individual country – but also the entire world to deal with diets and health criteria, as well as climate and sustainability," he said.</p><p>In the end, the study came up with nine plant-forward diets, ranging from no red meat to pescatarian (a vegetarian diet that includes seafood), lacto-ovo vegetarian (a vegetarian diet that includes dairy and eggs), to vegan, which are to be presented to policymakers in each country.</p><p>At the same time, the study urges people in the Western world to do more. </p><p>Baby boomers in the developed world, for instance, on average spend less than 10% of their income on food, while the same generation in countries like Nigeria, Kenya or Bangladesh spends 50 to 60% of their income on food, according to Bloem.</p><p>"For us in the Western world, we can pay more for our food so that we can pay for the unintended consequences."</p>From Your Site Articles
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In Haiti, Action Against Hunger screens children for malnutrition. Christophe Da Silva / Action Against Hunger, Haiti
By Dr. Charles Owubah
As a child growing up on a farm in Ghana, I have personally known hunger. The most challenging time was between planting and harvesting – "the hunger season." There were many occasions when we did not know where the next meal would come from.
Today, on World Food Day, I think of the 820 million people around the world who are undernourished.
<p>While this statistic is shocking, the global community has actually cut the proportion of malnourished children in half over the last 40 years, and pioneered new ways to detect and treat malnutrition. However, hunger rates remain unnecessarily high. If the world stays on its current path, tens of millions more children will die of hunger by 2030, the target for the UN Sustainable Development Goal of ending malnutrition worldwide.</p><p>Preventing child deaths is a moral imperative. It should outrage us that <a href="https://www.who.int/nutgrowthdb/estimates/en/" target="_blank">nearly 50 million children</a> are acutely malnourished — that's 7.3 percent of all children under the age of five. Fewer than one in four of those children can hope to access lifesaving treatment. Around the world, when a child dies before they reach their fifth birthday, malnutrition is a root cause <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/children-reducing-mortality" target="_blank">nearly half the time</a> — even though hunger is preventable and treatable.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NzcxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODI5Mjc0N30.qXWkrjxUG3QHouJRNdmQG9e2VsgCtjA50bDkx6gSvY0/img.jpg?width=980" id="bbe6c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="da92d48fba1c3acdee0b6cfb590379b3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
In a community education session, Action Against Hunger trains parents how to detect malnutrition.
Christophe Da Silva / Action Against Hunger, Cameroon
<p>Hearing this, and then hearing that the U.S. spends a tiny fraction of <a href="https://www.interaction.org/blog/aid-delivers-foreign-assistance-in-the-116th-congress/" target="_blank">1 percent of the federal budget</a> fighting global hunger, you might think people don't care. In fact, most don't even know. A <a href="https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/publication/2019/10/global-hunger-awareness-survey" target="_blank">new poll</a> that we just released today at Action Against Hunger found that more than 65 percent of Americans say the number of child deaths attributable to hunger is higher than they realized.</p><p>Across generations, more than 80 percent of those polled think the U.S. government isn't doing enough on global hunger, and most say they would have a more positive view of 2020 presidential candidates who address this issue.</p><p>Most Americans polled also support tax increases on ultra-wealthy individuals (57 percent) and corporations (58 percent) to combat child deaths from hunger, especially Generation Z and millennials, who are even more likely to support increased taxes for the cause.</p><p>It's a hopeful sign that younger generations also are leading the way in calls for greater U.S. involvement on this issue. Gen Z and millennials are more concerned about the link between hunger and the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, for example, which is reducing both the quality and quantity of crops, lowering yields and exacerbating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/water-crisis" target="_self">water scarcity</a>.</p><p>The world needs a better way to deal with hunger, helping fragile communities become more resilient and better able to deal with the challenges ahead. That includes empowering parents and health workers with simple tools to tell if children are malnourished before it's too late, even in places without electricity or internet access, and with low literacy rates.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NzU3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDc3NTU3Mn0.IGZ6j-FreljYtxyjimSmS23fGuRJJP73_Prh8bfVE6E/img.jpg?width=980" id="161f9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aff11e5f2a849923461ff5ea7e7e0ec5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
An Action Against Hunger-trained community health worker shows a mother how to detect malnutrition using a diagnostic band.
Lys Arango / Action Against Hunger, India
<p>One example of a solution is a simple, inexpensive <a href="https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/sites/default/files/publications/Family_MUAC_.pdf" target="_blank">band</a> that acts as a "nutrition thermometer." It wraps around a child's upper arm, stopping at a color that corresponds to their nutrition status: green indicates good health, while yellow or red means the child is malnourished. Once it's known that a child needs help, they can be treated and cured through a highly effective medical intervention.</p><p>While most Americans surveyed prefer to donate food, the cure for malnutrition is not that simple. Severely malnourished children often do not have an appetite for food and cannot handle a normal diet right away. Instead, proven medical treatment involves a regimen of easily-digestible, calorie-rich and ready-to-eat packets containing essential vitamins and minerals, which can bring a child from a medical crisis to full health in 45 days. Infants and complicated cases are treated in hospitals and health centers, but often, recovery for most can take place at home, with regular monitoring by a community health worker.</p><p>Broad investment in nutrition programming is a wise investment. For example, The <a href="https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2015-global-nutrition-report/" target="_blank">2015 International Food Policy Institute reports</a> that every $1 spent on reducing hunger can deliver up to $16 in return. Opportunity begins where hunger ends. It did for me.</p><p>The fact that you are reading this means someone invested in you, too. Now, it's our turn to build a future where no lives are wasted. At Action Against Hunger, we may never know the names or stories of the children that we are helping around the world, just as they may not know ours, but we can know that our world will be brighter if we can ensure each one has a chance to grow up healthy and strong.</p><p>On World Food Day, and every day, we must band together to ensure the basic human right of adequate nutrition for everyone, for good.</p><p><em>Dr. Charles Owubah is the CEO of Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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For many people, the holidays are rich with time-honored traditions like decorating the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah, caroling, cookie baking, and sipping from the unity cup. But there's another unofficial, official holiday tradition that spans all ages and beliefs and gives people across the world hope for a better tomorrow: the New Year's resolution.
<p>It's believed that ancient Babylonians were the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions-and-celebrations/#:~:text=4%2C000%20years%20ago%20in%20Babylon%20(around%202000%20B.C.)&text=Most%20historians%20believe%20Babylonians%20were,accordance%20with%20an%20agricultural%20year." target="_blank">first people to make New Year's resolutions</a> some 4,000 years ago. Over time, the popular practice shifted in scope from making promises to the gods about repaying debt to making promises to ourselves about self-improvement. Anyone who has ever made a New Year's resolution probably included something like get more sleep or be less stressed. And though it might not immediately come to mind when you brainstorm strategies for reaching your New Year's goals, it turns out that chamomile tea could be the answer for many of them. </p><p>If you've ever asked yourself why everyone is drinking chamomile tea, we've got the answer here. Read on to learn some of the reasons why this herbal beverage is all the rage.</p>
<p><em>Josh Hall has been a professional writer and storyteller for more than 15 years. His work on natural health and cannabis has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
Benefits of Chamomile Tea
<p><strong>Sleep More Soundly</strong></p><p>Pick your grandmother's brain about the best way to fall asleep, and she might tell you to down a nice glass of warm milk. But if you consult with science, research shows that chamomile might be a better option. That's because it contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia and other sleep problems</a>.</p><p>Two research studies even confirmed the power of chamomile throughout the day and before bed. In one of those studies, postpartum women who drank chamomile for two weeks <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26483209" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experienced better sleep quality than the control group who didn't</a>. Another research effort measured how fast people could fall asleep. Those results illustrated that participants who consumed 270 milligrams of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198755/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fell asleep 15 minutes faster than the control</a>. The chamomile group also had considerably fewer sleep disruptions. </p><p><strong>May Be Able to Keep Your Gut Healthy</strong></p><p>Though the following studies used rats as the subjects, research shows that chamomile can potentially play a beneficial role in digestive health. According to that research, the anti-inflammatory properties in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24463157" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">chamomile extract may be able to protect against diarrhea</a>. Additionally, chamomile may be an effective way to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4177631/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stop the growth of bacteria in our stomachs that contribute to ulcers</a>.</p><p><strong>Reduces Stress and Anxiety</strong></p><p>Few things are more relaxing than curling up with a good cup of tea, so it's logical that chamomile tea can serve a stress reducer. While it lacks the potency of a pharmaceutical drug, long-term use of chamomile has been shown to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27912875" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"significantly" reduce general anxiety disorders</a>. In general, chamomile can act almost like a sedative, and many people enjoy the tea because it puts them in a calm and relaxed state almost immediately. </p><p><strong>Boosts Immune Health</strong></p><p>Vitamin C and zinc are common over-the-counter supplements that people often turn to when they're hoping to avoid becoming sick. While scientists admit that more research must take place to prove chamomile's impact on preventing ailments like the common cold, the existing studies do show promise in this area. </p><p>One study had 14 participants drink five cups of the tea every day for two consecutive weeks. Throughout the study, researchers collected daily urine samples and tested the contents before and after the consumption of the tea. Drinking chamomile resulted in a significant increase in the levels of hippurate and glycine, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">both of which are known to increase antibacterial activity</a>. Inhaling steam from a pot of freshly brewed chamomile tea may also ease the symptoms of nasal congestion.</p><p><strong>Minimizes Menstrual Cramps</strong></p><p>This one may come as a surprise, particularly to readers who have tried every possible over-the-counter treatment to reduce period pain. Several research studies have proven that chamomile tea may be able to minimize the pain and cramps that occur during menstruation. Women in that same study also dealt with lower levels of anxiety that they typically felt because of menstrual cramps.</p><p><strong>Help Diabetes and Lower Blood Sugar</strong></p><p>For people with diabetes, regulating blood sugar levels can be a matter of life or death. And while chamomile will never replace prescription-strength drugs, it's believed that it can prevent an increase in blood sugar. A 2008 study on rats showed that chamomile could have a <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf8014365" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">moderate impact on the long-term risk of diabetes</a>.</p><p><strong>Might Improve Your Skin</strong></p><p>Ever wondered why there's been an influx of chamomile-infused cosmetic products? The reason why so many manufacturers now include chamomile in their lotions, soaps, and creams is because it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5074766/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">acts as an anti-inflammatory on our skin</a>. That means it may be able to soothe the puffiness that plagues us as we age. Those same anti-inflammatory properties can be vital in restoring skin health after we've received a sunburn. </p><p>Before discarding your used chamomile tea bags, try chilling them and placing them over your eyes. Not only will this help with the puffiness, but it can drastically light the skin color around the eye.</p><p><strong>Help With Heart Health</strong></p><p>Some of the most beneficial antioxidants we put into our bodies are what are known as flavones, and chamomile tea is chock full of them. Flavones have the potential to lower both blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which, when elevated, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814348/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">can lead to heart disease</a>.</p>Why Everyone Is Drinking Chamomile Tea
<p>Now that you know so much about the wonders of chamomile, it shouldn't come as a surprise why the tea is so popular with people of all ages. In addition to tasting great, chamomile offers up benefits that boost the health of body parts both inside and out. As you ponder your own New Year's resolutions, think about how healthy and natural vitamins, supplements, plants, and oils can help guide you on your own personal path to improvement. Happy New Year!</p>An Organic, Eco-Conscious Brand to Try
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="0da9d8545ec44ebf1a31d6044181ed9e" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2F8718?tag=ecowatch-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank"> <img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41B2ANHhsdL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image widget__image"> </a> </div> <p>FGO tea bags are made of hemp fiber paper, free of dyes, adhesive, glue, and chlorine bleach. The tea is also certified USDA Organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).</p>From Your Site Articles
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Pxhere
On World Food Day, observed every year on Oct. 16, we can all do our part to combat global hunger and malnutrition.
The United Nations' second Sustainable Development Goal calls for ending world hunger by 2030 and urges profound interventions from governments, businesses and individuals to help feed the growing number of hungry people in the world.
<p>
Last year, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that chronic undernourishment grew to
<a href="http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1152031/icode/" target="_blank">821 million</a>, or one in every nine people worldwide. At the same time, adult obesity is worsening (especially in North America) with more than one in eight adults in the world considered obese.
</p><p>
"Conflict, extreme weather events linked to
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change">climate change</a>, economic slowdown and rapidly increasing overweight and obesity levels are reversing progress made in the fight against hunger and malnutrition," the <a href="http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/theme/en/" target="_blank">FAO said</a>.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="aa040" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="JZ13T01576662673"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1050328807712980993" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">World Food Day - marked each year on 16 October - highlights the need to step up efforts to end #hunger & malnutrit… https://t.co/ltBow7EHrb</div> — José Graziano da Silva (@José Graziano da Silva)<a href="https://twitter.com/grazianodasilva/statuses/1050328807712980993">1539252876.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
It may seem like a daunting task to reverse this trend, but the FAO advises
<a href="http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/zero-hunger-actions/en/#c615149" target="_blank">four simple ways</a> you can make a positive difference and help achieve zero hunger:
</p><p>
<strong>1. Don't Waste Food.</strong> "If you have leftovers, freeze them for later, or use them as an ingredient in another meal. When you eat at a restaurant, ask for half a portion if you're not feeling too hungry, or take your leftovers home," the FAO says.
</p><ul class="ee-ul">
<li><strong>EcoWatch suggestion: </strong>The World Wildlife Fund <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/food-waste-2520333799.html" target="_blank">advises</a> meal planning so you only get the ingredients you need, and learning how to navigate misleading "best buy," "sell by" and "best before" labels with the <a href="https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/foodkeeperapp/index.html" target="_blank">FoodKeeper App</a> to learn more about food freshness and storage options. Consider anti-food waste companies such as <a href="https://misfitoddsquad.com/" target="_blank">Misfit Juicery</a>, which makes cold-pressed juice from fruit and veggie scraps and "ugly" produce and <a href="https://www.gocopia.com/" target="_blank">Copia</a>, which picks up your surplus foods and donates it to those who need it. Try composting your <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/food-waste">food waste</a> instead of throwing it out. </li>
</ul><p>
<span style="background-color: initial;"><strong>2. Produce More, With Less. </strong></span><span style="background-color: initial;">"</span>With a growing population expected to reach in 9 billion in 2050, farmers should find new, more productive ways to farm food and diversify their crops. Using an integrated farming approach will not only help farmers increase their crops' yield, and thus their profits, but can also improve the quality of their farmland," the FAO says.
</p><ul class="ee-ul">
<li><strong>EcoWatch suggestion:</strong> Although that piece of advice is geared toward farmers, it can apply to you as well. Use your dollars on food producers and farms that practice organic, sustainable or <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/regenerative-agriculture-climate-change-2379810388.html">regenerative agriculture</a>. The <a href="https://howgood.com/" target="_blank">HowGood</a> app rates products on environmental, health and trade impacts by sourcing information from more than 350 organizations, including Humane Certified, Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade USA. If it's available to you, choose locally sourced and seasonal products, shop at farmers markets and consider joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program.</li>
</ul><p>
<strong>3. Adopt a More Healthy and Sustainable Diet. </strong>"Life is fast-paced and trying to fit in preparing nutritious meals can be a challenge if you don't know how. Nutritious meals don't have to be elaborate. In reality, they can be cooked in a quick and easy way while using only a few ingredients. Share your quick nutritious recipes with your family, friends and colleagues and online. Follow sustainable chefs and bloggers online to learn new recipes or talk to your local farmer to see how they cook their produce at home," the FAO says.
</p><ul class="ee-ul">
<li><strong>EcoWatch suggestion: </strong>Eat fewer animal products. As <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/food-production-world-population-2611643301.html">we recently reported</a>, researchers recommend "flexitarian" diets that eschew meat in favor of plant-based foods. Animal products are a major contributor to climate change, require massive amounts of farmland that drives biodiversity loss and uses up lots of fresh water. The nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer also pollutes land and water.</li>
</ul><p>
4.
<strong>Advocate for #ZeroHunger. "</strong>Everyone has a role to play in achieving #ZeroHunger, but countries, institutions and people need to work together to reach this goal. Establish ZeroHunger partnerships, share knowledge and resources, develop innovative strategies and discover new opportunities to contribute to the fight against hunger. Raise the topic with your local and national authorities, promote related educational programs in your community and amplify the #ZeroHunger message through your network."
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<li><strong>EcoWatch suggestion: </strong>Support the <a href="http://www1.wfp.org/zero-hunger" target="_blank">World Food Programme</a>, which pledges to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. You can also organize a meal packaging event, donate extra food from your pantry and be a voice in the fight. Share this video on social media to inspire action for #ZeroHunger. As the FAO touts, "our actions are our future."</li>
</ul><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="75ce97174b12ca1537ad06b25e50247a"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UTUG-WPkJX0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">World Food Day 2018 – Our Actions are our Future</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTUG-WPkJX0" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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On World Food Day, Pope Francis Says Link Between Climate Change and Hunger Is Undeniable
16 October 2017
Food
FAO / Giulio Piscitelli
By Andrew McMaster
Speaking at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on World Food Day, Pope Francis addressed the need for governments around the world to acknowledge that climate change and migration were leading to increases in world hunger.
Francis received a standing ovation after a stirring speech in which he said all three issues were interrelated and require immediate attention.
<p style="">"We are called to propose a change in lifestyle and the use of resources," <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/pope-demands-response-hunger-climate-migration-50503659" target="_blank">Francis told the audience</a>. "We cannot make do by saying 'someone else will do it.'"</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"></p><div id="132a6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="PWJIYO1576663540"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="919842857107804160" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Ensuring everyone’s right to food and nourishment is an imperative we cannot ignore. It is a right to which there are no exceptions!</div> — Pope Francis (@Pope Francis)<a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex/statuses/919842857107804160">1508142601.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p>
<p style="">The Catholic leader's words came on the heels of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/sep/15/alarm-bells-we-cannot-ignore-world-hunger-rising-for-first-time-this-century" target="_blank">recent UN report</a> that showed an increase in people suffering from chronic hunger on account of climate change-related disasters and conflicts.<br></p><p style=""><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a> campaigns on the <a href="http://www.globalgoals.org/" target="_blank">UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development</a>, including zero hunger and climate action. You can take action on these issues <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/world-leaders-extreme-weather/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="">For the first time in over a century, the number of chronically hungry people increased, rising by 38 million people between 2015 and 2016. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/sep/15/alarm-bells-we-cannot-ignore-world-hunger-rising-for-first-time-this-century" target="_blank">UN report noted</a> that 815 million people fit the definition for chronic hunger in 2016, comprising about 11 percent of the world's population.</p><p style="">At the heart of this rise are climate change and human conflict, both of which <a href="http://www.fao.org/publications/state-of-food-security-nutrition/en/" target="_blank">drive food insecurity</a> in poverty-stricken communities around the globe.</p><p>The Pope called on leaders to take immediate and cooperative efforts to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/pope-demands-response-hunger-climate-migration-50503659" target="_blank">reduce resource consumption and waste creation</a>.</p><p style="">Greed and negligence on a planet with limited resources was harming the world's poorest people, Francis said. He warned against understanding these problems <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/pope-demands-response-hunger-climate-migration-50503659" target="_blank">through the lens of pity</a>, noting that pity "is limited to emergency aid."</p><p style="">Instead, Francis proposed an integrative solution based on love, solidarity and fraternity. Love is a powerful tool for good Francis <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/pope-demands-response-hunger-climate-migration-50503659" target="_blank">said</a>, because it "inspires justice and is essential to bring about a just social order."</p><p style="">In a visceral reminder to world leaders on just how devastating the effects of climate change and conflict caused migration can be, Francis commemorated his visit to the FAO by unveiling a marble statue of three-year old Alan Kurdi, a Syrian-Kurdish migrant who was found dead on the shores of Greece in 2015.</p><p style="">The statue depicts an angel wailing above the boy's corpse. The Vatican said the piece represents represents the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/pope-demands-response-hunger-climate-migration-50503659" target="_blank">tragedy of human migration</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/pope-francis-united-nations-climate-change-hunger/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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