Document provides educational materials for module 3 entitled “How we eat and consume: sustainable food and consumption”The materials are part of the "My World, Our Planet" initiative and come from a publication of the Publications Office of the European Union from 2024. The document highlights negative impacts of current eating and consumption habits on the environment and health.

The document focuses on several key areas:

• Sustainable eating:
  • Reducing meat and dairy consumption: Beef and cow's milk production is responsible for high greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Consuming local and seasonal foods:
  • Reducing food waste: Food waste is a significant source of emissions.
  • Clear food labeling: Information about the impact of food on health, the environment and the climate.
  • Pricing policy reflecting environmental impact: Taxation of foods with high environmental impact.
  • Support for organic farming: Reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
• Sustainable consumption:
  • Transparency of companies and public authorities: Information about the environmental and health impact of products.
  • Pricing policy reflecting environmental impact: Including environmental costs in product prices.
  • Warranty extension for electrical appliances: Support repair instead of replacement.
  • Ban on single-use plastic bottles: Encourage reuse and recycling.
  • Supply chain monitoring: Assessing the environmental impact of companies and products throughout their life cycle.

The document highlights the need to change consumer behavior towards more sustainable elections, while highlighting EU policies aimed at supporting these changes. It also draws attention to the challenges associated with behavior change, especially in relation to deep-rooted traditions and the availability of alternatives.

The document does not provide all the answers to questions related to sustainability, but serves as a a tool for discussion and reflectionwhich should lead to finding solutions for a climate-neutral Europe. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Carbon footprint: The amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of an individual, organization, product, or service.
• Organic farming: A system of agriculture that avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms and promotes biodiversity and soil health.
• Biodiversity: The diversity of life on Earth, including the diversity of species, ecosystems, and genetic variability within species.
• Circular economy: An economic model that focuses on minimizing waste and increasing the reuse and recycling of resources.
• Supply chain: The sequence of processes and activities involved in the production and distribution of a product from its source to the final consumer.
• Sustainable consumption: Consumption of goods and services that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Greenhouse gas emissions: Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to global warming.
• Pesticides: Chemicals used to control pests in agriculture.