Key learning points

1. Farming and food production are major causes of climate change.
2. All of the stages of the journey of food, from where it is grown or made to our plates, have a carbon footprint.
3. Different types of food and stages of a food’s journey emit different amounts of greenhouse gases.
4. There are many different ways to take action to reduce the carbon footprint of food.

Keywords

• Climate - Climate is an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)

• Atmosphere - The atmosphere is the layer of gases that surrounds Earth. It includes the oxygen we need to breathe, so it is essential for life on Earth

• Emission - An emission is something that is released into the world. An example is the release of carbon dioxide when we breathe out

• Carbon footprint - A carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of greenhouses gases that are released as a result of our actions

• Agriculture - Agriculture is the science and practice of cultivating soil and farming

Common misconception