We Cannot Save the Planet Without Changing How We Eat

(Pixabay/Engin_Akyurt)

by Brenna Davis

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PAUSE

REFLECT

"Changing how we eat will not be enough, on its own, to save the planet, but we cannot save the planet without changing how we eat." — Jonathan Safran Foer, We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast

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Sometimes we hesitate to take action on environmental issues because we don't believe our individual actions, like eating less meat or reducing food waste, will make a big enough impact. However, studies show that individual actions can lead to systemic change, and at this point in history, we need to reduce carbon emissions on the individual and systemic level simultaneously. 

 


ACT

Do one thing today to reduce your "foodprint," such as eating or saving all of the food on your plate at each meal or avoiding meat and dairy products before dinner.


Lenten Daily Food Reflections

pause | reflect | act

Editor's note: These daily reflections on food, faith, climate and our lives will provide spiritual sustenance for the Lenten journey. They are inspired by the Lenten Food Waste Fast at the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

This story appears in the Lenten Daily Food Reflections feature series. View the full series.
A version of this story appeared in the April 3-16, 2020 print issue under the headline: We cannot save the planet without changing how we eat.

In This Series

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