Skip navigation and title
Friends of the Earth

Home > Learning > Youth > Focus on > Real Food


Grass

Making life better for people by inspiring solutions to environmental problems


Thom Yorke

Eye

Penguins animation

Send this page to a friend

Farm shop

Real Food

How much do we know about what we eat?

Friends of the Earth believes that our food should be fresh, affordable, locally produced and not genetically modified (GM)

Food Safety

We produce food cheaply, but at what cost?

  • Genetic modification carries a risk (GM)
    • the long term effects of GM food is still not yet known
    • threat to wildlife
    • threat to production of non-GM food.

Where do you shop?

Our supermarket culture is forcing small farmers and local shops out of business:

farmer

  • Local suppliers and farmers worldwide are made to accept loss-making prices to compete.
  • Local shops disappear leaving less choice and deserted high streets.

Food and climate change

Lots of our food that could be sourced locally is being flown 1000's of miles from abroad before it reaches our plates.

This transportation:

  • Contributes to climate change.
  • Creates congestion and local air pollution.

Processed and packaged foods, like ready made meals, also use a lot of energy in the manufacturing and transport of ingredients and packaging. This means more climate change gases released into the environment and more waste.

Did you know?

The average distance food has travelled from field to plate (food miles) has doubled in the past 20 years.

Friends of the Earth

Want to get active?

food campaigners

  • Make your own lunch - saves on packaging and can save money.
  • Buy locally grown fruit and veg - ask for it when you shop.
  • Grow your own - try a window box or a grow bag for tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce.

 

 

Find out more about real food >

Visit our links page >


To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

Discuss "Real Food" in our forum

Main image © Balthazar Serreau/Friends of the Earth

 

Contact us | Support us | Privacy policy
Copyright © Friends of the Earth Trust/Limited

Youth

A childs face surrounded by autumn leaves

Purple flower

Afghan school children

 

Last modified: Oct 2007