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One of Équiterre’s main objectives is to help make our food systems more resilient in the face of future socio-ecological challenges.
To that end, it is essential that we educate our youth about how our food is produced and why it’s important to make healthy and environmentally responsible choices. For this March Break, Équiterre has some fun, simple activities that you can do with your kids to show them the many benefits of sustainable food. Spend some time cooking as a family, help your kids learn about local foods, talk to them about local farmers and seasonal crops or plant your own vegetables and herbs!
The only essential ingredient: have fun! When you enjoy and are proud of eating well, buying local, and cooking and gardening as a family, it’s easy to pass along healthy habits to your children.
Looking for some ideas?
The Quebec Ministry of Education’s Open School platform now has an ‘Eating’ section, which was created by Équiterre to help parents and teachers manage the increased need for online learning resources. A multitude of resources (games, tips, recipes, etc.) on environmentally sustainable food are available for children of all ages. Check it out!
The importance of building resilient food systems
We live in a world where not everyone has access to healthy, sustainably produced food. Eating healthy food every day is an essential need that is accessible to only a portion of the population. Malnutrition and food insecurity, problems that will only get worse in the coming years, affect too many.
In this age of climate disruption, loss of biodiversity and loss of agricultural lands, along with the attendant impacts on farmland yield, feeding a growing global population is a real challenge for farmers. Volatile food prices, overconsumption and far too much food waste are significant consequences of our unstable food system and habits. They are unsustainable and they are literally devouring our human and natural resources.
We must take collective action. The food security of our own children is hanging in the balance.
It’s up to each of us to act now. We must revise our consumption habits to make them more sustainable, we must encourage initiatives to transition our food systems and we must demand that our governments facilitate the necessary changes.
The good news is that Équiterre has made resilient food systems one of its three signature action areas, so you’ll be hearing a lot about what we can all do to build and implement solutions!
Where to start?
Transition initiatives are popping up everywhere. Équiterre is particularly proud of Schools Take Root, a fantastic campaign that allows schools, daycare centres and community organizations fundraise for their projects through the sale of local organic vegetable baskets!
The 2021 registration period has just opened. Encourage your school, daycare centre and community organizations to get involved!
Get involved in Schools Take Root
As environmentally-conscious parents and citizens, you are ideally positioned to be a change maker by encouraging your children and their schools to take action.
Have a great March Break! Wishing you and your kids loads of fun and some delicious local and organic food!
