Food

Everyone needs food to survive. But how many of us know about or even think about where that food comes from and what it is doing to our bodies as well as our planet? From methods of food production, to supply chains to the economics of supermarkets, plastic packaging and even what food is in season: there is so much to find out and discover before we can make ethical decisions about what we consume and how it impacts on ourselves, our fellow humans and our planet. This is such an exciting topic and fundamental to our individual mental and physical health and wellbeing as well as the wellbeing and balancing of our future planet.

Agriculture, or the way we produce our food, is a large proportion – nearly 20% of global carbon emissions as well as causing 30% of biodiversity decline globally. So an understanding of our food systems, how to minimise land use and increase soil health, efficiency of food production without the carbon and health impacts of industrialised food processes is key to story of a transforming world. This transformation can be lead by personal behavioural changes as well as by technological, business or political leadership.

So this topic area will cover history, geography, culture, logistics and importance of food from herbs, spices, to origins of common foodstuffs like chocolate as well as indigenous cooking techniques from all over the world (recipe collecting). This will cover supply chains, carbon footprints, water tables and other environmental impacts.