The Solutions Are At Our Fingertips

Climate change can feel daunting and abstract, and many people feel the decisions they make don’t have a direct impact. But they are wrong.

Every decision has a multiplier effect — especially when it comes to food.

With every bite we take, we have an opportunity to explore how eating can be a restorative act and how our food system can be a delicious way to mitigate climate change. Ironically, agriculture is one of the greatest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, but it can also be one of the most powerful ways to mitigate this challenge.

The solutions are at our fingertips, on our plates and in our community: shop at farmers markets and get to know the people who cultivate your food, grow your own produce, or simply consider how the food was grown and transported. That simple act of awareness reveals our interdependence: We are fed through the resources of the land and the efforts of many. Eating is an intimate and immediate way to respond to climate challenges.

Slow Food’s work on preserving agricultural biodiversity and celebrating heritage foods through the Ark of Taste are central to preserving food culture and mitigating global warming. Slow Food reminds us we are not merely eaters — we are co-producers of the food system that feeds communities, supports livelihoods and sustains vital culinary traditions. From highlighting the plight of farm workers to tackling food waste, Slow Food recognizes—and celebrates—the centrality of food both on and beyond the plate. Thanks for being part of the movement!

Simran Sethi is the author of Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love, and a Fellow of the Institute for Food and Development Policy