How can we stop world hunger through our everyday behavior and end it once and for all? If you are currently asking yourself this question and would like to learn more about the connections between our personal behavior and the global famine you've come to the right place!
We're doing pretty well in our western world, don't you think? We have the chance to decide WHAT we eat several times a day. Unfortunately, elsewhere people have to hope every day THAT they will eat. Because in Germany we also live at the expense of others. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why people still have to go hungry in our global society.
In this article, you will find out why this is the case - and what you can do to ensure that the UN's goal of eliminating hunger in the world by 2030 soon becomes a reality.₁
Here is a brief overview of the tips from this article:
- Reduce meat consumption
- Buy regional and organic
- Supporting aid organizations
- Preserving food for longer
- Appreciate meals more
- Live more climate friendly
- Save food
- Working for a human rights organization
- Start into vegan life
- Engage politically
- Share knowledge with others
How can each of us fight world hunger?
The World hunger is one of the biggest social problems of our time. Let us directly start this article with some factswhich underline why people are still going hungry today, even though it is absolutely avoidable:
- Around 33 percent of global agricultural land is used to grow feed for livestock.₂ In Germany, the figure is as high as 60 percent.₃
- To create an animal caloriean average of seven plant-based calories are consumed.₄
- Every year, around 1.3 billion tons of food actually ends up in the garbage cans₅, while at the same time there are 828 million starving people on our planet.₆
The existence of starving people in this world is therefore also dependent on how we use agricultural land, what food we eat and how much we value it.
"You can't build peace on empty stomachs."
Norman Ernest Borlaug (more at Hunger quotes)
Now that we know why people go hungry, we can move on to everyday solutions, stop world hunger together and ensure greater justice in our world.
Tip: If you are in the mood for more World hunger statistics and facts just check out the linked blog article.
1. Eat less meat
By place more emphasis on plant-based rather than animal-based foodswe are helping to ensure that fewer people go hungry. As we have just seen, plant-based foods can feed seven times as many people. Simply by "Detour animal" avoided will.
At the same time, the vegan diet also counteracts the global warming which is one of the main threats to global food safety. Among other things, because Water shortagelong periods of drought and, of course, significant crop failures are a consequence of the rise in average global temperatures.
Tip: For example, just start with a simple Trial month into the vegan lifestyle. In my experience, especially the focus on reducing animal suffering makes the transition much easier!
2. Proactive regional, seasonal and organic shopping
A good purchase planning is half the battle! For example, every Saturday we make a plan with our meals for the coming week. We then shop accordingly. Strictly according to plan to avoid spontaneous purchases of food that is actually superfluous. That way, we end up throwing away less or nothing at all.
When shopping, make sure that apples, potatoes and other foods, come from the area if possible and have their season. In this way, you avoid long transportation routes and unnecessarily high water consumption for growing food in regions that suffer from water shortages. All of this counteracts climate change and thus also world hunger.
Set thereby also on fairly produced, organic food from organic farming. In this concept, for example, your products are produced in a way that protects the soil - whereas conventional agriculture generally uses pesticides and Manure with antibiotic residues from the Factory farming uses. A healthy soil is ultimately the basis of long-term food security.
You can also find more information in the following articles:
3. support aid organizations financially
A useful addition to adjusting your eating habits is financial support from aid organizations. For example, through a monthly standing order or a one-off donation. Every extra cent can be worth its weight in gold for another person.
The following Aid organizations I can highly recommend if you are interested:
4. preserving and multiplying food for longer
In addition to making well-planned purchases, you can also prevent waste by Extend the shelf life of your food.
For example, by storing them in Stainless steel containers, Preserving jars or oilcloths. The compartment in which you store your food in the refrigerator can also vary due to the different Temperature zones be decisive! You can also grow countless foods yourself or (like ginger, for example) propagate them on your windowsill.
Tip: The best-before date is a guideline. It does not mean that food is poisonous after this date. 😉 So rely more on your senses instead of throwing away expired goods straight away. Below Reduce food waste for further inspiration.
5. appreciate and eat meals
"Eat up well, then we'll have good weather tomorrow." - my grandma used to say to me and my brother when we were children. With this "extra motivation", we then also Meals eaten upthat we didn't like so much. However, the change in climate is much more serious than having to put up with bad weather for a day. The motivation in this case, for example, is long-term food safety.
That's why everyone should treat their own meals with respect and finish them. And only put as much food on your plate as you really need. If you want to stop world hunger, you should Setting internalize.
Tip: Growing your own small vegetable garden is great fun. It gives you fresh food on a regular basis and also helps to keep your Raising children's awareness of environmental protection.
6. Live more climate friendly
Anything that counteracts climate change also has a fundamentally positive effect on humanity's food security. After all less frequent periods of drought, flooding, storms and other crop-destroying events. Therefore, you can also make a significant contribution to the fight against world hunger by adapting your habits in everyday life.
For this I can give you the following, further article recommend
- Climate protection tips
- Connection between nutrition and climate
- The biggest environmental sins in everyday life
7. Save food
If you want to stop world hunger, you can also actively save other people's food from the garbage can. This works, for example, with the concept of Food sharings. As a member, you drive to businesses such as bakeries, supermarkets or restaurants to rescue food that would otherwise end up in the garbage can. Not because they are bad, but usually only because they are left over or too much.
So you benefit from free food, you can distribute it to other people or eat it yourself. Just give it a try!
8. work for a human rights organization
How about fighting world hunger not only in your private life, but also professionally?
For example, you can choose to be vegan nutritionist and educate people about plant-based nutrition - or as an employee of Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) in the Marketing or in the range Finance & Accounting work. These are just a few examples - in any case, the table is well laid with suitable positions.
Tip: Look with pleasure times in the sustainable job portal to see if there is an interesting vacancy for you!
9. deal with the reasons for veganism
Life is a constant learning process. I also used to eat a lot of meat. Today I know the consequences of Meat-heavy diet for our planet and other living beings.
A plant-based diet is the key to ending world hunger. But with the Veganism also opens other doors. For example, it also counteracts global warming, the Cruelty to animals, the Deforestation of the rainforests and the Water shortage against.
Tip: A more detailed overview with the essential Reasons for veganismcan be found in the linked article. The more you internalize them and existing Vegan prejudices the easier it will be for you to fight global famine with a plant-based diet.
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Cookbook Vegan cliché goodbye!20 € -
Eat animals13 € -
Vegan is nonsense!24 €
10. Engage politically
By creating effective Start online petitions If you start a campaign, go to demonstrations or get politically involved in a party, you can make a difference in our global society. a real difference in the fight against famine.
And not only by directly drawing attention to hunger in the world, but also by taking an active role in the fight against hunger. Climate protection, the Animal welfare and the plant-based diet, a fair agricultural trade, fair wages, Seed diversity, Basic security, sustainable food systems, Human Rights or the Food rescue uses.
11. Communicate your knowledge
It is easy to forget the impact we can actually make in the fight against world hunger by just talk and discuss it with other people.
Don't impose your opinion on anyone, just try to express your own. Explain point of view. Over time you will become more and more Convince people.
Please rememberthat no one has to become a vegan straight away and do everything perfectly. You will also reach your goal if you go through the change in diet step by step.
Stopping world hunger - everyone can do something!
Everyone really can do something! Either we ourselves are still part of the hunger problem through our daily actions or we are already part of the solution. Anyone who realizes that every foodstuff has its own history - which may also be water-, land- or energy-intensive - will make a positive impact on reducing world hunger more quickly.
"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."
Edmund Burke (more at Sustainability Quotes)
Finally, I would like to give you a few further articles to the heart, which of your obvious, positive trait of helpfulness and compassion:
- Helping people - what you can do for other people
- Good deeds in everyday life to make the world a better place
- Vegan for human rights - Why veganism also helps people
- Why does it make us happy to help others?
I hope this article will help you to make a difference every day. Do you have any questions or can you think of any other tips to help more people actively fight world hunger? Then please write me a comment!
Stay healthy, compassionate and sustainable,
PS: Be sure to look further in the Nutrition blog around. There you will find, for example, a list with effective Documentaries about factory farmingthat will significantly change your view of the meat industry.
References:
₁ P. Lymbery: Futtermittel: Viel Land für viel Vieh (as at: 08.01.2015), available at https://www.boell.de/de/2015/01/08/futtermittel-viel-land-fuer-viel-vieh. [23.06.2023].
₂ Deutscher Verband Tiernahrung e. V. (DVT): Too much for feed cultivation in Germany? Agricultural land and its use (as at 18.06.2020), available at https://www.dvtiernahrung.de/aktuelles-detail/zu-viel-fuer-futteranbau-in-deutschland-agrarflaechen-und-ihre-nutzung. [23.06.2023].
₃ Poore, J./Nemecek, T. (2018): "Reducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers". In: Science Vol. 360, Issue 6392, pp. 987-992.
₄ S. Weick; Brot für die Welt; Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e.V. (2010): Meat consumption (as of March 2010). https://www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de/fileadmin/mediapool/2_Downloads/NIFSA/NIFSA_Kampagnenblatt_Fleischkonsum.pdf. [23.06.2023].
₅ FAO (2013): Food wastage footprint Impacts on natural resources - summary report, available at https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/196220/icode. [23.06.2023].
₆ Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.: Hunger: prevalence, causes & consequences, available at https://t1p.de/ijuj. [23.06.2023].
