Every August 12, International Youth Day recognizes the contributions of young people to sustainable development. The 2026 theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” reflects the different conditions young people face and the shared goals that connect their efforts.

This year’s theme is especially relevant to global food systems, which shape both the livelihoods and well-being of young people around the world. Globally, 44% of working youth were employed in agrifood systems in 202.  At the same time, food insecurity among young people increased from 16.7% in 2014–2016 to 24.4% in 2021–2023. These figures show how closely young people’s futures are tied to the challenges and opportunities within food systems.

Young people are playing an increasingly active role in responding to these challenges and shaping the future of food systems. Across different regions and circumstances, they are developing solutions that reflect the needs of their own communities, from agriculture and school food to public policy, food waste, and the commercial environments that influence what people eat. The five examples below show how young people are turning local ideas into action and contributing to broader food-system change.

Bringing Precision Agriculture to Farmers — Benin

Food insecurity continues to affect communities across the West African nation of Benin, particularly during the lean season when access to food becomes more difficult. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects that more than 201,000 people will face acute food insecurity between June and August 2026. These pressures increase the need for practical agricultural innovations that can help farmers improve productivity, use resources more efficiently, and strengthen resilience against disturbances.

Young agricultural researcher Marietta Gonroudobou founded Agro Hikari to connect scientific knowledge with farmers. The platform translates agronomic research into practical guidance and has expanded into digital agriculture. Gonroudobou has also developed a drone-based spraying solution designed to make agricultural input use more precise.

In 2026, the World Food Prize Foundation named Gonroudobou a Top Agri-food Pioneer. Agro Hikari also won the Benin edition of the Prix Pierre Castel and received €25,000 plus a year of mentorship. The project remains an emerging model, and this support provides an opportunity to test its precision-agriculture services at a larger scale.

Rethinking the Waste That Comes With School Lunch — United States

Disposable food service items contribute to a large stream of plastic waste in the United States, including the polystyrene trays still used in many school cafeterias. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the country generated about 80,000 tons of polystyrene containers in 2018, and less than 5,000 tons were recycled. In Houston, three fourth-graders brought attention to this issue by questioning the use of disposable polystyrene trays in their school cafeterias.

In 2025, River Oaks Elementary students Celine David, Maddie Woods, and Dora Cabarcas researched alternatives to polystyrene lunch trays. They gathered more than 250 signatures on an online petition and presented their findings to Houston Independent School District leaders. Their efforts helped prompt HISD to launch a pilot program testing alternative trays at River Oaks Elementary and Hogg Middle School.

Evidence from other school systems suggests that reusable serviceware can substantially reduce cafeteria waste. A 2026 study of California elementary schools found that schools using reusable trays and other serviceware reduced packaging and serviceware waste by about 5 kilograms less packaging and serviceware waste per day than schools that continued using disposable items. The HISD pilot will help the district assess how these alternatives perform in practice and whether they can be expanded more widely. The students’ campaign shows how young people can use research and community engagement to influence decisions within their own schools and communities.

Turning Youth Innovation Into Food-System Solutions — Indonesia

Indonesia faces a generational challenge in agriculture. Almost 80 percent of the country’s farmers are age 40 or older, while young people ages 15 to 29 account for about half of its unemployed population. Together, these trends highlight an opportunity to connect youth employment and entrepreneurship with the future of agriculture.

The 2025 Youth Innovation Challenge received more than 230 proposals and selected 18 finalists for mentorship and training. Winning projects included vertical farming that reuses kitchen waste, artificial intelligence for fruit-fly control, and circular systems that convert food scraps into farm inputs. Ten innovators shared Rp84 million in awards and presented their ideas to government representatives.

The program gave young people an opportunity to develop and refine their ideas while connecting with institutions that could support implementation. Initiatives like this can provide early support for locally  developed solutions, helping young innovators test what works and identify approaches with the potential to grow.

Challenging the Food Advertising Environment — United Kingdom

The food system extends beyond how food is grown and produced to the environments that influence what people see, choose, and buy. A 2025 University of Liverpool study found that 44 percent of surveyed outdoor advertisements promoted food or drinks, with one in four promoting unhealthy products. These advertisements appeared six times more often per kilometer in the most deprived areas studied.

Youth activists with Bite Back responded through the 2025 Commercial Break campaign. They placed youth-designed messages across 365 advertising spaces in London and called for stronger limits on unhealthy food marketing. Organizers estimated that the intervention prevented about 14.8 million people from being exposed to the advertisements that would otherwise have occupied those spaces.

UK-wide restrictions on less healthy food advertising on television before 9 p.m. and in paid online advertising took effect on January 5, 2026. However, the national rules do not cover billboards or other outdoor advertising, which remains a focus of Bite Back’s advocacy. The campaign demonstrates how young people can use evidence and advocacy to engage companies and policymakers around the food environments that shape consumption.

Bringing Youth Ideas Into Food Policy — Ecuador

Food loss and waste pose both environmental and food-security pressures in Ecuador. A 2025 report by the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Global FoodBanking Network estimates that more than 900,000 tons of food are lost or wasted each year. The report  also found that 37 percent of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity between 2020 and 2022.

The World Food Forum Ecuador Youth Chapter has brought young people into national discussions about this issue. In October 2025, the chapter convened youth with government institutions, food banks, and civil-society organizations. The meeting helped gather evidence and advanced a coordinated proposal to reform Ecuador’s food loss and waste law.

In 2026, the chapter continued developing youth skills through training in project management, resource mobilization, and public policy. More than 30 young leaders from eight provinces participated in a May workshop that also strengthened connections among youth networks. Its work shows how youth groups can bring local concerns into formal policy discussions.

Cultivating Change

Global food challenges are complex, and they often result from deep, underlying, and interrelated factors that no single solution can address. Effective responses need to reflect the social, environmental, and economic conditions of each place. Meaningful progress therefore depends on understanding how a problem operates locally and developing solutions that respond to its underlying drivers.

The youth-led efforts featured here show how place-based action can create spaces for innovation. Young people are testing technologies, mobilizing communities, and engaging institutions around problems they experience locally. These experiments can reveal practices that work under specific conditions. Governments, companies, and nonprofits can then evaluate those lessons and adapt promising approaches elsewhere.

Youth-led ideas can have greater impact when young people have sustained support to develop and expand them. Mentorship builds technical and organizational capacity, financing provides the time and resources needed to strengthen promising initiatives, and partnerships with governments, civil society, businesses, and other institutions can create pathways for wider adoption. FAO research similarly highlights investment, meaningful participation in decision-making, access to skills and resources, and improved financing as key conditions for youth engagement in agrifood-system transformation.

International Youth Day is an opportunity to celebrate young people’s contributions while recognizing what they need to turn ideas to lasting change. It’s also an opportunity to turn that creativity into action. Young people can support EARTHDAY.ORG’s Canopy Tree Project, explore our Climate Education campaign, or join The Great Global Cleanup. Each offers a way to take action and mobilize others. This International Youth Day, find a challenge in your community and help cultivate a solution.

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The practices used in conventional farming help produce large amounts of food, which of course helps farmers stay in business. However these practices also contribute to climate change. The use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plus planting the same crop over and over in the same field, leads to lower quality soil and increased vulnerability to pests. 

Managing a profitable farm and practicing good climate stewardship aren’t mutually exclusive ideas. Farmers have options that make it possible to grow large amounts of food and minimize their impact, including using regenerative agriculture techniques and installing agrivoltaic systems for solar power on their land. Let’s look at how both these paths improve a farm’s resilience and support the farmer’s economic well-being.

Saving the Soil Can Also Save Money

According to the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation, regenerative farming is any practice, process or management approach that enhances the functioning of the systems on which it relies that makes the land, community and bottom-line healthier year after year.

Regenerative farming practices include using natural fertilizers and cover crops, eliminating mechanical soil tilling, and integrating trees into farming. These methods help promote biodiversity and maintain healthy carbon levels in the soil; they can also reduce overall agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Regenerative farming also has the potential to increase crop yield – and also revenue – depending on how and where it is used. Organic farming, or the practice of using natural fertilizers, shows an average yield gain of 16 percent in tropical countries in Africa. In subtropical and tropical regions, using agroforestry, or integrating trees into crop land, results in a 7-16 percent increase in crop yield. Farmers that planted cover crops like legumes in areas with course-textured soil and not much rain saw an overall yield increase of 14 percent. 

However even when crop yields are smaller, regenerative agriculture can still result in higher revenue through decreased operational costs. A 2025 study looking at regenerative farming in the Upper Midwest compared a five-crop rotation system to a conventional corn-soybean rotation and found that the regenerative system can be just as profitable, particularly over the long term. After three years of a five-crop rotation, the revenue produced was similar to that of the two-crop system, likely because of the need for less spending on pesticides, spraying, fertilizers, and tractor use. 

Prioritizing climate sustainability doesn’t have to mean an unprofitable farm. Regenerative agriculture can offer financial stability, but it’s not the only option farmers have.

Harvesting Crops and Kilowatts

In the short term, switching to regenerative farming can be a financial risk due to unpredictable initial crop yields, so finding a secondary income source can be a lifesaver for farmers. Arivoltaics, or solar panels integrated into an agriculture system, allow farmers to earn money in two ways: from selling products and from producing or selling electricity. This extra energy income can help farmers become less affected by unpredictable crop price fluctuations and protect them from financial losses caused by extreme weather conditions.

However, agrivoltaic systems can be expensive to install because they require taller, stronger, and more complex structures than regular ground-mounted solar panels. Some studies estimate the cost to be about 5 to 40 percent higher than conventional solar panel installations, though newer designs and distributed manufacturing may help lower costs and improve payback period, which is already less than 10 years on average.

Solar Panels can Shade and Shelter

Even with the high installation costs, a 2025 systematic review found that agrivoltaic systems can provide several benefits beyond renewable electricity. These systems may improve water-use efficiency in hot climates by up to 150-300 percent through providing shade. They also enhance land-use efficiency by up to 200 percent, reduce the need for irrigation by 14 percent, and increase revenue by up to 15 times. In addition, shade from the panels helps reduce heat stress in livestock and the physical structure itself creates a shield, reducing potential wind damage to crops and the earth. 

However, these potential benefits don’t mean that agrivoltaics will work equally well everywhere. The success of these systems depends on the location of the farm, soil and crop type, and the layout of the solar panels. 

A 2026 PNAS study gives a good example of these mixed results. It found that agrivoltaics performed differently in locations across the U.S. Midwest. In the more humid, eastern Midwest, agrivoltaics reduced crop yields and farm profits, while in semiarid western Midwest locations, solar panel shade helped reduce water stress, improving crop growth. One lesson we can take from this study is that agrivoltaics may be most useful in hotter or drier climates.

Supporting the Farms of Tomorrow

While regenerative agriculture and agrivoltaics have their trade offs, they offer farmers a hopeful path forward. Regenerative agriculture can rebuild soil health, reduce dependence on expensive fertilizers and pesticides, and even increase yields when matched to the right climate and crop, while agrivoltaics add another layer of economic support and provide shade and wind protection. Together these practices show that farming does not have to choose between profit and environmental responsibility. When carefully planned for local conditions, regenerative agriculture and agrivoltaics can help farmers earn money, protect their land, and build farms that actively fight against global warming.

Check out our other articles on regenerative farming, soil health, and all things food.

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Seizing the day often starts with a cozy mug of hot, steaming caffeine. Picture this; the winter sun’s rays slant through the coffee shop’s windows, warming your back as you gaze up at the black chalk board perched above the espresso machine and your tattooed barista’s head. The tantalizing options range from the season’s pumpkin pie latté to the shot-in-the-dark undertow to good ol’ black coffee. Today, though, you’re looking for something a little different. 

You’ve read the news and know coffee is linked to climate change, not just as a casualty of changing weather patterns, but as a contributor to the climate crisis itself. The crop that fuels mornings around the world depends on a delicate balance of temperature and rainfall, one that’s rapidly being disrupted. As the planet warms, the regions suitable for growing coffee are shrinking, pests are spreading, and harvests are becoming less reliable. At the same time, coffee farming itself—through deforestation, fertilizer use, and global transport, adds to the very problem threatening its future.

So should we be thinking about drinking tea instead?

Tea is Already Hugely Popular Across the Globe

As one of the most consumed beverages in the world in 2022 — second only to water — tea’s legacy extends back as far as 2700 BCE in ancient China. Legend has it that the second emperor of China, Shen Nung, discovered tea after a stray tea leaf drifted into his cup of hot water after supper. He enjoyed the flavor and the relief it brought his post-meal discomfort. In India, stories recall how the Buddha chewed tea leaves during the fifth year of a seven year sleepless meditation to relieve fatigue.

Since that time, tea (Camellia sinensis orCamellia assamica) has been valued for its therapeutic properties and health benefits. It also quickly became a staple in cultural ceremonies. Buddhist monks brought tea to other parts of Asia, and in Japan, tea was quickly developed into an art form. 

The 16th century Japanese monk Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591 CE) shaped the tea ceremony into the genteel and subdued experience it is today in Japan. Complete with intimate tea rooms, well-groomed gardens, and perfect flower arrangements, the tea ceremony transcended the cup and moved into the world of politics. Warlords and diplomats used the ceremony during political encounters and gifted favored underlings prized porcelain bowls.

European powers taste for tea developed during 15th century colonial expeditions and intercontinental trade.  The two words for tea —  pronounced “te” or “cha” — originate from the same Chinese hieroglyph, and varied from province to province. Thus, the British, Dutch, and Italians who traded with “te” pronouncing provinces adopted the word “te” while Portugal, trading from the port Macau, adopted “cha.” 

Today, tea is a key socioeconomic staple (a primary export a region produces) in countries like China, India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. It is considered a poverty relief crop, with 60% of global tea output in 2022 coming from smallholder farmers and farming households. 

Unfortunately, tea is also particularly vulnerable to climate change, with its growth, quality, and yield each sensitive to minute changes in temperature, precipitation, and soil health. Climate crises like droughts, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall have disrupted tea production, potentially impacting millions of smallholder farmers across the globe.

And, with an estimated 3.7 billion cups drunk everyday around the world, demand for tea isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

The Matcha Meltdown

Everyone’s favorite punch of powdered green tea isn’t an exception. As demand skyrockets in places like the United States, Germany, and Dubai, suppliers are struggling to keep up. Tencha — the tea leaves which are processed into matcha — withers under extreme heat conditions, damaging bushes and weakening yields. Hotter weather also means increased risks of fungal and bacterial infections and disease.

In Japan’s Kyoto region, a region which accounts for a quarter of the nation’s high quality tencha production, yields dropped considerably, with one farmer, Masahiro Yoshida noting his 2024 summer yield had shrunk by 25%.

Rescuing Rooibos

As the national beverage of South Africa, rooibos tea holds cultural significance. In 2021, the European Union registered rooibos in the protected designation of origin (PDO) register, meaning only rooibos grown in the Cederberg region can be legally called rooibos. Yet, as climate change alters the Cederberg region’s local climate, rooibos may not be able to adapt. The plant’s ecological specificity and superficial root system make it especially vulnerable to climate change. And, without the Cederberg region, rooibos, at least under EU legal status, may go extinct.

Rich, nutty South-African rooibos is also a battleground for the environment. Grown exclusively in the Cederberg region of South-Africa, this tea is extremely sensitive to its environment, requiring acid sand soil and a narrow range of climate conditions. A 2025 study observed rooibos’ vulnerability to climate change, noting that warmer weather conditions led to unusually high rainfall and water-logged soil,  conditions which may lead to mortality in rooibos plants. Low rainfall also impacts rooibos, in 2023 alone, harvest volume dropped by 17% due to reduced rainfall. 

How Can You Help?

Modern cultivation practices tend to value short-term yield over long-term ecological health, straining the environment. Poor tea farming contributes to water pollution, soil erosion, and disrupts local ecosystems. 

But tea cultivation can be achieved sustainably and you don’t have to be a tea farmer to contribute. Buying organic teas bypasses pesticides and harmful synthetic chemicals which pollute the soil and supporting fair trade tea goes hand-in-hand with promoting ethical environmental practices. By empowering tea workers with fair wages, safe working conditions, and social benefits, tea-growing communities are positioned to become stewards of the land. 

For the everyday consumer, choosing ethically sourced and environmentally friendly tea matters. People and the planet are interconnected, and in supporting one another, we all move towards a more just future. Changing our habits means investing in our planet — taking those critical steps towards a brighter, tea-infused tomorrow. 

And hey, if coffee’s still more your vibe, I’ve got just the ethical coffee article for you.

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Those “eco-friendly” snack bars you bought this week? Chances are, the label was more marketing than truth. 

Feeding the world comes with a heavy environmental cost. In 2022, food production accounted for 29.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond that, agriculture drives deforestation, water pollution, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and raises serious concerns about farm animal welfare.

All of this damage is intrinsically woven into our food system, so it’s no surprise that customers have been seeking out more sustainable options. Food companies have picked up on this trend, dressing their products up in ‘green’ marketing to appear environmentally responsible. In reality that doesn’t always mean they are actually doing better for the planet. 

Greenwashing is when companies mislead customers into believing they are doing more to protect the environment than they actually are. Greenwashing takes many different forms, like misleading claims about plastic recycling capabilities, or even products labeled as biodegradable when they don’t actually break down easily unless they go through another  industrial process. On food packaging, this often means vague labels like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘all natural,’ or just plain old ‘green’.

Greenwashing also involves the using visual symbols of nature, like a leaf or a tree, to convey the same message. Earlier in 2025, Snapple entered a lawsuit regarding the company’s marketing of their tea as “all natural,” despite the fact that they contain citric acid, which is considered synthetic by the Food and Drug Administration. In 2014, General Mills’s Nature Valley bars came under fire for their ‘natural’ claims, despite also containing synthetic ingredients. 

Eco-friendly? Prove it!

While it feels good to come home with a grocery bag full of “sustainably sourced” pasta, “farm fresh” tomato sauce, and “pasture-raised” cheese, topped with “pesticide-free” basil. And vague eco-buzzwords may seem enticing, we as consumers need hard evidence to back these claims up. . In the United States, these labels lack a legal definition, which means there are no enforceable standards, and companies can use them freely without providing evidence.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) polices food labels on packaged goods, but only when the wording has a legal definition. Since words like “eco-friendly” or “all natural” are legally undefined, the FDA doesn’t have the authority to get involved in their use.

It might make sense for the FDA to handle these claims, but since greenwashing falls under advertising, this work shifts to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is in charge of advertising claims to ensure that companies aren’t misleading customers. Their Green Guides provide companies with standards for making truthful environmental marketing claims.

This might seem great for us consumers, but in reality these guidelines have not been updated since 2012, and they aren’t legally binding. The FTC has a more comprehensive legal framework for addressing greenwashing, but its enforcement ability is limited and stronger oversight is needed for this type of marketing.  Vague labelling is misleading and gives a false sense of progress and worse, it distracts from the bigger problems we are facing in agriculture and food supply chains.

What Should You Look Out For?

If buzzwords like “natural” and “green” aren’t enough to guarantee sustainability, then what can we rely on?  That’s where trusted certifications come in; backed by third-party oversight, rigorous standards, transparency, and actual accountability.

The USDA Certified Organic label allows farms or processing facilities to call their products organic but to earn the certification, farms must adopt organic practices. That means protecting soil and water quality, conserving habitats, and avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and genetic engineering altogether. If any rules are broken, there are financial penalties and even the risk of losing their organic certification. 

The Non-GMO Project butterfly seal isn’t given out to just anybody. There is a rigorous multi-step process involving third-party administrators, verification fees, and annual renewals. To be given the butterfly seal, the product must avoid genetically modified organisms (GMO). Crops must fall below a strict GMO threshold, and farms and facilities need to keep GMO and non-GMO ingredients separate. The Non-GMO Project verification does not guarantee that products are GMO-free, as such a claim is not legally or scientifically defensible but it is a serious attempt to help consumers find non-GMO foods as best it can. Risks of GMO contamination still exist in seeds, crops, and ingredient supply as many of these non-GMO and GMO products share processing and supply chains. . 

Certified Humane has its own multi-step process, which includes fees, inspections, and intensive reviews. The verification ensures that a farm’s animals are never kept in cages or crates; they are allowed to move freely and behave naturally. Animals must be fed quality food free of antibiotics or growth hormones. They have set animal care standards for individual species ranging from cattle to red deer but even here it’s hard to police every farm or brand who bears their symbol.

Our Wallets Have Power

Knowing the difference between greenwashed labels and trustworthy certifications trying to do the right thing – helps! Here’s a cheat sheet to refer to next time you’re at the grocery store:

• Showing, not telling: don’t fall for the labels with no explanations. Buzzwords like “natural” and “eco-friendly” don’t tell the whole story. Look for details!
• Look for the seal! Certifications like USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, and Certified Humane require fees and inspections; not just any brand can claim these labels! 
• Check the databases. Certifications provide a product database for you to check your favorite brands. Here for USDA Organic, here for Non-GMO Project, here for Certified Humane. 

At the end of the day, these greenwashing labels are another attempt at curbing the blame of the climate crisis on the individual, rather than making true changes within the industry itself. 

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World Vegan Day celebrates people who don’t eat meat or other animal products, including eggs, milk, cheese, honey, or even whey. No animal based cheesecake, mayonnaise, or buttercream frosting. No smoked salmon or gelatin gummy bears. And absolutely no jerk chicken. 

But what vegans lose in choices, they make up for in fulfilling love for our planet and fellow animals. Besides, there are plenty of plant-based, dairy-free options out there — many of which are more wholesome than non-vegan products. 

What is more, some vegan and vegetarian diets come with reported health benefits. Vegetarian diets are associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and decreased risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and worsening arthritis symptoms.

A 2016 study by Oxford Martin Scholars predicted that if a global shift was made towards a vegan diet, an estimated 8 million lives could be saved by 2050 compared to current global eating trends. The same study also estimated that food-related greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 29–70% if more of us went vegan.

Veganism exists along a spectrum, all vegans reject eating meat and dairy products but some choose not to eat honey or many reject using any animal-based products such as leather or pearl. Most vegans make personal commitments to support animal welfare and reduce causing harm to animals in every instance that they can. 

So, where did veganism come from and what kinds of peoples has it touched throughout history? Who were the first vegans and how has veganism changed over time? 

Early Religions and Vegan Ethos

The first religious vegan community dates back to 7000 BCE on the Indus river in a village known as Mehrgarh. Hinduism, a religion known for its reverence for living beings and for adhering to a non-meat diet, traces its philosophical roots back to this village. Later texts attest to their practice of nonviolence towards animals:

Hindus aren’t the only religious group to embrace plant-based diets. In the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, the book of Genesis describes the Garden of Eden as a paradise where humans and animals were originally herbivorous. 

Genesis 1:29 states that God gave the first humans “every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it” for food. Verse 30 adds that “every green plant” was provided for all living creatures. According to this interpretation, Adam and Eve were originally plant-eaters, and the animals of the earth and sky were not meant to hunt or eat one another. This story has often been cited as an example of a divinely envisioned harmonious, plant-based world.

Jainism, a religion originating in India, takes the vegan ethos probably further than many others. Like Hinduism and Buddhism, Jainism adheres to principles of ahimsa, the ethical principle of non-violence toward all living beings.

For especially strict believers, like Jain monks, ahimsa includes plant, insect, and microbial life — any living thing with a soul or jiwa. Interrupting a creature’s jiwa caused perpetrators to incur karma, the accumulated effects of past actions. Strict Jain monks take extra precautions: they filter water to avoid ingesting tiny organisms, and they avoid eating after sunset to prevent accidentally harming insects that come out at night.

Jains follow a highly careful, plant-based diet relying on eating fruits, grains, legumes, and vegetables that grow above the ground, avoiding root vegetables, meat, eggs, and honey. Some  Jains consume dairy. 

Greek Philosophers and Veganism

Pythagoras (570-490 BCE) was a Greek philosopher whose work influenced the minds of Plato, Aristotle, and contributed greatly to Western rational philosophy. Pythagoras was so closely tied to abstaining from meat and fish that before the term vegetarian became popular in the 1800s, vegetarian and vegan diets were known as ‘Pythagorean’.

Other plant-based diets had slightly different name variations, such as ovo-vegetarians, which allows for the consumption of eggs, or lacto-vegetarians, which allows for the consumption of milk. But all of these historical diets centered around the complete abstinence of eating meat.

Pythagoras didn’t leave behind a written record of his lifestyle so what we do know about his diet and values comes from the writings of his contemporaries and followers. Neoplatonist philosopher Lamblichus wrote that Pythagoras avoided all animal flesh as a prerequisite to peace. Ovid recorded in his own works this Pythagorean quote: “Animals share with us the privilege of having a soul.”

Plato followed in Pythagoras’s footsteps. Though he may not have been a strict vegan himself, his work and teachings draw inspiration from Pythagoras and attribute abstinence of meat with a desire for peace, health, and happiness.

The West and Veganism

The roots of vegetarian and vegan thought in the West trace back to the Renaissance when humanists and clergy began raising ethical questions about eating animals. For example, humanist Desiderius Erasmus (1466‑1536) in his satirical work In Praise of Folly criticized the ceremonial violence of hunting as absurd and beast‑like — “And then what pleasure they take to see a buck or the like unlaced… In all which they drive at nothing more than to become beasts themselves, while yet they imagine they live the life of princes.” 

The tradition of avoiding meat eventually moved into more structured vegetarianism, when in the United Kingdom the Vegetarian Society was founded in 1847 under the chairmanship of Joseph Brotherton, offering a formal platform for abstaining from eating animals.

Across the Atlantic, the Ephrata Cloister  (Pennsylvania, USA, founded 1732) was a religious community whose members embraced a largely vegetarian diet as part of their ascetic devotion. While their vegetarian practices didn’t immediately spark a nationwide movement, they are historically significant as one of the first documented American communities to embrace a plant-based diet for ethical/religious reasons.

Their writings and lifestyle were noted by contemporary observers and later historians, linking them to the broader history of vegetarianism in the West.

In more recent decades the shift from vegetarianism to veganism — abstaining from all animal‐derived products — has accelerated across Europe and the US. 

Market research shows that plant-based food sales have surged, with the European market expected to reach $16.7 billion by 2029, growing at roughly 10% annually. Social initiatives like Veganuary, launched in 2014 in the UK, have attracted hundreds of thousands of participants globally, reflecting a broader cultural embrace of vegan lifestyles. Rising awareness of animal welfare, environmental concerns, and health benefits has made veganism increasingly visible and influential, transforming both markets and daily diets.

Meanwhile the contemporary vegan movement draws on that long ethical heritage of non‑violence, compassion for animals, and reconsidering dietary norms. Whether you see it in the quiet gardens of 18th‑century Pennsylvania, the moral treatises of Renaissance scholars, or the bustling vegan cafés of London and New York, the continuous thread is this: food is not just fuel, but a statement of values and how we relate to other beings and the planet.

The Modern Vegan Movement

The modern vegan movement took off in 1944 when the word “vegan” was coined by animal rights activist, Donald Watson, and a group of friends in England. They wanted a word to describe a lifestyle that excluded all animal products, not just meat — meaning it would cover dairy, eggs, and other animal-derived products as well. They took the first three and last two letters of “vegetarian” to create “vegan”. That same year, Watson co-founded The Vegan Society in the UK, which remains the primary organization promoting veganism worldwide.

Watson used the past year’s epidemic of Tuberculosis in cattle to support his new movement, claiming that a vegan lifestyle helped prevent people from ingesting contaminated food. At the time of his death in 2005, there were 250,000 self-identified vegans in Britain and 2 million in the U.S.

Today, many people around the world have embraced plant-based lifestyles. Data from 2023 estimates that there are approximately 88 million vegans worldwide. India leads the charge — in 2024, the plant-based powerhouse counted 10% of its population as vegan where most other Western countries’ counts remain under 3%. 

As we celebrate World Vegan Day, let’s remember to respect other peoples’ dietary practices and learn more about them. Consider trying Veganuary, a global movement supporting people who’d like to try going vegan in January. Meatless Mondays are another option to dip your toes in and gradually reduce meat in your diet. 

Plant-based diets are packed with protein, fiber, and goodness. Whatever your preference, plant-based diets offer a host of health benefits for both you and our planet. Don’t be afraid to go out there and try something new.

Going plant-based is one of the most effective ways you can help fight climate change. Learn more about food and regenerative agriculture here.

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When it comes to protein, most people think they need to reach for the steak or the chicken. The tasty truth bomb is plants can satiate your protein cravings, and more. 

Raising animals for food is responsible for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions across the world and is expected to account for nearly half of global emissions by 2030. Livestock guzzles water, uses up land, and leaches pollutants into our air and water. 

Not to mention, the way we treat farm animals is abhorrent. 90% of the world’s agricultural  animals are living in factory farms, confined in cramped, barren cages or pens that prevent basic natural behaviors. Every year, 100 billion animals are killed for their meat and other parts of their bodies. To make matters worse, roughly 84% of antibiotics given to factory-farmed animals are not used to treat illness, but to promote growth or prevent disease in overcrowded conditions. What is more, these practices are strongly linked to the rise of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” which were connected to 975,000 human deaths in 2019. 

In contrast, plants like beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts are the quiet eco-heroes of your pantry, feeding your body and healing the Earth at the same time. All without animal cruelty. Here’s a lineup of 7 delicious, nutrient-packed, planet-friendly proteins ready to revolutionize your plate.

1) Beautiful Beans

Beans have been a staple in human diets across the world for over 9,000 years, and it’s no wonder why. Whether you’re into black beans, pintos, navy beans, or the adorably named cranberry bean, this humble legume delivers big-time benefits. They are packed with fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and plant protein (one cup packing around 15 grams of protein). All these nutrients help your heart, support your digestion, and can even help ease PMS and depression symptoms.

But what really makes it the “magical fruit”? Beans are a soil restoring superfood. In a process called nitrogen fixation, they have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in the soil that can convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form plants can use. This means farmers can use fewer chemical fertilizers, which can leach into our foods and water. 

Beans also use less water than raising livestock, making them ideal for growing in dry, arid climates. Plus, beans are much more affordable than meat  – talk about saving green while eating green! 

Which is why the bean market is booming: by 2026, global bean consumption is expected to almost reach 20 million metric tons, with the industry projected to pass $10 billion by 2033. So yes, the future is looking pretty… bean-tiful.

2) Cool Chickpeas 

Chickpeas, sometimes known as garbanzo beans, have been the backbone of Middle Eastern diets for almost 10,000 years. These little beige powerhouses are full of almost as much protein as beans, along with fiber, folate, iron, and magnesium. 

Chickpeas reduce the risk of cancer, keep you feeling full, and even support heart health by lowering bad cholesterol. One study found that women who ate chickpeas felt 70% less hungry compared to those who ate white bread. That’s hummus with a side of appetite control!

Environmentally, chickpeas shine too. Like beans and other legumes, they’re nitrogen fixers that enrich the soil instead of depleting it. They’re also water-efficient and adaptable to various climates; an ideal crop in a warming world. 

3) Let’s Eat Lentils

Lentils may be tiny, but they’re mighty, delivering nearly 18 grams of protein per cooked cup. They’re also one of the best plant sources of folate, which is a crucial nutrient for healthy pregnancies and red blood cell formation. In fact, one serving gives you 90% of your daily folate needs! 

They’re also packed with fiber, which keeps your digestion humming and your cholesterol in check. They’re also budget-friendly and quick to cook. Like other legumes, lentils are environmentally low-impact champs. They require very little water, grow quickly, and naturally boost soil health. 

4) Essentially Edamame 

Edamame, basically baby soybeans, are one of the few plant proteins that are complete, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids. Just one cup gives you 17 grams of protein, along with fiber, calcium, iron, and a healthy dose of antioxidants. These little pods support heart health, may ease menopause symptoms, and are linked to lower risks of certain cancers.

Soybeans like edamame use fewer resources than livestock because they grow fast and enrich the soil, they’re an eco-efficient choice too. Plus, they’re snackable straight out of the pod! 

5) Try Tofu 

Tofu often gets a bad rap, but this soy-based wonder food deserves a serious comeback. Made by pressing soy milk into blocks (kind of like cheese), tofu delivers nearly 22 grams of protein per cup, along with iron, calcium, and magnesium. 

It’s also low in calories and high in isoflavones, which are compounds that can support bone health, reduce hot flashes, and maybe even improve heart health.

Tofu’s environmental footprint is also way smaller than meat. Producing soy protein emits up to 25 times less greenhouse gas than beef. And with tofu’s ability to absorb flavors like a sponge, it’s as tasty as it is sustainable. Scramble it, fry it, grill it; the world is your oyster-flavored-tofu.

6) Tasty Tempeh 

If tofu is the soft-spoken sibling, tempeh is the crunchy older cousin. Made by fermenting whole soybeans into a firm cake, tempeh is higher in protein than tofu, clocking in at a whopping 31g per cup. Thanks to fermentation, it also contains probiotics for gut health and helps improve digestion.

Tempeh is dense, chewy, and perfect as a meat substitute due to its texture. Also, like other soy products, it needs much less land, water and energy to grow than animal proteins. 

7) Natural Nuts 

But enough about soy! Nuts are nature’s protein-packed energy bites. Peanuts (technically legumes) lead the pack; with about 17% of its nutrients coming from protein, carrying 38 grams of protein per cup. 

Meanwhile almonds (30g/cup), pistachios (25g/cup), and cashews (25g/cup) follow closely behind. Pistachios are even a complete protein, meaning they have all the essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own. Nuts also come loaded with healthy fats, vitamin E, and magnesium, helping reduce inflammation, and improve heart health.

From a climate perspective, nuts have a significantly lower carbon footprint than animal proteins; groundnuts account for more than 40 times less emissions than beef. While they do require water, they last a long time when stored correctly, reducing food waste.

Eat Plants, Be Kind to Animals & Save the Planet (and Pass the Hummus)

By choosing plant proteins over eating  animals, you’re reducing greenhouse gases, saving water, preserving land, and can give you all the nutrients you need. Plus, it’s delicious, affordable, and what is really key – it’s kinder to animals.

Help keep our plant proteins clean! This Earth Day, we’re calling on you to take action to protect what is on your plate.. Speak out against Section 453 of the Interior Appropriations Bill, which would give pesticide companies legal immunity;  even when their products cause harm. It’s a step backward for the environment, health, and justice. Join us in honoring the legacy of those who’ve fought to protect people and the planet.

Your fork is powerful. Let’s use it to plant the seeds of change.

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Happy October First! Today is International Coffee Day. While you’re sipping on your favorite autumn-themed latte, consider the impact your milk choice might have on the planet.

​Cow’s milk is the beating heart of the latte, flat white and cappuccino. Milk is a drink that we cannot seem to live without. In 2023, more than 80% of the global population regularly consumed milk. That same year, the global dairy industry accounted for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions. For reference, the United States contributed 11% of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, making it the second-largest emitting country.

​The problem is that cows emit significant amounts of methane through their digestive process. A single cow can produce upwards of 264 pounds of methane gas per year. Methane is the second-leading greenhouse gas. Over a 20 year period, it has a warming potential 86 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

​Dairy requires the most land out of all the plant based milks, as one kilogram of milk uses about 8.95 m² of land. Plus, to produce one liter of milk farmers need about 628 liters of water which puts huge strains on our natural resources. 

That is not all: Poor manure handling also causes something called eutrophication. This means that during rainfall, excess nutrients in manure, and fertilizers, like phosphorus and nitrogen, enter the water table, rivers and streams. Algae in the water then flourishes as a result of this injection of extra nutrients, creating great algae blooms that block the sunlight, killing off aquatic plants. Once that happens, oxygen is stripped from the water, leaving the fish and other aquatic creatures to die.

So what are the alternatives to dairy milk?

The OG Alternative: Soy

Before all the trendy nut and seed-based milk alternatives like almond, oat, cashew, hit the market there was just soy milk as the main plant-based milk option. Soybeans are a type of legume that naturally improve soil health by fixing nitrogen, which benefits agricultural ecosystems. 

Producing soy milk is also relatively water-efficient compared to other milks—making 1 liter of soy milk requires about 27.8 liters, which is much less than dairy milk and many other plant milks on average. This low water footprint, combined with soy’s ability to improve soil and provide a nutritious protein source, makes soy milk an environmentally friendly milk alternative. ​

However, soy farming has environmental caveats. Soybeans need to be replanted at the end of each growing season, a cycle that can contribute to deforestation and habitat loss. Brazil produced 40% of the world’s soybeans this past year, with 17% of its arable land being dedicated to the plant in 2022. But soy is land-efficient, given it only needs about 0.66 m² of land per kg of soy milk.

Approximately 20% of soybean production goes to human food products, while approximately 76% goes to feed livestock. 

Who’s Thirsty? Almonds Are 

Almonds grow on trees native to Southwest Asia. Though almond farming takes up less land than dairy farming, like dairy it’s still a very thirsty crop; one liter of almond milk needs about 371 liters of freshwater to produce it.

In California, almond farming accounts for 80% of global commercial almond production. And almonds take up 13% of the total developed water supply. The western United States has long debated water rights for decades, where increases in the human population are causing increased demand for both water and food, worsening the problem.

Almond trees also depend heavily on bees. Beekeepers rent out their hives to almond farms annually for pollination. However, almond farms use pesticides like Roundup, which contain glyphosate and can be lethal to honeybees, raising major concerns about pollinator health.

Given these factors, almond farming presents a complex challenge of balancing economic success, environmental sustainability, and natural resource conservation in a region already facing significant water scarcity.

Oat-standing!

Oats are nitrogen catchers, meaning they absorb excess nitrogen in the soil. Without these crops, there is a risk of runoff into groundwater or freshwater, which can cause eutrophication. Oat-standing! 

Oat milk has surged in popularity, especially in coffee shops, surpassing soy and almond milks as a favorite plant-based alternative. Environmentally, oat milk outperforms both: almonds require about six times more water than oats to produce the same amount of milk. Oat milk uses only about 8% of the land and 7% of the water compared to dairy milk production, making it a much lighter footprint choice.

Oats thrive in cooler, temperate climates and benefit from being rain-fed rather than relying heavily on irrigation. They fit well into crop rotation systems, improving soil health and reducing risks linked to continuous monoculture.

In short, choosing oat milk is a smart environmental decision—a choice that supports sustainable agriculture while minimizing water and land use impacts, and it helps protect precious soil and water resources.

Rice, Rice Baby 

Rice is culturally significant in communities worldwide, rooted in family meals passed down through generations. It also makes a nutritious dairy alternative. It requires less land to grow, making it the least land-intensive compared to other popular plant-based milks.

Rice milk might not be the best option, though, as its water usage is fairly high, 269.81 liters of water per liter of rice milk. Rice paddies are notorious for their methane emissions. Rice paddies are flooded plots of land, so the soil lacks oxygen, creating a welcoming environment for methane-spewing bacteria. Paddy fields contribute up to 8% of global methane emissions, while livestock cultivation makes up 32%.

Coo Coo for Coconuts 

Coconut milk comes from diluted coconut cream from the coconut flesh, which is then heat-processed so that it becomes shelf-stable. Coconut milk is an environmentally friendly option, using only 3 liters of water per liter of coconut milk. Coconut trees are also carbon sequesters, making their footprint relatively low compared to other plant-based milks.

Coconut production is at the root of several ethical wildlife concerns, like pig-tailed macaques being used to harvest coconuts in Southeast Asia. Deforestation for coconut groves has led to the extinction of the Marianne white-eye and the Ontong Java flying fox, which was last seen in 1945.

Textiles, Concrete, and Milk, Oh My! 

Hemp is incredibly versatile. Uses range from textiles and biofuels to some use as bioplastics. Hempcrete is an eco-friendly building material made from hemp, lime, and water.

Hemp also makes a great dairy alternative. Hemp plants are great for the environment; one hectare of hemp sequesters 9 to 15 tons of CO2. Hemp plants, legalized in the United States in 2018, have a strong list of soil-benefitting abilities. Hemp’s deep roots stabilize the soil and protect it from erosion. Hemp plants are phytoremediators, meaning they remove heavy metals and other pollutants from the ground.

Hemp uses 99% less land and has 52% less environmental impact than dairy farming.

So, What’s the Best Milk? 

So, what’s the best milk? 

While there may be no perfect answer for the most environmentally friendly milk, any alternative is significantly better than dairy. Your oat based latte may not be the ultimate solution, but it represents change. Everyday choices, no matter how small, add up to huge impacts over time. 

Today, start with your latte. Tomorrow, use a reusable bag, ride a bike to work, go vegan, or support sustainable policies in your community.

Found this useful? Consider a donation to EARTHDAY.ORG to support further research and awareness.

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There are on average over 30,000 different products you can buy your local supermarket and they have one thing in common: they all come from Earth. The plants, animals, fish, fruits, mushrooms and shellfish our planet provides give us great tastes and the nutrients we love. However, global warming threatens to harm the ways in which we produce these foods. 

Food Waste Day  is a great reminder that the flavors we enjoy on a day-to-day basis are not guaranteed to last forever. Climate change continues to affect the Earth’s air, soil, and temperature and  now, its latest consequence promises to be your groceries. Whether you prefer earthly grains, exotic seafoods, or fresh produce, rising temperatures and extreme weather could spoil your favorite meals very soon.

Wheat

Grains are one of the most crucial sources of food globally. They provide essential carbohydrates and proteins, and offer a variety of vitamins too. Wheat itself is  the daddy of the grain family and a staple of the human diet. 700-800 million metric tons of the crop have been produced each year in the past decade.  

In order to produce high yields of wheat , a stable temperature between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit (21-24 Celsius) is optimal. When global warming alters the ability for lands to meet this range, wheat yields suffer. As a result your favorite breads, pastas and pastries may be become more expensive — or even entirely unavailable — as rising temperatures bake the once-fertile soils meant for wheat cultivation.

The Great Plains of North America are a useful case in examining the direction of wheat production. They account for approximately 10% of global wheat production and 30% of high quality global wheat exports. Grain agriculture supports the rural communities and businesses that market the crop and have been a staple of the region. 

Hardworking farmers built the Great Plains, but now climate change threatens to take away their means to an honest living. Research in Kansas from 2015 found that an increased temperature could result in exponential yield reduction, including a potential loss of up to 25% at 3.6 additional degrees Farenheit (2 degrees celsius). For reference, the Great Plains’ average temperature rose about 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit (.83 celsius) from the 1960s to 2000.

Coffee

Whether you grab a cup on the way to work each morning at a local chain or grind the beans at home yourself, chances are you might be in the large group of daily coffee drinkers totalling over one billion members worldwide. The bean that powers over 2 billion cups per day is at risk of extinction, as climate change encroaches on ideal growing conditions. 

Coffee requires a perfect combination of sunlight and low temperature to produce desired yields. Global warming causes beans to ripen prematurely, deteriorating flavor and creating potential health risk concerns for consumers. Seeking more favorable conditions, some growers have already  left their existing growing areas and traveled to different locations to maintain production. For example, Australian farmers have been pushed further into the mountains where the climate is cooler and subtropical. 

Given that coffee is already very selective in where it can grow this does not bode well for coffee lovers. Nearly all production comes from between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, known as the “Coffee Belt”. Hugging the equator, this region once featured stable weather for cultivating the plant but now faces risk like never before.

About half of coffee production comes from countries that are predicted to lose up to 60% of suitable ‘coffee growing lands’ by 2050. Reports indicate that global coffee production loss could be as high as 70%. Coffee is in serious danger. It might be time to choose a new morning drink; give that the effects of warming show no signs of stopping.  

Peanuts

The tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Australia, Africa, and America are home to one of the most versatile products in the food industry: peanuts. Well-drained sandy soils and long warm seasons make these locations ideal to grow the popular oilseed. However once again, rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns are making growing peanuts harder than ever before. 

A study by t the University of Florida determined that when peanuts are grown in climates hotter than  97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 celsius), seed yields drop off by about 6% per additional degree. At high temperatures, the plants can  flourish  and be large and healthy, but they are often absent of seeds, i.e. peanuts. Additionally, drought and intense rainfall are a major problem for peanut producers. Their adverse effects stunt plant growth and waterlog soil, which can prevent successful yields from fruition. 

The peanut industry has a saving grace – science. Gene testing has already begun to solve these challenges – with the goal of engineering a superpowered peanut: one able to resist higher heats and endure exposure to erratic rainfall. While science’s ability to beat Mother Nature in this field remains to be determined, one thing is clear: the humble peanut remains in peril. There might be only jelly sandwiches in the future. 

Grapes

Jelly is not exactly clear  either, especially if your flavor of choice like many is grape. This much loved  fruit is grown all over the world from India to Oregon, but is best grown in conditions ranging from 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit (18-29 celsius). But when exposed to heat stress, grapes prematurely begin the ripening process, causing the fruit to lose much of its alluring flavor and even damage the integrity of grape vines itself which reduces yields. 

Wine is one of the biggest industries to profit off of the grape. Prematurely ripened grapes that have a high sugar content and weaker flavor post-fermentation lead to less attractive wines. These ‘bad grapes’ have a bad taste and shockingly high alcohol concentrations. The effects of climate change strip might wine of its nuance, prestige and throw many  fancy labels  into extinction. We need to address the growing concern of global warming if we have any hope of protecting our favorite vino. 

Climate change is more than just hotter summers. It threatens how we live our lives daily, including the foods we love. From the grains that staple our breads to the grapes that make up the jam we put on them, our neglect of Mother Earth has real consequences on our diets. The choices we make moving forward could make or break our access to these foods in the present and for future generations. 

Please consider signing the Renewable Energy Petition to hold our global leaders accountable for preventing climate change from stealing  our favorite foods. Enjoy what fills up your fridges and pantries, because they might not be there the next time you take a trip to the grocery store.

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Drawing millions of tourists annually, the Great Pyramids of Egypt stand as one of the most awe inspiring and resilient architectural designs of human history. They have stood for nearly 5000 years enduring extreme weather conditions such as drought, rainfall, and high temperatures. The magic behind the pyramid’s longevity comes from its triangular shape that evenly distributes the weight and impact of these external forces, preventing erosion and deformation.

However, if one side wall were to break, the two remaining sides would lose their stability and the structure would quickly collapse. Just as any other pyramid structure, its strength comes from its sides that provide the internal stability. In the same way, we as humans have needs for our own well-being. 

On the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs lies a person’s first and most essential physiological needs: breathing, food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep. With these being the bedrock of survival, they are directly connected to the global food, water, and energy systems. Food, water, and energy are all intertwined, and one cannot be sustained without the other. Take, for example, how water provides the hydration and food we need to survive and energy powers the infrastructure and processes that bring us clean water and produce food. If any one of these aspects is missing, it affects the others and undermines our basic needs.

The food-water-energy nexus forms the foundation of human existence, much like the sides of a pyramid that depend on each other for structural integrity. When we have a stable flow of food, water, and energy, we can thrive, allowing us to move upwards through the hierarchy of needs, toward the higher levels of safety, love, esteem, and ultimately self-actualization. However, if one of these more base needs is compromised, it creates instability, preventing us from meeting the higher needs in Maslow’s pyramid.

Food Holds Everything Together

While the majority of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, less than 1% of that water is fresh and salt free. To make this water drinkable, it must go to a water treatment plant that utilizes energy-intensive processes like filtration, disinfection, and distribution. 

On the flip side, water is used during every phase of energy production from extracting resources to cooling power plants. These systems are directly connected: Energy is required to produce water and water is used to produce energy. 

Within the lakes of New Jersey lies the largest floating photovoltaic plant that mutually benefits both water and energy systems. This system places rows of solar panels directly on the surface of the Canoe Brook Reservoir which powers the nearby Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant. Rather than outsourcing its energy needs to solar panels on land, this technology provides clean energy while reducing water evaporation, protecting water resources, and minimizing land use. Alongside that, the natural cooling effect of water prevents the solar panels from overheating and increases electricity gains up to 22%.

These technologies are a great start for conservation, but it does not protect the needs of food. Given that the agriculture sector consumes about 70% of global freshwater, much of their needs are met with naturally occurring reservoirs and aquifers. The floating photovoltaic plant doesn’t allow sufficient solar radiation to reach the microbial aquatic community which changes its natural water levels. This can have negative effects for downstream ecosystems of agricultural land that depend on these waters, and essentially harming food production in the long term. And without food, there’s no reason to preserve water and energy resources.

Without Water, the Pyramid Cannot Stand

As the human population continues to grow by the millions each year, feeding everyone nutritious meals is one of the most pressing issues of our time. When the price of energy increases, the price of fertilizers, electricity for machinery, and processing all go up too. As a result food availability and accessibility will be more restricted.

The Safi Region of Morocco has a solution that resists using fossil fuel for energy generation by integrating wind energy, with a wind-hydrogen conversion system, to enhance their agriculture production. Specifically, these wind turbines ensure reliable energy supply by utilizing the hydrogen power to store its energy for greenhouse operations like irrigation, heating, and cooling. This has led to substantial reductions in carbon emissions as a result, allowing this model to be adopted in other arid and semi-arid regions.

Although this system has been able to support food production through clean energy, it has had a direct impact on the environment. Due to the fact that hydrogen energy undergoes a process called electrolysis where water is split into hydrogen and oxygen elements using electricity, large amounts of water is used. This has increased water stress in the region and has left aquifers dry. The region’s lack of policies and regulation in protecting water usage has worsened this issue and deteriorated its water quality, directly impacting the health of its people and the environment. While food and energy can mutually benefit each other, it cannot be sustained without proper water planning as all resources depend on water availability.

While energy is conserved and dependable for food production, the maintenance of these energy sources have increased water stress in the region and have left aquifers dry. Without the proper method of water preservation and regulation, there are again losses in agriculture. Not to mention, the deteriorating water quality can have direct health impacts on people and the environment.

What Happens When Energy is Lost?

More often than not, water and food insecurity occur simultaneously. Water scarcity limits agricultural productivity whereas food scarcity can exacerbate clean water accessibility. Especially since producing and transporting food requires significant water resources, communities are only left with contaminated water sources for everyday use. This directly and indirectly impacts malnutrition of children and adults, further emphasizing the consequences of these systems being independent of each other.

But there are solutions. Here’s how— in Bangladesh farmers take existing fish ponds and plant their rice paddy fields within them. Typically, paddy is grown in flooded fields but due to the groundwater shortages in the country, many farms have dried up. This approach allows rice yields to increase by 8 to 15% with the nutrient cycling and pest control handled by the fish.

Despite such innovative methods, Bangladesh still faces extensive drought periods every year. When ponds and aquifers are dried out for irrigation, farmers must utilize electric pumps to draw water from deeper in the ground. These pumps are overworked during the heat and operating at a much higher rate, consuming more energy than usual. This goes to show that without using effective energy management strategies, climate change will drain energy resources faster. 

The Triangular Nexus: Where Food, Water, and Energy Converge for Global Sustainability

Attempting to achieve food, water, and energy security independently is like trying to balance the three corners of a pyramid—it simply cannot be done without endangering the availability of the other resource. In our growing world, there is only a limited amount of these natural resources before we risk completely exploiting the Earth. 

Understanding how these systems are tightly interwoven within the triangle of food, water, and energy allows for the development of better technologies, practices, and policies that address these systems together. 

Utilizing the nexus, Sundrop Farms in Port Augusta, Australia which grows tomatoes, harnesses solar energy to power a desalination plant that provides clean water for their greenhouse. Despite Australia being prone to extreme climate, making agriculture difficult, they are able to produce 15% of the country’s tomatoes! They are fresh-water self-sufficient by converting seawater from nearby gulf which means they do not use locally contaminated groundwater. Their solar farm not only produces enough electricity to power their desalination plant but also utilizes any excess energy for heat and storage facilities as well.

Ensuring that food, water, and energy has a circular flow, these kinds of holistic systems efficiently utilize and optimize our finite resources. By being local and self-sufficient, they are also able to adapt to fit their own climate change challenges. With this adoption of the ‘Nexus Approach’ we can foster true sustainability and transcend our hierarchy of needs because our basic needs have been met: Food which nourishes us. Water that sustains us. And power — clean, renewable power — that is the invisible force that keeps everything powered up and working. 

To initiate the Food-Water-Energy Nexus in your area, changes need to happen within our government. Instead of treating food, water, and energy as separate sections, they must be integrated and seen as interconnected components of a single system. 

Encourage your local community to commit to sustainable development by signing EARTHDAY.ORG’s Renewable Energy Campaign petition as the first step toward establishing the foundation of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus. Protecting both our future and the planet starts with leaders prioritizing investments in renewable energy. In the U.S., you can also show your support for clean energy by reaching out to your state legislators.

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Coffee has long dominated the morning beverage scene, fueling over a billion people every day with its bold flavor and caffeine kick. However, it has also been scrutinized for its environmental footprint, since each cup requires vast amounts of water, contributes to deforestation, and often raises ethical concerns about fair working conditions for farmers. While coffee remains the go-to choice for many, there are alternative drinks that offer their own unique benefits, flavors, and environmental impacts. Chai, matcha, and energy drinks are popular alternatives to coffee. Let’s look at how they compare in their caffeine levels and environmental impact.

Matcha

Matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, offers a gentler caffeine boost than coffee while boasting a more sustainable environmental footprint. A typical cup of matcha contains around 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine, compared to the 95 milligrams in an average 8-ounce cup of coffee. This provides a more balanced energy lift without the jitters or crashes that some experience with coffee.

Environmentally, matcha requires significantly less water to produce – about 8,856 liters per kilogram – while coffee demands over double that amount at 19,000 liters. Additionally, organic matcha farming reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, as it is often cultivated using traditional methods like hand-picking leaves and shading tea bushes to enhance flavor. Matcha is also grown on small plots of land, which helps preserve soil biodiversity.

Unlike coffee, which generates waste from discarded grounds and filters, matcha uses the entire tea leaf and minimizes waste. Plus, since matcha is a powder, it eliminates the need for tea bags and extra packaging. This makes it an eco-friendlier alternative for those looking to reduce their environmental impact while still enjoying a morning caffeine boost.

Chai

Chai – a spiced tea blend traditionally made with black tea, milk, and various spices like cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger – offers a flavorful alternative to coffee. In terms of caffeine content, chai typically contains around 40–60 milligrams per cup. This makes it a good option for those looking to cut back on caffeine while still enjoying a warm, energizing drink. When made with milk or plant-based alternatives, chai also provides a creamy texture that can rival the richness of a latte.

From an environmental perspective, chai has a lower water footprint than coffee, largely due to the lower water requirements of tea cultivation. Black tea – the base of most chai blends – requires significantly less water per kilogram than coffee. However, the total environmental impact can vary depending on additional ingredients such as milk and spices.

Additionally, chai can become an even more sustainable choice when sourced from organic or fair-trade farms, which minimize pesticide use and ensure ethical labor practices. Unlike single-use coffee pods or takeaway cups, loose-leaf chai or chai concentrates can be prepared with minimal waste, especially when brewed at home. With its bold flavors, customizable nature, and lower environmental impact, chai serves as a compelling alternative for those looking to swap their morning coffee for something both sustainable and satisfying.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks provide a quick and convenient caffeine boost, typically containing between 80 and 300 milligrams of caffeine per can. These levels far exceed those regularly found in coffee or tea. While energy drinks are popular for their immediate energy-enhancing effects, their environmental impact is a growing concern, particularly due to packaging waste and ingredient sourcing. The majority of energy drinks also come with a long list of health concerns.

One of the biggest environmental drawbacks of energy drinks is their packaging. Some are sold in plastic bottles, which contribute to plastic waste and pollution if not properly recycled. Aluminum cans, on the other hand, are generally considered a more sustainable option due to their high recycling rate. Choosing brands that use recyclable materials and making sure to properly dispose of containers can help mitigate this issue. Additionally, the production of sugar – a key ingredient in many energy drinks – requires large amounts of water.

Another lesser-known concern is caffeine pollution; some studies suggest that caffeine from energy drinks can enter waterways through wastewater and potentially impact aquatic life. While research on this issue is ongoing, it highlights yet another ecological downside of energy drinks. Given these challenges, consumers looking for a more sustainable energy boost may want to consider other morning beverages with lower environmental impacts.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Caffeinated Cup’s Impact

No matter which morning beverage you sip on, there are ways to make your daily cup more sustainable. One of the simplest steps is to reduce single-use waste by brewing your drink at home, bringing a reusable to-go cup, or opting to dine in when ordering from a café. Disposable coffee cups, plastic lids, and stirrers contribute to significant waste, much of which is not easily recyclable but easily avoidable. By making small changes to how you consume your drinks, you can help cut down on unnecessary packaging and landfill waste.

Choosing organic ingredients is another way to reduce your beverage’s environmental impact. Organic coffee tea products are produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which protects soil health and reduces water pollution. Additionally, supporting brands that prioritize fairtrade and sustainable farming practices ensures that workers are treated fairly and that crops are grown with long-term environmental health in mind.

Your milk choice also plays a big role in the overall footprint of your drink. Dairy milk requires significant water, land, and energy resources, while plant-based alternatives like oat, soy or almond milk come with their own environmental trade-offs. Oat milk generally has the lowest water and carbon footprint of dairy alternatives. Almond milk on the other hand has the one of the largest water footprints out of plant-based milk alternatives. By being mindful of how your drink is sourced, packaged, and consumed, you can enjoy your morning beverage of choice at a lower cost to the planet.

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