Healthy nutritious food is our fuel, providing energy for our survival. In Scotland alone we eat 3 million tonnes of food each year.

How does the type of food we eat affect our Ecological Footprint?

• Productive land all over the world is needed for animals to graze on and for growing the fruit and vegetables we eat.
• Growing and preparing food uses energy: machines (eg tractors, irrigation systems), fertilisers and pesticides are needed; the food has to be transported to places where it will be processed, packaged and sold.
• Therefore the distance the food travels and how it is produced has an impact on its Footprint.
• Most of the energy comes from fossil fuels that are not only non-renewable resources but also release carbon dioxide when burnt.

Follow the navigation buttons at the top of the page to complete this section, to help you to understand the environmental impact of what you eat and how you can reduce your school’s impact.