TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains descriptions of behaviours linked to eating disorders. I remember being eight years old and holding my Barbie doll in my hands, admiring her endlessly long legs, wasp-like waist and unrealistically slender limbs. “I want to be this thin”, I recall thinking. Two years later, when I was 10, my teacher...
According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation, about one-third of the foods produced worldwide for human consumption annually— approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — is lost or wasted. Furthermore, food waste is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions so much so that if it were a nation, it would the third largest emitter after China and...
Hong Kong is a foodie paradise. That is Hong Kong’s best come on for me ever since I moved here more than a couple of years ago. Dubbed as the “World’s Food Fair”, the food choices will definitely astound anyone who visits. Hong Kong is known mostly for its meat and seafood dishes – roast...
Croplands are a valuable, yet scarce natural resource. To guard against serious and potentially irreversible environmental harm, croplands should not extend beyond 15% of the earth’s ice-free surface. Croplands are mainly used for food production. So it’s important to ask whether our diets are biting off more than our fair share. In recent research, we...
Plant-based meat is no longer a novelty; it has finally gone mainstream. And it’s not just vegans and vegetarians driving the fake meat food trend either, meat eaters and ‘flexitarians’ are too. Whether for health, ethical or environmental reasons, one in three Australians are now actively looking to cut down on their meat intake. According...
With the rise of Instagram influencers, concerns about climate change and the ethics of animal agriculture, the plant-based movement is gaining momentum and faux meat is being found in more locations than ever before. Plant-based protein brands such as Quorn and Tofurky can now be purchased in most supermarkets and fast food chains such as...
Recently, I came across an article about avocados. Surprisingly, it was not about salads or smoothies. Rather, it was about how avocados might be hurting the planet. Shocking right? Well, for me it really wasn’t. Over the past few years, healthy eating, veganism and general sustainability has gained prominence across the world. The increased consumption...
No Meat May, a global initiative challenging people to ditch meat for the month of May, will forge ahead, bigger and bolder than ever despite the current COVID-19 pandemic. Now in its eighth year, the non-profit movement, which attracted a record number of participants of more than 10,000 people across 50 countries last year, will...
As cities and governments around the world implement measures to control the spread of the coronavirus, public officials and health authorities are also urging people to do their bit by thoroughly and frequently washing our hands, limiting unnecessary travel, practicing social distancing and avoid touching their faces. The outbreak of coronavirus COVID-19 has also seen...
You might be one of the 400,000+ people who tried Veganuary this year. And like many people who pledge to eat plant-based for a month, you may have decided to stick with vegan living once January was over. Your reasons might have ranged from cruelty to animals – we kill 70 billion land animals for...
In the Philippines, 27 million people live below the poverty line. In a country boasting 100 million people, this represents over a quarter of the population– roughly the population of Australia. Of the economically poor, 16% are food insecure and fail to meet the guidelines of eating three meals a day. Roughly two million families...
By Indiana Lee Climate change can seem like a distant issue that doesn’t make much of a difference in your everyday life. For some, the only time it may really come to mind is when it’s brought to your attention by news headlines or a natural disaster hits. However, research shows that it could make...