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Learning pack #4: When food becomes trash

Sabrina Weber | Kerstin Palme
July 16, 2019

Every year, some 1.3 billion tons of food end up in the garbage, even though much of it would still be edible. Why do we throw away so much food, and how does that waste impact the environment and the climate?

https://p.dw.com/p/3Lzrp
DW Global Ideas Lernpaket #4 Lebensmittel (Pictureteaser)

There is enough food in the world to feed everyone; enough to ensure that nobody need go hungry. But a third of all the food produced worldwide never actually gets eaten.

This learning pack highlights the causes and consequences of food waste and food loss. At which point along the production process is food lost? Where is the majority of food wasted and why? Is there a connection to climate change? And how can I help to make sure that less food is thrown away at home?

The materials are designed for children and young people from the age of 12, and they enable teachers to introduce their students to the subject of food wastage and its consequences for the environment. The materials can be used free of charge for non-commercial purposes.

The learning pack includes:

  • 1 booklet for teachers (for classroom teaching)  
  • 1 workbook for participants (for distance learning) 
  • 1 poster (to be printed out on A3 or A4)
  • 6 films and 3 articles  (the links to the reports can be found in the teaching booklet and workbook)

For in-person lessons:
Please begin by downloading the "booklet for teachers" when you are preparing your lessons. There you will find copies of all of the worksheets, including explanatory handouts and solutions. You will find the booklet available as a PDF file below under "Explore More."

For distance learning: 
When conducting lessons online, please also download the interactive "workbook for participants" along with the "booklet for teachers." You will find both under "Explore More." You may then send the workbook PDF file to participants as an email attachment. The workbook includes the worksheets but not the solutions. Participants may then complete their work alone on their computers, save the work and mail it back to you. Participants will require Acrobat Reader to complete the booklet. It is available to download for free.

Write to us 
If you have questions about our Global Ideas learning packs or if you need a print version of the material including the DVD, please contact us at: [email protected]