Make one change in your food consumption behaviour, report on the impacts of your change and encourage someone you know to make a similar change

You have immense power as a consumer. In fact, some people suggest this is one of the best ways you can work for social change—in this case, buying food products that are healthier for you, safer for the environment and that make a positive impact on your community. This is a four part-assignment that requires you to make one change in your food consumption behaviour, report on the impacts of your change and encourage someone you know to make a similar change. Decide on one positive change with regards to the foods that you choose to buy. This could include, buying only local foods, buying fair trade foods, not buying packaged foods or any other change to your typical consumer behaviour related to food or food products. Why did you choose this change in food consumption and why is it an important consumer choice? Maintain a daily journal, for at least 1 week, that documents the implementation of the food-related change you made to your consumer behaviour. Include all instances where you purchased a product that you normally wouldn’t such as a fair-trade product or locally produced food item and times when you avoided purchasing a product that you typically buy such as fast-food or overly packaged food items. Your journal should summarize the change that you made and how it impacted your lifestyle. Research the effects that your consumer choice had on food production and supply in your community and beyond. For example, if you chose to buy fair trade products and purchased a particular brand of chocolate bar that is fair trade instead of the typical Mars bar, what impact does the company that you purchased that product from make in the countries where they operate. Be as specific as possible in documenting the impacts that your week long consumer choice assignment had on food sustainability. To keep your project alive, find a way to summarize your experience, share it with others and encourage someone else in your home, school or community to make a similar change. Perhaps you could post a flyer in your school or post the same challenge to your parents!