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Have you heard the term, you are what you eat? Of course, we all know some foods are healthier than others when it comes to health and well-being. Things like nutritional value, food quality, fat content, caloric intake and freshness are often considered when discussing healthy eating. However, we don't always see the impact food production and consumption has on the environment.&nbsp;Did you know the way food is grown can harm the environment? For example, cattle (cows mostly) emit methane into the atmosphere, potentially accelerating climate change? Read more about it in our article "<a href="https://contest.diproinduca.com/blog/cows-can-heat-the-world?redirect_to=%2Fblog%3Flimit%3D9%26offset%3D36%23cows-can-heat-the-world">Cows Can Heat the World"</a>. &nbsp;On the other hand, tons of food products are produced and consumed every day at an accelerated pace, and sadly, many tons more also go to waste. We need to make changes now before it is too late. Last year, we reached <a href="https://earth.org/what-is-earth-overshoot-day/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAjc2QBhDgARIsAMc3SqQ75i-zcf0bnMQaGBZDFPo6V0qtpT2zdO1cZndQ-ZpmnbPHRr2fQ9caAgLMEALw_wcB">Earth Overshoot Day </a>on July 29th. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. In other words, it is like using all the food available in your kitchen's pantry halfway through the month and not having money to buy more. Unfortunately, when we reach the overshot day, we start using 'next year's resources, cutting resources short for the year to come, like borrowing from your neighbor to buy more food and then not being able to pay them back. It is a dangerous cycle and one we need to move away from sooner rather than later.&nbsp;Take a look to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_JLmxhnpNY&amp;t=71s"> change the way you think about food</a>&nbsp;<h1>Food Consumption</h1>According to MSN, Americans devour nearly 50 billion burgers each year. If we were to make a line of burgers, it would be long enough to go around the world 32 times. That's nearly 800,000 miles of burgers consumed by Americans every single year — a long enough line to go to the moon, come back, then go to the moon again.That is a lot of cows and, therefore, a lot of methane. But excessive consumption is not limited to meat-eating. For example, every year, during the Super Bowl in the US, more people eat avocados than on any other day of the year. By one estimate, football fans eat their way through 105 million pounds of avocados during the big game, making it the biggest day of the year for these fatty, nutritious, and delicious fruits.To meet demand, farmers in Mexico have cut down forest lands in the western state of Michoacán, one of the most important ecosystems in Mexico. According to the Global Forest Watch, as many as 20,000 acres of forest — the area of more than 15,000 American football fields — are cut down each year and replaced with avocado plantations.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>Food as a Natural Resource: Responsible Production&nbsp;</h1>A natural resource can be defined as "materials from the Earth that are used to support life and meet people's needs." All food people eat comes from plants or animals; therefore, all foods in their original form are natural resources: fish, red meat, chicken and turkey, vegetables, grains, etc. Responsible consumption, in this case, starts with responsible food production.&nbsp;Responsible food production looks into the effects food production may have on the local communities and the impact these production activities have on the environment. For example, implementing organic and sustainable farming practices, such as soil rotation and sustainable pesticides.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>What does Responsible Farming Look Like?</h1>Organic Farming aims to produce high-quality food, using methods that benefit our whole food systems, such as fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal. In other words, it is chemical-free. It also focuses on using tried and tested crop farming techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting. Crop rotation is the practice of planting different kinds of crops, one after the other, on the same plot of land; This is done to improve soil health, optimize nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure.Sustainable Farming focuses on producing long-term crops and livestock while having minimal effects on the environment. Sustainable farming tries to find a balance between the need for food production and the preservation of the environment. In addition to producing food, sustainable agriculture goes a step ahead and looks into the impact of production in conserving water, reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and promoting biodiversity in crops grown and the ecosystem. Sustainable agriculture also focuses on maintaining the economic stability of farms and helping farmers improve their quality of life.&nbsp; Here is where Fair Trade and Fair Wage come into place.&nbsp;FairTrade is "is a system of certification that aims to ensure a set of standards are met in the production and supply of a product or ingredient." In other words, it ensures that small-scale farmers, producers and artisans are treated with dignity, respect, equality and fairness.&nbsp;*Tip: Look for the Fair Trade logo when buying chocolate, coffee, tea, bananas or mangos. That way, you are doing your part in being a responsible consumer.&nbsp;Fair Wage is the minimum wage rate for specific occupations. They must be paid by contractors working for governments with fair wage policies; Fair wages guarantee that workers can afford, at the very least, basic necessities.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>&nbsp;</h2> &nbsp;

Food production and consumption have a real impact on the environment; in fact, you are what you eat! 
We need to make changes now before it is too late. Last year, we reached Earth Overshoot Day on July 29th.

We are Eating the Planet 

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<h2>Thinking Cap On</h2>Head over to your family's kitchen pantry and make a list of the most bought products, those food products your family buys and consumes every week. Read the labels and find out:- Where are they produced?&nbsp;- What ingredients are used, are they organic? Fairtrade? or have any other type of certification?&nbsp;- Can you find similar yet more sustainable products at your local supermarket?&nbsp;- Can you buy them locally?&nbsp;Then make a colorful and informational poster to put on your fridge door or somewhere visible in the kitchen, and remind your family about the importance of food origin, food waste and well-being.

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New year, new challenges. Same learning space. This year at the WED Drawing Contest 2022, we want to challenge you to think differently about everyday things and situations and encourage you to find ways to improve your consumption patterns. Small changes can have a significant impact, and if we all work together in changing the way we consume, we can change the planet.&nbsp;The United Nations Sustainable Goal 12 focuses on precisely that. Responsible consumption and production of goods, resources and energy. By becoming more conscious about the things we buy, we become more sustainable, minimizing waste and being kinder to the environment, because after all, there is "only one earth."&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>What do we mean by consumption patterns?&nbsp;</h1>Consumption patterns relate to how we act as consumers. It focuses on what we buy, how often we buy it and why. It also refers to the kind of products we consume and how we react to new products and services. The consumption pattern of consumer goods, such as electronics, clothing and books, varies depending upon various socio-economic and cultural variables. Where you live, the size of your family-household, your household's income, and regional consumerism patterns can affect your demand for one product or service other another. For example, Americans consumed <a href="https://www.bottlesupglass.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/school-bus-infographic.png">15 billion gallons of bottled water </a>in 2020. That means, on average, <a href="https://www.waterlogicaustralia.com.au/resources/blog/banning-the-plastic-water-bottle-and-bottled-water-culture/">each American drank 45.2 gallons of bottled water</a> in 2020 - that is a rather alarming amount of single-use plastic. In contrast to other countries, people tend to choose filtered tap water over bottled water.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>How does consumption affect society?&nbsp;</h1>Rapid and growing population and consumerism present a threat to Earth natural resources and an increase in pollution. We face increased demand for energy, food, electronics, clothing, transportation, housing, furniture, etc. Some of the consequences of the increased demand are pretty spooky.&nbsp;Responsible consumption and production of goods can affect many areas of society, which is why this year, we will focus on making connections and finding solutions to drive change. Let's explore together!&nbsp;Let's have a look at Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>How Consumption Patterns Can Affect Your Mental Well-being.&nbsp;</h1>The most common threat to mental well-being in teens is Generalized Anxiety—Excessive worry about everyday matters. Worrying comes naturally as part of growing and learning, and it is normal for all teenagers to feel anxious when confronted with new activities, places, or new social interactions. It can also be hard for you to communicate with adults during these years, and you may often feel adults can't relate to the worries or scenarios you are living.&nbsp;However, this is a crucial time for developing social and emotional long-term habits that will become essential for your mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns, exercising regularly, developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, and learning to manage emotions.&nbsp;While we talk about managing emotions, it might be good to consider how you use social media. Social media is by no means evil. It can be used as a source to learn new things, keep in contact with friends, and entertain ourselves. For many, social media can even be a way of earning an income and showcasing a talent or skill. It all comes down to how you 'consume' social media and your ability to manage your emotions.&nbsp;Do you ever catch yourself spending hours on TikTok scrolling through endless dancing videos? Do you find yourself comparing your looks, clothes, life to others? How does that make you feel? What do you do when you feel sad, mad or anxious looking at these? Do you put your phone down? Or do you continue watching and consuming content that makes you feel down?&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Time is your most valuable resource. Use it wisely.&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;<h1>Change your social media consumption patterns:</h1><ul><li>Don't wait until your parents set limits. Set social media time limits for yourself. Not only will it teach you to discipline, but it will also release lots of free time to do other fun things.&nbsp;</li><li>Find a Youtuber of TikToker that teaches you something valuable. A computer skill, a tutorial, cooking a new recipe.</li><li>Follow organizations and personalities that support strong causes and have defined values. You can learn a lot about a topic and find things you are passionate about.&nbsp;</li><li>Not all you see is real in social media. Resist the urge to compare yourself to others online, remember photos can be altered, and images can be curated.&nbsp;</li><li>Avoid negative interactions, comment exchanges, direct message exchanges, and reactions to posts that are not supportive.&nbsp;</li><li>Remember, you have the power to change.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;

This year, we want to challenge you to think differently about everyday things and situations and encourage you to find ways to improve your consumption patterns to impact the world positively.

You Have the Power to Change The World

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Thinking Cap On:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/izyhossack/">Meet Izy,</a> a young influencer who has used her passion for helping people cook healthy meals. Izy combined the power of social media with her degree in Food Science &amp; Nutrition to create a positive learning space to share and inspire every day.&nbsp;Do you know what you want to do as a career when you grow up? Perhaps you want to be a veterinarian, a social worker, an engineer, a doctor? Could you use the power of social media to spread your knowledge and positive influence? What channel would you use? Do some online research about what makes you passionate and try to draft some content ideas to share with your friends and family, perhaps make a video or two.&nbsp;Let's change how we use social media and remember that your time is valuable. Use it wisely.

By now, we all know the dangers and impacts of pandemic diseases. Over the last year and a half, we have faced the biggest global pandemic in the 21st century, affecting millions of people worldwide, changing the way we work, study, and commute. However, COVID is not the only health-threatening communicable disease that affects us today. With this in mind, the UN Sustainable Goal 3 focuses on improving strategies and policies that safeguard the health and wellbeing of the human population.&nbsp;One of Goal 3 main targets focuses on working together to end epidemics of diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other infectious diseases by the year 2030. While this is a huge task, countries around the world are now doing their best to prevent infections from getting out of control. The COVID pandemic has also served to educate the population about viral transmissions.&nbsp;<h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>How to Fight the Spread of Communicable Diseases?&nbsp;</h1>Transmission and prevention might be slightly different from one kind of disease to the other. However, there are a couple of things that remain the same in fighting the spread of infections and form good hygiene habits, such as:<ol><li>Wash and dry your hands regularly and well with soap or hand sanitizer.&nbsp;</li><li>Stay at home if you are sick and dispose of any used tissues or garments correctly.&nbsp;</li><li>Wash your clothes and bedding regularly</li><li>Cover coughs and sneezes.&nbsp;</li><li>Clean surfaces, such as tables and door handles, regularly.</li><li>Open windows to allow clean air to circulate inside.</li><li>Prepare food safely, clean foods and surfaces and make sure you cook each item correctly.&nbsp;</li><li>If you are sexually active, make sure you practice sex safely.&nbsp;</li></ol><h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>What Are Infectious Diseases?&nbsp;</h1>Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases,​ are illnesses caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. These are spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, bodily fluids, blood, insect bites, or through the air, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. However, the spreading medium and level of contamination are directly related to the specific disease or infectious agent.&nbsp;Because infectious diseases can impact the population, their surveillance and control are essential in protecting the public's health.More than 200 infectious diseases are listed in the American Public Health Association (APHA) Control of Communicable Diseases Manual Some include:ZikaEbolaDengueInfluenza: seasonal; pandemicH1N1 swine flu&nbsp;Lyme diseaseAids - HIV&nbsp;The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains one of the most significant and communicable diseases in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>World Aids Day 1 December</h1>According to the UK National Aid Trust, in 2019, it was estimated that 105,200 people were living with HIV in the UK. Additionally, approximately 1.2 million people in the US have HIV. And although these numbers are shocking on their own, globally, there are an estimated 38 million people who have the virus.&nbsp;Founded in 1988, <a href="https://www.unaids.org/en/frequently-asked-questions-about-hiv-and-aids">World AIDS Day</a> was the first-ever global health day. The day looks to raise awareness about the disease, educate people about prevention, and help those who currently suffer from the disease. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to show solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV worldwide. Most people do this by wearing an HIV awareness red ribbon on the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>But, what is Aids, and how is it transmitted?&nbsp;</h1>Aids is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV. It affects your body by damaging the immune system, potentially interfering with your body's ability to fight infection and disease.HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). However, it can also be spread by contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Without medication, it can take years before HIV weakens the immune system to the point that you have AIDS. However, there's no cure for HIV/AIDS. Medications can help slow the progression of the disease and have managed to reduce the number of deaths worldwide.&nbsp;The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary, depending on the phase of infection. Some sufferers have reported feeling flu-like symptoms at the very early stages. However, because of this, many go undiagnosed for some time. But as the virus progresses and continues to multiply, it destroys immune cells making it harder for the body to fight infections.&nbsp;The good news is that scientists have developed more effective medications that help people live and control their diseases over the past few decades. Also, it is important to point out that you can't catch HIV or AIDS by hugging, kissing, dancing or shaking hands with someone who has the infection. HIV isn't spread through the air, water or insect bites.&nbsp;<h1>How Can You Help Prevent Communicable Diseases from Spreading?</h1>You can help by making sure you always keep your hands clean. Sanitation is one of the main ways to prevent any disease from spreading. You can also make sure you do your own research to understand how diseases spread.&nbsp;

Saving the world starts with clean hands. Learn how to make an impact and save millions by learning about infectious diseases.

Clean Hands Can Save the World

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&nbsp;Do some research with the help of an adult. Compare and contrast various diseases, search for microscopic images of the different viruses and bacteria and figure out how germs are transmitted. Then make a poster to put in your local community board or school to share your knowledge with other people.&nbsp;Finally, take a picture of your poster in action and ask your parents to share it with us on social media by tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.&nbsp;

Thinking Cap On

How Access to Health &amp; Well-being Can Make the Difference&nbsp;What does good health mean to you? Living a healthy life is more than just not suffering from illness. It means people have access to all the resources and services they need to keep a healthy and happy life. This includes access to running water, sufficient nutritious food and a balanced diet, access to exercise, and medical services if and when needed. You may think everyone has access to these things. However, the reality is that many children and adults living in poor underdeveloped countries do not have the basic necessities needed to sustain good health and well-being.&nbsp;According to a 2019 report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 1 in 10 people (785 million) still lack basic services, including the 144 million who drink untreated surface water. Untreated surface water is often contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, and human and animal waste. These contaminants are rarely visible to the naked eye but, when ingested, may cause a variety of ailments, including diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting and even pneumonia.Thinking Cap On:Now that you know the dangers of drinking untreated water: do some research and find out more about how you can sanitize water on the go. Imagine you are preparing for a camping trip, and although you may bring some bottled water already with you, what tools are available out there to help you sanitize water? How expensive are they? Are they provided for anyone? Do you know of any less expensive way to sanitize your water before you drink? Discuss with an adult.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Well-being or Being Well? What is Well-being?&nbsp;</h1>Well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. It is happy thoughts and healthy smiles. Well-being is feeling good inside and out. And although it might not be possible to be happy 100% of the time (we get you some days are blue, and that is ok too), well-being is knowing you have all the things - and support - you need to get back into your happy state of mind.&nbsp;Think of well-being as your happiness thermometer. You can have different thermometers for different 'zones' of your life. This is why there are 5 types of well-being:&nbsp;<ul><li>Physical well-being your body</li><li>Economic well-being your income level&nbsp;</li><li>Social well-being your role in society&nbsp;</li><li>Development and activity, extracurricular activities&nbsp;</li><li>Emotional well-being your ability to manage and express the emotions&nbsp;</li><li>Psychological well-being how well your mind processes and understands information and experiences</li></ul>Overall, well-being is a healthy feeling of comfort and happiness that defines your health and quality of life.&nbsp;According to the <a href="https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/WHR20.pdf">United Nations World Happiness Report</a>, Finland is the happiest country in the world, taking the top spot for the third year in a row. The reason? the country's high quality of life. The Un report states that quality of life is not only determined by economic well-being (income) but also by other five key elements: Freedom to make life choices, trust towards social and political institutions, healthy life expectancy, level of available support from friends and relatives in times of need and generosity as a sense of positive community engagement. Finland also has more forest per square mile than any other European nation. Finns—together with their Nordic neighbors—score exceptionally well in all these metrics.&nbsp;<h1>How Can You Help Promote Health &amp; Well-being Awareness&nbsp;</h1>You can start by promoting and protecting your own health and the health of those around you (like your parents, grandparents and siblings) by making well-informed choices, eating healthy and maintaining a good safe and clean environment for everyone. Why not organize a family night where you and your family practice yoga or play a game together and boost your household's well-being.&nbsp;You can also raise awareness in your local community. Talk about the importance of good health, healthy lifestyles, and people's right to quality health care services, especially for the most vulnerable such as women and children. Perhaps make a poster with health and well-being tips or facts and share it in your local community church or club.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Living a healthy life is more than just not suffering from illness. It means people have access to all the resources and services they need to keep a healthy and happy life. This includes access to running water, sufficient nutritious food and a balanced diet, access to exercise, and medical services if and when needed.

The Happiest Country in the World

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Thinking Cap On:&nbsp;Can you run a happy healthy nation? Imagine you are the president of a country for a day, what would be the first law or policy you would make to ensure health and wellbeing is accessible to all individuals? You must consider all types of well-being mentioned above. &nbsp;You must also take into consideration&nbsp;<ol><li>The economy - does your country rely on tourism for example? or does it export goods?</li><li>The age of your citizens - younger and older people living together</li><li>Your government cabinet, which will pass your laws. Get your family involved to help you decide what works and want doesn't, and become “policy makers’ together.&nbsp;</li></ol>

Good Health and Well-Being

We are Eating the Planet

You Have the Power to Change The World

Clean Hands Can Save the World

The Happiest Country in the World