Believe it or not most people eat at work. We tend to forget the environmental impacts of food.

You may have a canteen at work, or more likely a vending machine. Many people bring their own food. More and more people go out and get their food, either from take-aways, cafes or restaurants.

Many firms up to the 1980s were proud to offer canteen facilities. Under the Factory Acts, they had only to supply water and a place to eat, but many companies wanted to attract workers with subsidised food. However many organisations in the 1980's got rid of their canteens. Both schools and workplaces did away with food prepared on the premises.

Much food now travels much further before it gets to your mouth. This costs more in terms of environmental impacts. The impacts on the land is often on the other side of the world as food travels so far.

What are the impacts on the air and water of contaminants like pesticides used to make food production cheaper?

For more on impacts of food...

You will need to refer to all these impacts in

Activity 2.4