At Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, we are pleased to support the global effort of Earth Day on April 22nd. Earth Day is a wonderful time to reflect on our own environmental impact and to celebrate the many achievements communities are taking to protect nature and the health of all living beings on the planet. The first Earth Day celebration was held in 1970 and continues to represent a coming together of communities around the world to find ways to live in better unison with the environment.
Keeping our planet healthy and sustainable is intrinsically linked to human health and welfare around the globe. Environmental and social impacts of the global food system are multifaceted; with the emissions from food waste, livestock, deforestation and transportation, accounting for about a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, a leading cause of climate change (United Nations Environment Programme). Unfortunately, the food system also disproportionately neglects low-income or vulnerable communities from receiving healthy and well-balanced meals (United Nations). At MOWCM we are committed to serving vulnerable populations in the Baltimore region, through proper nutrition and providing food security for our clients. A core mission of our organization is mitigating hunger and adverse health outcomes that exist in homebound and elderly populations. Through our services we provide balanced, nutritious meals, that are also calorie controlled and low in sodium, fat, and concentrated sugar. We provide our clients fresh meals, that have been found to lead to better health outcomes, and economic stability.
This Earth Day, as we are out delivering to over 2,200 clients, we encourage you to spend some time in nature, and enjoy the many health benefits that come from spending time outside. We would also encourage you to learn more about the global food system and the many ways you can help reduce your own footprint!
Resources
“Food Systems Account for over One-Third of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions | | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations, https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1086822.
Healthy Planet, Healthy People – Wedocs.unep.org.