Research: Almost half of Canadians are confused by environmental terminology
Maple Leaf Foods Inc., a North American producer of high-quality, sustainable protein products, and the world’s first major carbon-neutral food company, has announced the the launch of its "Little Changes, Big Impact" campaign with a helpful Green Glossary resource to make it easier for Canadian families to learn more about sustainability and what they can do to help the planet.
The company launched the campaign after a recent study it commissioned revealed that although 92% of Canadians know they have a duty to protect the environment, 52% don’t know where to start and nearly half (42%) are confused by environmental terminology, such as "carbon neutrality" and "regenerative agriculture." To help make sense of sustainability, the company introduced the Maple Leaf Foods Green Glossary, which simplifies complex environmental terminology and defines it in a way that the whole family can understand. The glossary also provides some "Little Changes, Big Impact
tips that offer eco-friendly, easy-to-incorporate actions to preserve the planet for future generations.
Climate Change, carbon emissions ... and confusion
For decades, Canadians have been bombarded with messages that paint a picture of a planet in distress, yet the research revealed that less than half (44%) of consumers can accurately define the term "carbon neutrality." By building understanding, Maple Leaf Foods hopes to empower Canadians to act.
“Little changes can have a big impact on the environment, not just on Earth Day, but every day. While Canadians have the best of intentions, our research reveals there’s a gap in knowledge. It’s time to put pride aside, walk the talk and inform ourselves about technical terms,” says Tim Faveri, vice president of sustainability and shared value, Maple Leaf Foods.
Maple Leaf Foods’ sustainability experts compiled a go-to Green Glossary which zeroes in on 12 environmental terms with high search volumes that it hopes will increase awareness, provide simple ways to look after the planet and encourage families to engage on Earth Day and beyond.
The top five most searched for terms per month at the time of compilation included:
- Climate Change
- Global Warming
- Renewable Energy
- Greenhouse Gas
- Fossil Fuels
Why Maple Leaf Foods is leading the charge
The protein industry plays an enormous role in nourishing billions of people, but also consumes resources and impacts our planet. As the world’s first major carbon neutral food company, Maple Leaf Foods continuously works toward more sustainable food production and a more sustainable protein industry. Maple Leaf Foods is dedicated to finding new ways to make its carbon footprint smaller through successful initiatives, which help to decrease its water and energy use, reduce waste and embrace sustainable packaging.
The company believes the best way to drive change is by addressing the significant environmental and social challenges that we face as a society. This has led to Maple Leaf Foods being ranked third globally and first in North America on the 2021 Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index, the world’s only comprehensive sustainability ranking of the 60 largest publicly traded animal protein producers.
To access the Maple Leaf Foods Green Glossary and learn about little changes everyone can make for a big impact on the planet, visit: https://www.mapleleaf.ca/carbonneutral/green-glossary.
Source: Maple Leaf Foods
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
