MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Maple Leaf Foods is issuing a unique challenge to Canadians on November 7 – a Disconnected Dinner. The date marks the company’s second annual Little Changes Day – a time for collective action to protect the planet for future generations. The Disconnected Dinner Challenge calls upon Canadians to step up for sustainability and make little changes that can have a big impact on the environment.
Recent research reveals that almost half of Canadian families (48 per cent) often watch TV while eating dinner. The common practice taking place in approximately five million Canadian households is one example of electricity generation that seems minimal, but collectively creates carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. In fact, it would take planting trees across more than 50 hockey rinks to offset the amount of CO2 generated by just one hour of TV watching by Canadian families. The challenge promotes a dinner time disconnected from screens that reduce carbon emissions and help friends and family re-connect with one another.
“Our research shows that 86 per cent of Canadian parents say they’d like to spend more quality time away from screens and 18 per cent report that at least one family member is looking at a screen every meal,” says Joe McMahan, VP, Sustainability and Shared Value at Maple Leaf Foods. “Maple Leaf Foods is committed to leading the charge in eco-friendly practices and to sharing ways we can come together to make a collective difference. Taking part in this challenge is just one way that families can help the planet while placing the focus on each other.”
