The earth beneath our feet is speaking — through droughts, floods, and erratic weather —
reminding us that the cost of overexploitation is quietly surfacing.

1. When the Land Can No Longer Breathe: The State of Our World

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over one-third of the world’s land has been overused or degraded, and about 80% of that is linked to agricultural activity.
As food demand grows, livestock expands, and forests are cleared for farmland, the land loses its natural rhythm and capacity to breathe.

Global forests are disappearing rapidly:
Since 1990, the world has lost more than 420 million hectares of forest — roughly the size of the entire European Union.Every minute, an area equivalent to 30 football fields of forest is destroyed.
Agriculture and livestock dominate the land:
Livestock production occupies 77% of global agricultural land, yet provides only 18% of humanity’s calories — an imbalance that intensifies land-use pressure.
Tired soil and discolored rivers:
While pesticides and fertilizers have boosted yields, they have also reduced soil fertility and polluted water sources.
When the land loses its health, we lose our most fundamental support system.

2. Taiwan’s Land Is Also Gasping for Air

Taiwan may be small, but its land issues are undeniably real.
According to the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan has about 800,000 hectares of farmland, a portion of which is overused or left fallow.
These problems aren’t confined to rural fields —
they seep into the water we drink, the rice we eat, and the air we breathe.
The health of the land is already intimately tied to our everyday lives.
In southern and central Taiwan,
livestock wastewater has turned rivers black and foul-smelling;
mountain orchards, chasing higher yields, have over-fertilized their soil, leading to acidification and loss of water retention;
and the coexistence of farmland and industry has placed unbearable stress on the earth.These seemingly distant issues unfold right in our daily surroundings.
When water grows murky, weather becomes erratic, and food prices rise,
it is the land reminding us —
that every purchase and every bite is part of our ongoing dialogue with it.

3. Agriculture and Forests: Two Sides of One Living System

Forests and agriculture are interdependent life systems.
Forests regulate water, stabilize the climate, and preserve biodiversity;
but when they are cleared for farms or pastures, carbon emissions, species loss, and climate change all intensify.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), about 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, forestry, and land-use changes (AFOLU).
In other words — every meal carries a hidden story about land and forest.In Brazil and Indonesia, vast rainforests have vanished to make way for livestock and feed crops;
In parts of Asia, intensive farming has drained the soil of vitality.
These realities remind us that to let the Earth breathe again, we must restore the land’s balance and rhythm.

4. “What Impact Does Carbon Emission Have?” — The Second Zone of the Food with Roots Exhibition

At Plantārium’s “Food with Roots” exhibition, the second zone — “What Impact Does Carbon Emission Have?” — uses interactive displays to show how food and climate are inseparable.
Visitors can explore:
The carbon footprint of a meal, from soil to table
How agriculture and livestock shape the climate and environment
How each of our everyday choices collectively transforms the planet
Through visualized data and heartfelt storytelling, this exhibition helps you feel the journey behind every dish — and appreciate each gift from nature with deeper gratitude.

5. Rediscovering the Value of Land: From Understanding to Action

Land is not merely a resource to be used —
it is the root that sustains our lives.

When we rethink the value of the land, we realize:
Sustainability is a form of gentle living.
It’s not about rejecting progress, but learning to live in harmony with nature.
What we can do, starting now:
Choose products from sustainable or regenerative farming, supporting brands that protect the earth.
Reduce food waste so the land’s efforts don’t go to waste.
Appreciate every meal — recognizing the preciousness of each grain and fruit.
These seemingly small choices help the land regain its strength — and bring warmth back into our daily lives.

At plantārium: Where Sustainability Becomes Everyday Living

Through the “Food with Roots” exhibition, we invite you to rethink the meaning of “land.”
It is not just a place of production — but a living organism that breathes with us.
We warmly welcome you to step into this living ecosystem,
to see the connections between agriculture, climate, and food,
and to rediscover the rhythm of the earth beneath your feet.
Sustainability aesthetics is not a trend —
it is an act of respect for the land, for life, and for the future.
Between understanding and empathy,
we can find a way to move forward — together with the planet.