Week 7 Food and justice

We could have gone from plastic + water waste + chemicals in the water to all the bad stuff about food but let's not. 

But for water, now you know what to write in your letter to your elected reps. (we need tax $ for water infrastructure) and for yourselves, you'll get a safe reusable bottle and maybe if you're really worried or have small kids, a simple filter
 
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Food and justice

These days there is a groundswell of interest in food system change. Many people are changing their diets, fearful of e-coli, hormones and antibiotics in food.  Others are working collectively in what's called the "food movement" to change the food system -- all the moving pieces of food from production through to waste.  There was a lot of concern about the environmental, economic and health effects of food produced, distributed and sold by large corporate interests (see lecture).  The US has been losing small to midsized farms, animals are raised in inhumane ways and foods high in salt, sugar and fat taste good, are often cheap and are everywhere.  In the midst of this, there were people who were not eating enough or who were not able to get good food (for a variety of reasons).  This group wanted local farms, local farmers' markets, local gardens and local food security (access to affordable, culturally appropriate, healthy food at all times).

Finding Justice, Health, Security and Sustainability in Good Food

Nick Saul, CEO, Community Food Centres Canada; Author, The Stop
Raj Patel, Activist; Author, Stuffed and Starved
Nikki Henderson, Executive Director, People's Grocery
Jason Mark, Editor, Earth Island Journal; Co-manager, Alemany Farm - Moderator

When Nick Saul became the executive director of The Stop in 1998, the little urban food bank was like thousands of others – cramped and dreary, a last refuge for the area’s poor. Fifteen years later, The Stop is a thriving, internationally respected community food center with gardens, kitchens, farmers markets and a mission to radically revolutionize the food system. How did a single food bank turn into an international movement? We’ve assembled a group of clarion voices for a think tank discussion on how fighting for a just food system can have a soaring impact on individual communities and the world at large. Join us as Nick Saul, Raj Patel, Nikki Henderson and others unpack the story of The Stop and the forward-thinking models that could combat not only hunger, but environmental degradation, global health and international security.

- See more at: http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2013-10-02/food-change-world#sthash.AWJUknzY.dpuf

Long left out of the food movement picture were workers in the fields, food processing plants and fast food joints who are disproportionately nonwhite, impoverished and often don't have the protections that citizenship affords. Unacknowledged were indigenous people, Latinos and black farmers who have been dispossessed of their land as today's food system was built.  Another group not often mentioned in food change efforts are women who disproportionately work in low paid food processing and food service jobs and who are more vulnerable to violence because of their lack of citizenship.  Because of these absences, some people from the original food movement began to talk about food justice.

If you're interested in social change listen to this podcast, Food to Change the World: finding justice, health, security and sustainability in good food. Here panelists talk about how fighting for a just food system can have a soaring impact on individual communities and the world at large. Go to Growing Power in Milwaukee and this link on the Real Food Challenge page and look at the blog snipet, tweets etc on food justice. Tell us what you learned about food justice and why it's important

OR

Alternatively, if you're interested in urban agriculture:

Listen to this podcast, The Urban Farming Movement, from the Commonwealth Club of California. They’ll discuss the urban farming movement's place in the world of organic, locally-grown food, and how they’re bringing the farm to the city - goats included.  Google terms like "urban agriculture", "slow food", "community gardening" or "community food security" making sure that you find a link to a place where it's happening or an organization (not the federal government) tell us what you learned from the podcast and your googling.


sorry, no transcripts of these
 
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Optional: 
Colbert testifying on farm labor.  Remember, he's a comedian. His testimony relates to the first option on food justice
Humane Society undercover video of hog production 
Iowa turkey plant and disabled workers
Good article on the value of smaller scale, sustainable farming