Ethivore

Swiss Chard

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Did you know that Swiss chard is a member of the beet family? I'm growing it, and I didn't know that! My husband learned this from a crossword puzzle this week and shared with me. Another thing I didn't know about Swiss chard when I started growing it... how to cook it.

I've been procrastinating harvesting the chard because I wasn't sure what to cook with it. But it was getting pretty out of control, so I finally decided to take some in last night. I found a recipe with great reviews on Allrecipes.com that called for baking it with feta cheese. It was an easy recipe, but I have to admit, the result was not my favorite. I don't know if it was the recipe or the chard, but it came out very bitter. I had heard that chard is milder than spinach, but this was definitely not! I want so badly to like Swiss chard because it's such a pretty, hardy garden plant. I will definitely give it another try with a different recipe. Meredith's suggestion from last week looks good! Any additional suggestions?

Fall Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I thought about waiting until the spring to start a garden at the new house, but with several weeks left until the first frost, I decided to make a go of a fall garden. I read Square Foot Gardening and was excited to get started. After running all over town to find the materials (mainly the five different varieties of compost), I got my little garden set up in one afternoon. (A special thank-you to my mother-in-law, who gave us a raised bed container as a house-warming gift!)

My next problem was finding seedlings. In the midst of finding and buying a house, I hadn’t started any seeds for a fall garden, and it was a bit too late to start broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage indoors. I was headed home from a local gardening store when I happened to pass Hartke Nursery. My parents had bought me and my husband a tree from Hartke for our anniversary (a Japanese Maple, now planted in our yard!), so I had been there once before. I decided to pull in and take a look around. I wandered through the rows of plants for sale and happened on a table with fall vegetable seedlings. They didn’t have many, but they had almost everything I wanted! I bought a six-pack each of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mixed lettuce, and Swiss chard. (I would have liked to plant sugar snap peas and spinach, but I’ll get to those next year!) I got home, popped them in the garden, watered them in, and they have been growing happily ever since. I fortified the garden against the numerous squirrels and rabbits in our yard with plastic chicken fencing stretched around four metal fence posts, and they haven’t broken in yet.

The founder of this method would tell you that my garden isn’t a “true” square-foot garden because I don’t have dividers marking off each square. Maybe next year. I was more focused on getting the plants in the ground!

I should have the first harvest of Swiss chard this weekend. (I must confess that I’ve never actually eaten Swiss chard before, but it’s so pretty and hardy that I just had to grow it.) I hear you prepare and eat it like spinach. I’ll let you know how it is. The lettuce has been the least happy of the plants; although still growing heartily, some of the plants started to bolt as the temperature climbed back into the 100’s a couple of weeks ago. I'm so glad we finally seem to be done with the heat! I’ll post updates on the garden’s progress. So far, I’m loving this square-foot gardening method!

Is anyone else growing fall vegetables and/or using the SFG method? What do you think? Does anyone have a good Swiss chard recipe to share?

A Growing Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:40:00 +0000

Back in the spring, I started a handful of seedlings in a corner of our little apartment. Under a single grow light, they sprouted up until I had more seedlings than I could possibly pot on my tiny 2- by 4-foot patio. So, I planted a number of herbs, two tomato plants (one a yellow pear tomato and the other a red slicing tomato), two pepper plants (one bell, one hot), and about a dozen carrots, and gave the rest of my seedlings away to good homes. My plants adapted to their new outdoor habitat, growing thicker and stronger in the breeze and taller with the moderate sun reaching my patio. However, as the summer arrived and blasted us with scorching heat and weeks without rain, it was hard to keep the plants happy. One of the pepper plants, the rosemary, and the chives withered and died. Something infested my tomato plants, which got silvery scales on their leaves (let me know if you know what this is… I’m still not sure!). The hope and enthusiasm I felt while nursing the seedlings along in early spring wilted as well, but I kept the remaining plants limping along.

In midsummer, my husband and I bought a house (hurray!). We packed everything up, and I decided to leave the sickly tomato plants behind. The remaining pepper plant, basil, and carrots traveled with us to our new home. As the summer wore on, the carrots became quite stunted and the tops dried out. The basil plant suffered in 100-plus-degree heat without water for several days while I was out of town. However, the pepper (which turned out to be the hot pepper) plant has survived and produced several good peppers!

A little ray of hope for my gardening skills!

It is so amazing to look at these vegetables and remember the tiny seed I planted so many months ago. The seedlings that I sent out into the world have fared a little better than my own. My sister’s pear tomato plant is producing little yellow tomatoes, as are the plants of some friends. I hope to make another attempt with these next year. Now that we have our own bit of land, I'm excited to try my hand at gardening again!

Uhh, we don't really do that.

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:55:00 +0000

Being an ethivore in the DC area was not always easy. Going out with friends was usually the hardest, but it seemed like most restaurants had at least one vegetarian option. I am finding that this is not the case in St. Louis! There is a Midwest ethos here that a meal is not a meal without a hunk of meat. (Not only that, but nonmeat side items are often flavored with meat!)

I met a former professor and friend for lunch a few weeks back, and, by virtue of what’s near my work, we wound up eating at one of those home-style chain restaurants. (I would tell you which one, but I honestly can’t remember… those places all seem the same to me!) There was nothing meatless on the lunch menu, so I ordered a cranberry chicken salad without the chicken. Imagine my surprise when it arrived with bacon! (I guess I hadn’t read the description carefully enough… but, honestly, who puts bacon on a salad with fruit, nuts, and chicken?) I wish the waitress had warned me!

In another example, my husband and I recently took his sister out to dinner. They wanted to go to T.G.I.Friday's. After looking through the menu four times, I found one item without meat. You guessed it: a salad (to which you were really supposed to add chicken at extra cost). When the waiter came to the table and my husband asked him if he had any suggestions for a vegetarian, the waiter looked at us like we had just landed on this planet, and then muttered, “uhh, we don’t really do that.”

I am sure there are some restaurants around here that are more vegetarian-friendly… someone please help me find them!

Enough about eating out. Nothing compares to fresh-picked vegetables! My mother-in-law has a fantastic green thumb, and we have been the beneficiaries of her garden since arriving back in town. These delicious tomatoes came from her backyard.

It's Good to be Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:37:00 +0000

Hello, friends! Well, it has been quite a while since I’ve updated Ethivore. I don’t have much to say by way of excusing myself, except that sometimes life gets in the way of our best intentions. When I started this blog, I was just out of grad school, trying to find work in a bad economy and looking for something to keep me sane while enduring that disheartening process. Just after my last post I started a full-time temporary job, and in the spring I was lucky enough to begin a permanent position in publishing. This brought my husband and me back to the Midwest, closer to family and friends, which we are enjoying very much. Now that we’re settled in, I think it’s time to get back to Ethivore! I have yet to explore the local landscape of ethical food or connect with people in St. Louis who are working toward a sustainable food future. I hope to investigate these topics, as well as more global food issues and news items, as I return to this blog. And, of course, I will continue to bring you some of my favorite seasonal recipes! Feel free to leave me suggestions about local events or places that I should check out. It’s good to be back!

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Ethivore is taking a break for the rest of the week to enjoy time (and good food!) with family and friends. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Look for updates on the blog next Monday. And don't forget to leave your feedback to help me make Ethivore even better!

Megan

Recipe: Piñon Stuffing for Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:04:00 +0000

I am getting excited for Thanksgiving on Thursday! Looking forward to seeing family and friends, and enjoying my dad's wonderful cooking. Dad agreed to share his recipe for one of the dishes I look forward to every year- his fantastic holiday stuffing. Now you too can make it part of your Thanksgiving spread!

Piñon Stuffing
By Jim Madison

Ingredients
2 or three bunches of scallions, thinly sliced
2 sticks of butter (or margarine for vegan option)
2 teaspoons tarragon (crush it after you measure, or use four tsp. fresh chopped)
1 teaspoon savory
1 bunch Italian parsley (enough to make 1 cup chopped)
1/2 cup pine nuts
12 to 14 cups fresh bread crumbs (or about 10 to 12 cups dried crumbs)
A couple of sticks celery, thinly sliced

Directions
Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté the scallions until they are limp but not crispy or brown. Add the celery and spices and sauté briefly. Pour the mixture over the bread crumbs, stirring to coat evenly. (If you use dry crumbs, add water first to rehydrate them before pouring the butter and seasonings on.) Stir in the pine nuts.

Put some of the stuffing in the turkey just before baking and bake the rest for an hour or so in a separate covered pan.

Pass around the table and enjoy!

What Do You Think?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

So, the Ethivore blog has been up for a couple months now. I just want to check in with you, the readers, and get some feedback. Which posts have been your favorite? What types of posts do you find most valuable or interesting? Do like overviews of food issues? How-to posts? Personal stories? News items? Reviews? Recipes? Help me make Ethivore even better- leave your comments and suggestions below.

Thank you!

Megan

Recipe: Blue Ribbon Cornbread

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:51:00 +0000

For this week's recipe, I'm recommending you to Kosher Blog's post on Dana Sly's Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread. This Iowa State Fair award-winning recipe uses ground flax seeds instead of eggs to thicken and bind the ingredients. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, and Mayo Clinic reports that they “can help reduce total blood cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels — and, as a result, may help reduce the risk of heart disease.”

For this recipe, I bought a bag of whole flax seeds (they store better whole- keep in fridge or freezer), and ground them with a mortar and pestle. (You can also use a spice or coffee grinder if you have one.) I also followed one reviewer's suggestion and added 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar to the soy milk to make “buttermilk,” and 1/4 cup of corn kernels to make a hearty, chunky cornbread. The result was moist and delicious, definitely one of the best cornbreads I've had. Try it for yourself and tell me what you think!

To substitute ground flax seeds for eggs in other baked goods, follow the ratio of 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and 3 Tbsp water per one large egg in the recipe.

Thoughts on the World Food Summit 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) World Summit on Food Security (WSFS) ended today, after three days of meetings on the best way to tackle hunger. The summit comes at a time when more than 1 billion people around the world are going hungry, but it offers little hope for new solutions to the problem.

The summit was crippled from the beginning by the refusal of leaders from the G8 countries to attend. The only G8 leader in attendance was Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

The rhetoric of the summit also offers little cause for optimism. The Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security continues to emphasize increased production, commodity crop production, and technological fixes. Indeed, the endorsement of genetically modified food crops has been made even more explicit than in the past: “We will seek to mobilize the resources needed to increase productivity, including the review, approval and adoption of biotechnology and other new technologies and innovations that are safe, effective, and environmentally sustainable.” The wording of this statement not only confers FAO approval on GMOs but also implies they are “safe, effective, and environmentally sustainable.”

In addition, the Declaration clearly aligns the FAO with World Trade Organization (WTO) priorities: “We agree to refrain from taking measures that are inconsistent with the WTO rules, with adverse impacts on global, regional and national food security.” This means that, while developed countries will surely continue to subsidize and protect their own crop production, small producers in developing countries must compete without protections in an open market. Coupled with the emphasis on commodity crop exports, this approach to food security has proven disastrous in the past. As the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Forum Parallel to the World Summit on Food Security emphasized, producing crops for export must not displace local food production.

The World Summit on Food Security also continues to use watered-down, almost meaningless language about the right to food: “We affirm the right of everyone to have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, consistent with the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.” It urges countries to adopt the “Voluntary guidelines for the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.” This language is used specifically to absolve rich countries from an obligation to aid poorer countries in keeping people from starving.

Despite these continued disappointments, there are a few positive signs in the rhetoric of the WSFS: recognition of the need for continued review of the impacts of biofuels, a few mentions of implementing “sustainable practices,” and a nod to the importance of smallholders and women farmers. However, farmers and other stakeholders continue to be marginalized in the decision-making process. The parallel conference, People’s Food Sovereignty Now!, achieved little attention from or dialogue with the WSFS.

Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the FAO, ended the summit with his closing statements today. He said that in order to feed a projected 9 billion people in 2050, the developed world would need to increase production by 70% and developing countries by 100%. These projections ignore the massive waste in the current industrial agricultural system. For example, an increasing focus on commodity crops for export has allowed food to rot in warehouses while people nearby starve. We must start thinking of the problem of hunger as systematic and requiring comprehensive social and economic solutions, rather than continuing to focus only on increasing yields.

Image from http://peoplesforum2009.foodsovereignty.org/

Movie Review: Food, Inc.

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Image from http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Food, Inc. takes a sweeping look at all that is wrong with our current food system. The documentary draws on Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation, and both authors narrate parts of the film. While much of the information presented can be found in more detail in these two books, the message is important enough to say over and over again. And the film genre, with its startling and disturbing images, adds a new dimension to the words. Food, Inc. hits all the major points, in a way that feels a little disjointed at first but becomes more and more compelling.

Food, Inc. examines the consolidation of the industrial food chain and the drive to produce more and more for fewer and larger companies. I was very impressed that the Vice President of the American Corn Growers Association had a role in the film, explaining how government policy encourages overproduction by subsidizing corn so that it can be produced below the cost of production. He talks about the powerful lobbies of the food companies that have an interest in purchasing corn below the cost of production. The film also draws the connection between subsidizing unhealthy calories (in the form of high fructose corn syrup and other corn derivatives) and the skyrocketing rates of obesity and diabetes in this country. I was gratified to hear Pollan acknowledge that there are those who simply can’t afford to eat well, and that policy change as well as individual action is needed.

The film moves from industrial agriculture to factory farming and the horrific conditions of industrially-raised animals. It talks about the spread of deadly E. Coli in the food system and presents the personal story of the mother of an infant killed by E. Coli in his hamburger. The details of slaughterhouse conditions and lack of oversight by government agencies certainly will make you think twice about where you get your meat. Food, Inc. also shows some alternatives, and Joel Salatin, the “beyond-organic” farmer highlighted in The Omnivore’s Dilemma makes several appearances in the film to show us around his farm and share his wisdom.

While trying to get a broad overview of a problem, its easy for disparate pieces to get lost, but this film does a good job hitting all the major points and holding them together. From NAFTA and immigration to the political ties and influence of the likes of Monsanto, to genetically engineered soybeans and bans on seed-saving, Food, Inc. shows how systematic the problems of the industrial food system are and why high-tec fixes alone won’t fix it.

Even though all of the themes in the film were quite familiar, I enjoyed watching it and hearing some of the major players in the field describe the problems. I even had some “WHAT!?” moments myself, such as learning about a company using ammonia to clean its “meat product” for hamburger filling.

The film ends with easy, powerful suggestions for action and a simple message: “You can change the system.” Food, Inc. is out on DVD now, so pick it up at the movie store, download a discussion guide from the website, and invite your friends. To learn more about the film and what you can do, visit www.foodincmovie.com.

Plenty More Fish in the Sea? How to Choose Sustainable Seafood

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezioman/ / CC BY 2.0

The Problem

While the old adage says there are “plenty more fish in the sea,” this is not as true as it once was. Overfishing and other poor fishing practices have brought levels of wild fish to extreme lows and destroyed crucial ocean habitats. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, humans have removed “as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans.” Practices such as trawling the ocean floor by dragging nets across the bottom destroy delicate marine ecosystems and also result in “bycatch,” unwanted species of fish, turtles, and marine mammals and birds that are thrown, dead or dying, back into the ocean. Better management and fishing practices are needed to reduce these damages.

Farming fish can be harmful as well. Industrial-scale aquaculture often results in pollution and the destruction of natural habitats, as well as the escape of farmed fish and diseases into wild fish populations. Industrial aquaculture usually concentrates on raising large, predatory fish species, which are fed smaller, wild-caught fish, intensifying the impact. However, some fish farmers are coming up with ways to minimize these negative outcomes and even contribute positively to habitat restoration and city water treatment. For more information on innovative and ecologically sound aquaculture practices, see Senior Researcher Brian Halweil’s Worldwatch Report on Farming Fish for the Future.

Eating seafood raises concerns not only about the environment but also about human health. Fish is usually viewed as a healthy food because it is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart health. However, many fish, especially predatory species, have high concentrations of mercury and other toxins. Fish can ingest mercury, industrial chemicals, and pesticides from contaminated water; fish that eat other fish end up with much higher levels of these toxins in their bodies. Ingesting mercury and other toxins can be harmful to human health, especially for more vulnerable people and pregnant women.

What You Can Do

As an ethivore, how can you minimize negative impacts on your health and the natural environment if you want to eat seafood? It is hard to speak in generalities since so much depends on the practices of the particular fishery or farm supplying the seafood. However, it is usually better, both for the environment and your health, to eat smaller, non-predatory species that do not require many other fish to support them and do not concentrate toxins as much. Try to choose seafood like tilapia, carp, and shellfish over tuna, salmon, or shrimp.

The best way to find out about a particular species and fishing/ farming practice is to consult a consumer guide before going to a grocery store or restaurant. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch” and the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Seafood Selector” are both excellent, well-researched guides. Both organizations have searchable databases online, printable quick guides, and downloadable guides for your mobile device. They also have specific guides for choosing sushi. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s pocket guides are region-specific, making it easier to identify sustainable local choices. That organization also has a new “Super Green List” of fish that’s good for your health and the ocean. Environmental Defense Fund has a useful Fish Substitutions page with suggested alternatives to the “Eco-Worst” choices that are similar in texture and flavor.

Another way to identify sustainable seafood is by looking for the Marine Stewardship Council label at the store or on your restaurant menu. MSC certifies fish from wild fisheries that meet its standards for maintaining sustainable fish stocks, minimizing environmental impact, and effective management. You can also check which products are certified on the website.

All of this may seem like a lot to think about, but these organizations are making choosing sustainable seafood as effortless as possible. Download a guide today and carry it with you. It will come in handy the next time you're out to eat or standing at the seafood counter in the grocery store!

If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out last month's “Quick Guide to Consumer Food Labels for Meat, Dairy, and Eggs.”

Freecycle

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:35:00 +0000

If you haven't discovered Freecycle yet, or haven't taken the time to check it out, I strongly encourage you to do so! The Freecycle Network™ is a grassroots, nonprofit movement that connects people giving things away for free. It works on the idea that "one person's trash is another one's treasure"- people list usable items that they no longer want, and people who need these items can respond and pick them up. I've seen everything from firewood to TVs to baby bottles listed. I recently joined the Arlington Freecycle group, and am anxiously awaiting a light fixture that I will rig up to supplement natural light for growing plants indoors! I've also given away several things that were gathering dust in my closet. There are 4,852 Freecycle groups all around the world, and membership is free. Join a group today, clean out your closet or garage without contributing to a landfill, and maybe even discover a treasure of your own.

Recipe: Quinoa and Black Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:21:00 +0000

If you haven't cooked with quinoa before, this is a great recipe to try it out! Quinoa is a small, very protein-rich grain, full of good vitamins and minerals. It can be substituted for rice or couscous in many recipes, and has a slightly nutty flavor. Before cooking, quinoa should be soaked for about 30 minutes to an hour to remove saponin, which can make it bitter and harder to digest. (Some people prefer not to soak quinoa or to soak it for much longer periods, but I've found 30 minutes to an hour to be a good balance.) You'll probably need a mesh strainer to drain the rinse water after, because the grains are so small.

Uncooked quinoa

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, soaked and drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2/3 cup cooked black beans (or 16 ounce can, rinsed and drained)
1 (16 ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
• Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
• Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and tomatoes. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

This recipe is good hot or cold, and leftovers make great lunches. I hope you enjoy!

Humanity’s Unique Status and What It Means for Life on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:32:00 +0000

Last fall, 100 scientists issued an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report stating that 1 in 4 mammals face extinction—in other words, 25 % of mammals are threatened. What are the causes of loss of biological diversity? Why should we care? What are activists concerned about biological diversity doing and what should they do to stem this loss?

Humanity: The Problem
It is clear that humans are to blame for the current extinction crisis. Both Stephen Meyer and E. O. Wilson place the calamity squarely on the shoulders of humanity. Wilson says that “human overpopulation” is a root cause of all the other factors in the loss of biological diversity: “habitat loss,” “invasive species,” “pollution,” and “overharvesting.” Meyer names these same forces in only slightly different terms: “development, agriculture, resource consumption, pollution, and alien species.” The forms of humanity’s impact are many, but the heart of the matter is simple: humans are everywhere. Although Wilson says that Homo sapiens “is a species confined to an extremely small [ecological] niche,” the truth is that humans have proven to be remarkable versatile, colonizing all but the most inhospitable areas of the globe. Most of this adaptability, as Wilson points out, is a matter of our mastery of technology, a function of our intelligence and ingenuity. At the beginning of The End of the Wild, Meyer describes “weedy species” as “adaptive generalists—species that flourish in a variety of ecological settings, switch easily between food types, and breed prolifically.” In the terms of this definition, humans are the consummate weedy species. Humanity’s resourcefulness and genius have allowed it to adapt to myriad habitats around the globe and to multiply to fill these spaces; however, humanity reaches even further than this. When humanity cannot adapt to local conditions, it assimilates the landscape to itself instead. Throughout the last 10,000 years, humans have dug up the land, selectively cultivated plants to being eaten by people, re-routed rivers, and moved mountains. Humankind has re-inscribed the face of the earth to such an extent that it is currently in danger of writing large swatches of the life on it out of existence. Do we care?

Why Why We Care Is Not Enough
So it is established that humans, with our vast ingenuity and versatility, are the cause of the extinction crisis underway today. Many people are worried and are sounding the alarm for others to get concerned as well. However, the reasons a person has for caring about the loss of biological diversity will affect what s/he is willing to do about, what s/he sees as a reasonable solution (if there is one), and which causes of the problem s/he is willing to acknowledge and address. If the argument against the loss of biological diversity is not given the proper frame, the steps taken to address the problem cannot yield long-term solutions. Many of the arguments as to why we should care do not lead to genuine resolution.

Why Economics Are Not Enough

    Several arguments typically are promulgated regarding why one should care about the impoverishment of our natural environment. Primary among these is “loss of resources.” Both Meyer and Wilson reference this argument, which says that key natural resources on which humanity relies are in danger of disappearing. This phenomenon is easily visible in many industries; overconsumption leads to the end of that which is desired to be consumed.
    However, when many people look at the natural world and see discrete natural resources that need to be protected in order to ensure their availability for use in the future, they are not concerned with fragile ecosystems or truly ecologically sustainable levels, but rather with the very maximum of a particular thing that can be extracted without destroying the ability to extract that thing in the future. This tends to prioritize one species or one linear food chain over other interactions within the ecosystem. Perhaps the argument can be stretched further. It is often argued that the cure for cancer may be awaiting discovery deep in the Amazon rainforest. The endangered forest could hold the key to new life-saving pharmaceuticals or medical or scientific breakthroughs that could benefit humanity. To view the loss of biological diversity in terms of economic cost puts the worth of each species or entity squarely within the realm of the market economy. This same market economy externalizes its costs into the natural environment and leads to a great deal of the loss of biological diversity.
    Perhaps the lapse in market economics—or the ability of producers to externalize costs into the environment—could be corrected by recognizing we are destroying the ability of the earth to provide economically valuable “ecosystem services” that it now provides free of charge. This is another popular way of arguing for the importance of biological diversity. The loss of natural services, like soil and water renewal, air filtration and oxygen generation, and the pollination of plants, would cost billions of dollars to replace and are vital to our world economy. While it is frightening to contemplate a world that cannot nourish plants in the soil or produce fruit from its plants, this argument is also a dangerous way of framing the problem. By putting these “services” into economic terms, we run the risk of dangerously overestimating the abilities of technology. For instance, industrial agriculture relies heavily on chemical fertilizers, an ostensible technological fix that seemed to improve on nature by providing more soil fertility than nature itself. But we now know that synthetic fertilizers are not sufficient for creating viable soil apart from the biotic action of worms and other soil organisms. Additionally, chemical fertilizers contribute to environmental destruction in a number of ways, from relying on extractive industries to disrupting fluvial and oceanic habitats through runoff.
    It is not enough to frame the problem of the loss of biological diversity in terms of economics. As Meyer points out, even the “exemplar of sustainable development: Brazil-nut harvesting in the Amazon” fell before the logic of the global market. If the economic system itself promotes unsustainable behavior, arguments for sustaining nature in order to maintain it do not make sense. Something larger must motivate real change.

Why Biophilia Is Not Enough
Meyer and Wilson argue that nature in general and certain animal species in particular hold psychological and spiritual importance to humanity. Our quality of life, the wonderfulness of our life experience would diminish without biological diversity. When I sat down to write about the loss of biological diversity, I gazed at my bulletin board as I gathered my thoughts. Fluffy penguins stared back from the cover of a World Wildlife calendar, along with a stately bald eagle, a grizzly bear, young Florida panther cubs, and a pair of grey wolves on postcards from the Sierra Club. These graceful animals tug at our heartstrings, maybe make us reach in our pocketbooks to help protect them from extinction. The recent report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) brings the plight of these charismatic mega-fauna into even sharper relief: 1 in 4 mammals are “at risk of disappearing forever.” Maybe it is important to our psyche or our spirit to know that we inhabit a world where there are charismatic animals like the panther or the bald eagle, but it is not enough. Our attachment to stately animals or green vistas has lead, as the authors point out, to piecemeal approaches to conservation. There is more to the report than the mammals; the IUCN “Red List” includes nearly 45,000 species of plants and animals, of which 38 percent are threatened with extinction. Our Biophilia may draw us to particular animals or vistas in specific, but it does not attach us in a psychological or spiritual way to ecosystems as a whole. Biophilia focuses our attention on the most obvious and the most human-like of animals and ignores their, and our own, context in the wider ecosystem.

Why We Need A New Orientation
    “Human pathogens and disease are likely to flourish in [a degraded] environment, easily skipping around the world,” says Meyer. “Civilizations collapse when their environments are ruined,” Wilson warns. Both of these are true and valid claims, but if we look deeper, they also point to the root cause of the loss of biological diversity.
    In nature, disease spreads when a population becomes too large or too dense. It culls the population back to levels that can be sustained within the environment. When populations outstrip their food sources, some animals die of starvation until balance is restored. Because humans are so good at manipulating environments and other organisms to serve their needs, they seem to live outside these biological constraints.   In reality, we are living on borrowed time, at the expense of the environment that ultimately sustains us.
    This is not an argument for “allowing nature to take its course” on individuals or populations—I am not endorsing genocide by neglect. However, recognizing that the human drive to defeat the natural limitations and checks of our environments will go a long way toward a new orientation toward nature. Of course we want the people alive today to continue to be so, and to live relatively free of threats from the natural environment. But this admittedly anthropocentric goal will require a reframing, a reflection on the fact that we are not above and beyond nature, but part of a delicate and intricate system, dependent as well as determinant.
    Humankind clearly is unique—no other species has such disproportional representation across the earth or power over the landscape. This fact has lead to an attitude that humans somehow are separate from, better than, and have no need of nature. Yet the many accomplishments that humans have been able to achieve through ingenuity have not divorced us from a dependence on nature. The question cannot be: our well-being versus that of the planet, for the two are inextricable. This is precisely what Meyer argues when he says, “We as a global society must develop an ecological identity that underscores the connection between how we live and what happens around us… What remains is for us to wake up and see the moral linkages—the realities of shared existence and shared fate.” The question of why to care must be answered at this fundamental level, with a holistic focus that recognizes humanity as a keystone but not the only thing of importance.

Humanity: The Solution
    Civilization must make itself compatible with the natural world, not see itself as above it, if both the people and the diversity of life in the natural world are to survive. The moral reframing needed will not appear spontaneously. It is critical that we educate our children about the interconnectedness of life. It is important that we teach our children that nature is more than an amalgam of resources for our use and enjoyment. Living and intact ecosystems support us and all the other life forms connected in our web.
    I am not so pessimistic as Meyer. I do not think a reorientation in our values will take “many centuries.” I think that if we make this type of education a priority, we will see the turnaround much faster. As Wilson says, “The ascent to nature begins in childhood, and the science of biology is therefore ideally introduced in the earliest years.” Ecological stewards are grown.
    The ecological stewards of tomorrow can use what we have accomplished thus far as stepping-stones to a preserve and renew as much biodiversity as possible. Even though the protections that are in place today address the problem in a piecemeal fashion, laws like the Endangered Species Act, international agreements like the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), controls on the transportation of alien species, and wildlife preserves and refuges are invaluable to conserving biodiversity. The ecological stewards of today and the children who are trained in this value system tomorrow will work to strengthen these measures and find new ways to protect ecosystems, counteract the impact of the world economy, and save even the least charismatic of species.
    The new ecologists, having grown up with a holistic view of nature, may willingly make choices that are based not on what is cheap or expedient, but on what is best for humanity and the world as a whole. While I do not know what form these solutions will take, I believe that it is not too late to stem the tide of the loss of biological diversity.   A reorientation away from a strictly anthropocentric view of humanity’s place in nature and toward a holistic approach to nature and ourselves is possible. It begins with the education of children.

“IUCN Red List Reveals World’s Mammals in Crisis.” International Union for Conservation of Nature. 6 October 2008. http://www.iucn.org/what/species/mammals/index.cfm?uNewsID=1695

Meyer, Stephen M. The End of the Wild. Somerville, Mass.: Botson Review, 2006.

Wilson, E.O. Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth. New York, W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.

Farmers' Market Love

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:59:00 +0000

I am lucky enough to have the Arlington Farmers' Market just a couple blocks from my apartment every Saturday morning. It's open year-round, and is a producer-only market (no re-selling of other people's goods). The vendors' farms have to be local to within 125 miles of the market. They sell fruits and vegetables, free-range meat and eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and homemade goods like pasta, bread, pies, and jam. Going to the farmers' market is a great way to get fresh, delicious food and to interact with neighbors and local farmers. A wonderful Saturday morning activity!

Cabbage as big as a car! (Just kidding, but still a very impressive cabbage!)

(These chickens weren't actually for sale, just advertising upcoming eggs!)

Here's my haul this week. I went with $25, and came back with all of this, including a little change:

There are tons of farmers markets all over the U.S.! Find one near you using the search box below.

Image courtesy of LocalHarvest.org

Enter Your Zip Code or City:

Recipe: Dad's Nutty Granola

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:06:00 +0000

Today I want to share a delicious granola recipe cooked up by my father:

4 cups old-fashioned oats
3 Tbsp dark brown sugar  
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp canola oil  
3 Tbsp water  
1 cup each of almonds and pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
pinch of ginger 

Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, then set aside. Mix oats, brown sugar, nuts, salt and spices. Bring honey, oil, and water to a simmer in a saucepan or microwave. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 to 30 minutes longer. Let cool. (Granola can be stored in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.)

My batch was gone much faster! I also crushed the nuts up a little before adding them to make pieces of varying size. I hope you enjoy this granola as much as we do!

Finding Your Thanksgiving Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:29:00 +0000

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, it's time to start thinking about where you're going to get your bird. Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the bounty of the earth and enjoy the company of family and friends, so it is a great time to think about making food choices that support health, animal welfare, and the environment. Instead of just heading to the supermarket for a factory-farmed turkey, why not connect with a local farmer to find a bird that has been raised sustainably and treated well?

You might also consider buying a "heritage" turkey. 99% of turkeys raised in the U.S. are of one breed, the "Broadbreasted White," which has been bred to suit industrial agriculture with its unusually large breasts. The Food and Agriculture Organization says that these birds are unable to reproduce naturally and would die out within a generation without artificial insemination conducted by humans. Without genetic diversity, the turkey population is also susceptible to being wiped out by disease. Heritage turkey farmers are trying to bolster genetic diversity by raising various traditional turkey breeds, such as the Beltsville Small White, the Jersey Buff, the Narragansett, and the White Midget.

Here are some resources for finding your perfect holiday turkey:

Local Harvest allows you to search the Turkey Shop for organic, pastured, and heritage turkeys for pickup or delivery from local farms.

Using the advanced search option on the Eat Well Guide, you can search for turkeys with various characteristics (pasture raised, organic, vegetarian-fed) and find farms, stores, and butchers near you.

In the Midwest, you can find heritage turkeys from the Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch Consortium, made up of several farms in Kansas and Iowa.

A turkey that has been raised sustainably and treated humanely not only looks and tastes better but also, as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal, can be a great conversation starter to introduce family and friends to the idea of being an "ethivore."

How to Stock Your Pantry

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:56:00 +0000

It’s easy to reach for a take-out menu when you feel like there is nothing to eat in the house, or that cooking would be too much of a chore. But when you keep some staple foods on hand, you can whip up an easy dinner as quickly as the delivery person could get to your door. Cooking fresh, wholesome foods at home is better for your health, your budget, and, ultimately, the environment. Here is a guide to what I keep in my kitchen. These basic ingredients can be combined in a number of ways for easy meals, or supplemented with a few more unusual ingredients to yield fancier cuisine.

Cupboard
Brown rice
Quinoa
Rolled oats
Whole-wheat couscous
Whole-wheat pasta
Cornmeal
Whole-wheat flour
Unbleached all-purpose flour
Dry beans (kidney, black, assorted mix, chickpeas… anything, really)
Dry lentils
Extra-virgin olive oil
Canola oil
(Dark sesame oil- nice to have)
Vegetable broth and mushroom broth (I look for organic, low-sodium versions)
Vinegar (cider, white, balsamic)
Pasta sauce
Canned tomatoes (crushed and diced)
Canned pineapple chunks in pineapple juice (no sugar added)
Nuts and seeds
Raisins or other dried fruit
Honey
Sugar (white and brown)
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cornstarch
Salt
Pure vanilla extract
Homemade bread
Loose-leaf tea

Fridge
Minced garlic (comes in a jar)
Soy sauce (low-sodium)
Chili paste
Chili garlic sauce
Curry paste
Tortillas (corn or whole-wheat)
Natural peanut butter (refrigerate after opening)
Low-fat shredded cheese (Italian blend and cheddar)
Bread yeast

Freezer
Broccoli
Carrots
Spinach
Corn
Prepared beans (In 1 2/3 cup portions, which equals 1 can… Thanks for the tip, Meredith!)
Homemade bread
Ground flax seed
Wheat germ
Mixed fruit
Berries
Nuts (if keeping for a long time)
Serving-size portions of leftover soups, stews, casseroles

Herbs and spices
Most used:
Basil (dried and I have a plant growing)
Bay leaf
Chili flakes
Chili powder
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cumin
Curry powder
Garlic powder
Ginger, ground
Nutmeg
Onion powder
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pepper
Rosemary
Thyme

Also nice to have:
Cardamom
Chilies, dried
Cocoa powder
Coriander
Dill
Fennel
Garam masala
Herbes de Provence
Mint, crushed
Mustard seed
Sage, ground
Sesame seeds
Turmeric

Things I buy frequently
Onions
Yams or potatoes
Mushrooms
Greens
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit
Hummus (natural)
Tofu, extra-firm
Milk (nonfat, no rBGH)
Yogurt (nonfat, organic- I like Stonyfield)
Cottage cheese (nonfat)

What ingredients are essential in your kitchen, or what is one of your favorite easy weekday meals?

Give a man a heifer... feed him for a lifetime!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:54:00 +0000

I recently received Heifer International’s holiday gift catalog in the mail, which got me thinking again about the creative way this organization is addressing world hunger. Heifer International is a nonprofit dedicated to providing livestock to impoverished families all over the world. It works with people in poverty-stricken areas to develop goals and action plans based on community-identified needs. It then provides resources and training, preparing people to receive a gift of live animals. The animals can be anything from water buffalos to chicks to honeybees, depending on the location and particular need. Heifer International calls these animals “living loans” because each family that receives aid promises to give one of the animals’ offspring to others in need. In addition to providing fresh milk and eggs for consumption or wool or offspring for sale, these animals become part of a sustainable land management plan by contributing natural fertilizer for the fields and biogas for cooking and heating. Families are taught agroecological techniques for caring for the land, which help conserve the natural environment and renew soil productivity, increasing crop yields. Heifer International also provides veterinary training and teaches families how to care for the animals’ well being. By integrating charitable giving, sustainable practices, and animal welfare in a solution to hunger, Heifer International exemplifies “ethivorous” thinking!

Consider asking for or giving a donation as a holiday gift this year. Browse the online gift catalog here.

What's In Season?

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

With fall in full swing, the grocery stores around here are brimming with bright orange pumpkins, colorful winter squash, and rosy apples, reflecting the bounty of nearby farms. But the shelves are also stocked with more well-traveled items like oranges and grapes. For people who are trying to keep their environmental impact low, as well as those who just enjoy eating fresh, flavorful food, selecting produce that's in season is the best choice. And while it's easy to tell that oranges don't grow on trees around here, it can be harder to sort out which greens and veggies are in season at every moment. Fortunately, there are some websites that make finding out what's in season in your particular location a snap, without complex charts. One good site is the Natural Resources Defense Council's Eat Local page. You can search its database using the box below.

Another great resource is Epicurious' Seasonal Ingredient Map,which lets you choose the month and then click your state on a map to see a list of in-season food items. Each item also links to a page with tips on how to select, prepare, and store that food, as well as providing recipes.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Whole Wheat Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Apple crisp is a great fall treat. Here is a recipe I modified from a traditional apple crisp recipe to give this delicious dessert a little more nutritional content.

The filling:
10 cups of firm, tart apples, peeled and sliced (Good varieties for baking include Braeburn, Cortland, Empire, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Rome, and Winesap.)
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup water

The topping:
1 cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine sliced apples, white sugar, 1 Tbsp flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water, stirring to evenly coat the apples. Transfer to 9x13 inch pan.

Using the same bowl, combine dry ingredients for the topping, mixing to evenly distribute baking powder and soda. Add brown sugar and melted margarine and stir to combine. Crumble topping over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream!

Thoughts on a Sugared Beverage Tax

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:27:00 +0000

Take a look at this commercial I saw the other day:

(If you can't see the video below, view it on YouTube here.)

I can’t tell you how much this commercial irks me! It is so disingenuous. First of all, the premise of the commercial is that if the government begins taxing beverages, American families won’t be able to afford to feed themselves. But what are we talking about taxing? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains? No. The proposed tax would be on “juice drinks and sodas” (notice, not fruit juice, but juice drinks, which usually contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavoring). After getting steamed up watching this commercial, I decided to investigate further.

There is no particular piece of legislation pending, but lawmakers have floated the idea of taxing sugary beverages. Estimates on how much money a tax of one to a few pennies per ounce could raise range from $51-150 billion dollars over the next ten years. These taxes have been proposed not only to raise money to support health care reform or other public goods, such as inner city farmers’ markets, but also to shift consumer habits in support of health. Consumption of sugary beverages has been linked to obesity and Type II diabetes, diseases that are afflicting more and more of the population and driving up the costs of public health care. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year, authors Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., and Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. state, “For each extra can or glass of sugared beverage consumed per day, the likelihood of a child’s becoming obese increases by 60%.”

It has been argued that a tax on sugary beverages would disproportionally burden the poor, who spend a greater percentage of their income on these products. Some Democrats in Congress have even claimed that a sugar tax could encourage low-income families to cut spending on fruits and vegetables rather than on the taxed items. While it is important to assess the social and economic impacts on all segments of society when considering new legislation, these claims do not reflect the whole picture. Low-income families are also disproportionally afflicted with Type II diabetes and obesity-related diseases. Why haven’t these same Representatives spoken out against industry subsidies that make sugar-loaded, processed food cheaper and easier to come by than healthy whole foods? Additionally, there is good reason to believe that the proposed tax would reduce consumption of sugary drinks. Studies by researchers and industry groups alike have found that an increase of 6.8-12% in the cost of soda resulted in a 7.8-14.6% decrease in consumption. Low-income families stand to gain from a tax that would encourage reduced consumption, especially if the funds raised could be used to make healthy foods more readily available.

One final thought: The group sponsoring the commercial, Americans Against Food Taxes, calls itself a “concerned coalition of citizens,” but if you go to its website, you can view a list of “coalition members”; The supporters listed are mainly beverage companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, industry lobby groups like the American Beverage Association, and retailers like 7-Eleven and McDonald’s. And we are supposed to believe they have our best interests at heart?

For more information, see: Brownell, KD and Frieden, TR. “Ounces of Prevention--The Public Policy Case for Taxes on Sugared Beverages.” N Engl J Med. 2009 Apr 30;360(18):1805-8.

Book Review: The Omnivore's Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:52:00 +0000

Pollan, Michael, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (New York: The Penguin Press, 2006, 450 pp.)

Image courtesy of MichaelPollan.com

“What should we have for dinner?,” the book begins. No, this is not a diet book, filled with new taboos and panaceas. Michael Pollan’s engrossing book Omnivore’s Dilemma tackles the question of what to eat in a more philosophical, but eminently practical, way. The title of the book is taken from psychologist Paul Rozin’s work on food selection in humans and animals. The “omnivore’s dilemma” is that, while omnivores can take advantage of many varied food sources, this also means that they must make choices about which things to eat, some of which could harm or kill them. Enter the contemporary American omnivore. With food fads revolutionizing the way Americans eat every few years, Pollan asks what we should be eating. To answer this question, he decides that he first must learn what we are eating, which he does by tracing the food chains of a small number of meals from their original sources to the table. Why ask what we should be eating, or even what we are eating? Pollan says, “How and what we eat determines to a great extent the use we make of the world- and what is to become of it.”

    The book provides a compelling “natural history” of four meals: the “industrial,” “industrial organic,” “beyond organic,” and “neo-Paleolithic.” Pollan begins his inquiry with the largest and most prevalent food chain in America, the industrial, represented at mealtime by a McDonald’s lunch consumed in the car. Working from the source, Pollan reveals how corn has permeated every corner of the standard contemporary food supply: It is processed into myriad forms of food product (like most of the McDonald’s meal), fed to meat and dairy animals on industrial feedlots, and burned as ethanol in fuel tanks. After exposing many sordid details about the industrial food chain, Pollan asks if organic food provides a way around this petroleum-guzzling, environment-depleting, animal-torturing, obesity-inducing nightmare. In researching and preparing an organic meal from ingredients purchased at Whole Foods, Pollan discovers that “organic” has been co-opted to a great extent by the industrial logic of modern society, producing the oxymoronic “industrial organic” business that suffers from many of the same problems as the industrial food chain. He finds some hope, however, on Joel Salatin’s “beyond organic” farm, which raises animals in a symbiotic relationship based on their natural predilections, allowing the enterprise to function almost as a closed loop. The underlying message of Polyface Farm is “think local,” and even as Pollan sings its praise he wonders how “beyond organic” could serve the needs of urban society. Finally, Pollan makes “the perfect meal,” in a “neo-Paleolithic” endeavor of hunting, gathering, and growing everything on the table. He calls the meal “perfect” because it is made in full consciousness of and with full responsibility for everything that went into producing it. This final exercise allowed Pollan to grapple with many ethical questions of the way we eat, including the morality of killing animals. While he recognizes that hunting/ gathering is not a viable way to feed ourselves in the contemporary world, he thinks the lessons of the experience can lead us to more ethically conscious food selection.

    Overall, Omnivore’s Dilemma is compelling and well written. Pollan is familiar with classical texts in a range of fields and is up-to-date on current articles on food and food politics. As a journalist, he does not cite individual assertions with academic rigor, but, as the book is written for a general audience, the choice of narrative flow over scholarly citation is understandable. The strength of the book lies in Pollan’s considered reflection on each new piece of information he unearths. The reader feels that she is taking the journey toward deeper understanding, right along with the author.

    While the book provides an excellent account of many facets of food production today, it neglects certain important aspects of the problem. Although Pollan addresses the impacts on environment, animals, and human health in general, he talks very little about the social injustices inflicted by the industrial agricultural system. As David Harvey points out, the effects of environmental hazards are differentially experienced by the poor and the well-off.[i] Pollan makes a nod to this when he says that those “on one of the lower rungs of America’s economic ladder” who enjoy the advantages of “cheap calories in a variety of attractive forms” provided by the industrial food chain end up paying “a high price for these cheap calories: obesity, Type II diabetes, heart disease.” However, Pollan is dismissive later, asserting, “It isn’t only the elite who in recent years have found an extra fifty or one hundred dollars each a month to spend on cell phones or television… so is the unwillingness to pay more for food really a matter of affordability or priority?” Whereas Margaret Fitzsimmons and David Goodman, who address many of the same issues as Pollan, see environmental harm and social inequality as mutually constitutive[ii], Pollan seems to locate the problem in the willful ignorance of consumers, encouraged by industry interests. He does not give enough attention to the socioeconomic class dimensions of either the problem or the possible solutions. It is important that those who are looking for alternative methods of feeding the population understand the systemic nature of class-based and racial oppression so that they don’t fall into the trap of blaming the people (or a section of the people) they are trying to help. As far as solutions, Pollan spends his time looking for solutions almost exclusively in rural settings. He mentions his concern that the Polyface farm model may not be able to feed New York City, but he never travels to a big city to investigate the urban agricultural movement of community and rooftop gardens, which could have added another important dimension to his work.

    Pollan also could have made a more explicit connection between the industrial food system and broader environmental degradation and climate change. Pollan recognizes the disastrous nature of industrial agriculture and enumerates the present environmental and health problems created by the system, but he does not extend his vision into the future, or even into the world at large. Carole Crumley describes how Europe returned to the “Dark Ages” once the “Roman Climate Optimum” had passed.[iii] Pollan might do well to ask if the world is headed for another “Dark Ages” as we disrupt our own climate optimum through the global climate-changing effects of industrial agriculture.

    Although Pollan could have delved deeper into the class and global implications of the problems he outlines, these criticisms should only highlight what a valuable jumping-off point he has given us. The book ends rather abruptly after Pollan’s hunting/ gathering experience and never offers a conclusion as to what we should be eating, but the well-researched descriptions and thoughtful reflections in The Omnivore’s Dilemma make it superb “food” for thought. The structure of the book, narrative flow, and clarity of expression lend it to a pleasure read and the classroom alike. Everyone should read this book, which can’t help but make even the most passive consumer ruminate on change.

[i] Harvey, David. Justice Nature and the Geography of Difference. Malden: MA: Blackwell. 1996.

[ii] Fitzsimmons, Margaret and David Goodman. “Incorporating Nature.” Remaking Reality, Ed. Bruce Braun and Noel Castree. P. 215.

[iii] Crumley, Carole L. “The Ecology of Conquest: Contrasting Agropastrol and Agricultural Societies’ Adaptation to Climatic Change.” Historical Ecology: Cultural Knowledge and Changing Landscapes, Ed. Crumley.

Food Deserts

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Being back in St. Louis over the weekend served as a stark reminder of another very important dimension of seeking food justice: ensuring that people have access to nutritious, healthy food. In the area where I used to live around Saint Louis University, as in many other parts of St. Louis and other cities, the options for buying groceries are limited. Fast food chains and convenience stores outnumber supermarkets by a considerable margin. I didn’t have a car when I went to SLU, and the only option for groceries within walking distance was a Schnucks grocery store. That Schnucks stocked more varieties of liquor than vegetables, and the greens that they did have looked like the rejected produce in a Whole Foods dumpster. If you were to get in a car and drive about 15 minutes west of SLU’s midtown location, you could have your pick of fresh produce and quality meats and dairy from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or even the large mainstream chains like Target, Dierbergs, or Schnucks, which are better stocked in that area.

Photo by Spixey (Flickr CC)

2.3 million households in the U.S. live more than a mile away from a supermarket and lack access to transportation. These “food deserts” are usually found in the inner city or in isolated rural areas. In the city, limited food access is correlated with a high degree of income inequality and racial segregation. Lack of transportation infrastructure also contributes to poor food access. Living in a food desert compounds the effects of these injustices. Several studies have demonstrated a link between obesity or high Body Mass Index and the relative prevalence of fast food restaurants and lack of grocery stores.

So what are possible solutions to the problem of food deserts? Farmer’s markets and urban and community gardens can help fill the void as well as providing fresh, high-quality whole foods in areas replete with processed and packaged food products. In areas that have grocery stores with inadequate offerings, community pressure must be brought to bear on the companies. Supermarkets are reluctant to offer fresh, high-quality produce when they deem that the demand isn’t there. This is a vicious cycle because the grocery stores’ limited offerings also shape consumer preferences, especially when children in these areas grow up without access to fresh, whole foods. Community education that introduces the benefits of nutritious whole foods as well as educating people on how to prepare them can help create consumer-driven pressure on these stores to implement more just policies.

Check out the June 2009 Report to Congress on Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food: Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences on the USDA website.