Danielle Nierenberg2013-05-24T00:28:21-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=danielle-nierenbergCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Danielle NierenbergGood old fashioned elbow grease.A More Sustainable Mother's Daytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32375612013-05-08T18:27:31-04:002013-05-08T22:05:35-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/ This Mother's Day, make it a point to create a better, more sustainable celebration with these seven tips:
1. Buy local. Consider cooking your mom meal at home instead of going out to a restaurant, and try to buy as many ingredients as possible from local farmers .
A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) about the environmental impact of food transportation in California showed that importing food products into the state released nearly 250,000 tons of greenhouse gases-the equivalent amount of pollution caused by roughly 40,000 vehicles. And shipping food from far away also means that it's not as fresh-or tasty-once it reaches consumers.
The organization Local Harvest has a search feature that allows consumers to find area farmers markets and farms in their communities.
2. Dine responsibly. If Mom prefers to go out for dinner on her big day, do some research beforehand and find restaurants that follow best practices for sustainability.
The Green Restaurant Association has a search feature that allows diners to locate the most environmentally friendly places to eat. And make sure to eat leftovers-the NRDC reports that restaurant patrons leave 17 percent of meals uneaten on average, and that more than half of that is thrown away.
3. Learn something new. Understanding why it's important to eat locally or to support sustainable operations is as vital as the actions themselves. Documentaries such as Food, Inc., What's on Your Plate, and http://foodchainfilm.com/fc/ can provide lots of quality conversation topics for Mother's Day dinner.
4. Make a donation. Instead of buying another gift for Mom that she doesn't need, why not find an organization that supports a food- and agriculture-related issue and make a donation in her name?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17.2 million United States households were food insecure in 2010. In New York City, City Harvest collects food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other food businesses for donations, and also supports educational programs about nutrition in low-income communities. Oxfam America also has a gift section where you can donate a vegetable garden for a family in need.
5. Help out in the community. The latest U.S. census report shows that 46.2 million people were living in poverty in 2011, and poverty is the leading cause of hunger.
Share a meal with those less fortunate on Mother's Day by lending a helping hand at a food bank or a soup kitchen. The organization Food Pantries has a website to locate food pantries and soup kitchens in your area. And sharing a plot in a community garden is another great activity. Chicago's Green Network, for example, has a map showing all the area community gardens and how to get involved.
6. Buy Fair Trade. Common Mother's Day gifts include chocolate, fresh fruit, coffee, or flowers-all items that can be purchased from fair trade producers. By demanding fair prices for their goods, Fairtrade International helps support smaller producers and farmers who may have a hard time covering their own costs while remaining competitive in the global market. Fair Trade USA has a global reach map that shows many of the organizations involved in fair trade.
Food Tank co-founder Ellen Gustafson recently launched the Apron Project. The first collection of aprons are handmade in Rwanda by Indiego Africa, an award-winning, design-driven nonprofit social enterprise supporting women-owned businesses in Rwanda. The organization helps businesswomen build economic independence through access to markets and education.
7. Plant a garden. Planting a vegetable garden at home is not only a fun Mother's Day activity, but is also an excellent way to make sure that Mom has fresh produce available for the rest of the summer.
It's also a money-saver-the National Gardening Association estimates that the average return on the investment of a home garden is US$530. For the amateur urban gardener with limited space, these tips from Inhabitat are a good place to start.
Part of the Food Movement? Join Food Tank!]]>Earth Day: 13 Things Everyone Can Do in 2013tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31127462013-04-19T14:36:55-04:002013-04-19T14:37:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/
Sustainable food and agriculture systems can play a big role in preserving the environment by helping to improve soil health, protecting biodiversity, and mitigating climate change.
Earth Day is a great opportunity for eaters, farmers, and food businesses to make changes in their diets, shopping habits, and production practices that will promote sustainable, healthy food throughout the year.
Agriculture contributes to almost 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. And the environmental damage brought on by the agricultural sector poses significant threats to the industry itself.
But there's a better way to produce -- and eat -- food.
The rise of processed foods and a push for high-yield, single-crop farms, is leading to not only soil degradation and water scarcity, but also unhealthy consumers.
The time to act is now -- and the good news is that breakfast, lunch and dinner are all easy places to start making a difference. Being aware of the environmental costs that unsustainable farming and eating practices can have on the environment, and making food choices accordingly, can help to fight climate change and protect the environment.
From Uganda and India to the United States, farmers are gaining economic stability and supporting healthy communities through sustainable agriculture practices, As eaters, we all can do our part to support systems that protect both human health and the planet.
This year Food Tank: The Food Think Tank is celebrating the ways everyone can protect the planet, on Earth Day, and every day this year.
Here are 13 recommendations from Food Tank for ways to support the future of food, health, and agriculture:
1. Eat more colors
The colors of fruits and vegetables are signs of nutritional content. A richly-colored red tomato has high levels of carotenoids such as lycopene, which the American Cancer Society reports can help prevent cancer, as well as heart disease. The relationship between nutrients and color is also true for other foods. Eggs that have brightly orange-colored yolks are also high in cancer-fighting carotenoids, and are more likely to be produced by healthier chickens.
2. Buy food with less packaging
Discarded packaging makes up around one-third of non-industrial solid waste in industrialized countries, with negative impacts on the climate, and air and water quality. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's analysis of different packaging for tomatoes found that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clamshell packaging increases tomatoes' associated carbon emissions by 10 percent. The most effective way to limit the impact of packaging waste is to prevent it. Choosing foods with less packaging can also be better for our waistlines, since highly processed foods that are low in nutrients generally use more packaging than more healthful, less processed options.
3. Choose seasonal produce
Earth Day offers a great opportunity to bring more seasonal fruits and vegetables into diets. Many farmers markets, including the New York City Greenmarkets, offer guides about which products are in season. Locally sourced, seasonal products can also be found at major grocery stores. Another way to get seasonal foods is to sign up for a weekly CSA, which provides a mix of fresh, seasonal produce throughout the year. Other programs, such as Siren Fish Co.'s SeaSA in San Francisco, offer seasonal meats and seafood.
4. Get in touch with agriculture
This time of year, many people are starting to plan vacations. A great way to skip the crowds, save money, and get both children and adults in touch with agriculture is to book a farm-stay through World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). WWOOF runs networks in most countries around the world, offering individuals and families the opportunity to directly support small-scale family farmers. Participants spend a few days or weeks living with a host family and helping with tasks around the farm in exchange for free food and lodging.
5. Get creative in the kitchen
Shopping at farmers markets, which often have a wide selection of less-ordinary produce such as celeriac, sunchokes, or kohlrabi, can prevent "food ruts" by helping consumers try new foods. When looking for inspiration, many popular recipe blogs, such as smitten kitchen, allow users to search by ingredient, as well as season. Publications such as Diet for a Small Planet and The Boston Globe's new Sunday Supper and More e-cookbook series also offer tips on reusing leftovers to reduce food waste.
6. Invest in perennial crops
Perennial plants -- plants that grow back every year -- tend to hold water in soil more effectively than annuals and help prevent erosion. Their extensive roots also allow them to better access nutrients and water, reducing the need for artificial fertilizer. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that perennial prairie grasses are up to four times as water efficient as row crops such as corn and wheat. The Land Institute works to breed perennial varieties of corn, wheat, rice, and other annual crops.
7. Reclaim abandoned spaces
As populations continue to expand, especially in cities, reclaiming unused land and buildings for food production can help meet growing demand. One new model is The Plant, a former meatpacking plant in Chicago that has been converted into an indoor vertical farm. The Plant currently runs an aquaponics farm, growing plants without soil using waste from its manmade tilapia pools. It also offers shared kitchen space for small businesses, and other services.
8. Build local and global food communities
A great way to get involved in food and agriculture issues is with Slow Food International, an organization with more than 1,300 groups around the world called convivia. These groups support healthy, sustainable diets and traditional food cultures. In addition to local initiatives, Slow Food convivia also arrange regional and international events on important food and agriculture issues, such as Slow Food València's recent conference on the influence of food in health and disease.
9. DIY
Many Do-It-Yourself (DIY) food projects are easy and fun. Turning old t-shirts into produce bags to save plastic, starting seeds in eggshells, which can then be crushed for transplanting into the soil, and DIY foods such as homemade oat or almond milk can all add a creative twist to healthy eating and sustainable agriculture. Plus, they are lots of fun for families.
10. Cook in batches and freeze for later
Planning meals in advance can help reduce stress around cooking. It also helps reduce food waste, which is a big problem in industrialized countries A great way to reduce waste and make planning easy is to cook large batches of a single meal, such as soups or curries, which can be frozen and reused on short notice later in the week. Preparing large amounts of food at once saves energy during cooking, while freezing helps prevent nutrient loss in fruits and vegetables. For those days when there is more time to cook, tools such as Love Food Hate Waste menu planner shopping list can help organize grocery trips.
11. Brighten your outlook
At the recent Warwick Economics Summit in February, Warwick University Economics Professor Dr. Andrew Oswald presented his research on health and happiness, focusing on the link between happiness and consumption of fruits and vegetables. His team of researchers found that eating more fruits and vegetables directly improves a person's mental well-being, separate from other variables such as income level and how much meat a person ate. This research is supported by a similar study from the Harvard School of Public Health, which found a link between patients' blood-level of carotenoids, compounds commonly found in colorful fruits and vegetables, and their feelings of optimism.
12. Use crop rotation
Crop rotation is an important way to preserve soil nutrients, prevent erosion, and protect against crop diseases and pests. In the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, agronomists at Agronorte have developed new varieties of rice and dry beans that are well suited to the region's tropical climate. By incorporating rice and beans into their yearly harvests, local soybean farmers can reduce the spread of soybean rust and nematodes, two of the biggest threats to their crops. The system also improves soil quality and provides jobs at times when soy and corn are not harvested.
13. Embrace conviviality around the table
Talking and laughing while sharing food is a uniquely human experience. Conviviality, joyful and friendly interaction, is found at markets and around the dinner table, and it supports healthy relationships and healthy bodies. The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition considers convivial food culture one of the most critical aspects of food and agriculture, alongside health, hunger alleviation, and sustainable development. Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Minnesota agree, reporting that the reported benefits of family dinners on children's mental health and achievement levels depend on engagement with their parents at these meals.
Standing up for the future of people and the planet is important on Earth Day and every day. This week is a great chance to work toward making 2013 a year for sustainable food and agriculture!]]>Making Food and Agriculture Attractive to Youthtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30817832013-04-15T13:38:53-04:002013-04-15T13:38:59-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/
Talking with youth is one of the best parts of the work that Ellen Gustafson and I do as the co-founders of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank--it's young people who are making real change in creating innovations to help alleviate hunger, obesity, and poverty while also protecting the environment. And their energy and commitment to making the food system better is forcing the rest of us to change with them!
Here are some groups and individuals we've discovered who are helping to make agriculture an economically and intellectually attractive career option for youth.
1. Project DISC or Developing Innovations in School Cultivation. In Uganda, agriculture is often an option of last resort for youth--they feel forced into farming if they do not do well in school or have enough money to go to university. As a result, many young people look down on farming.
Project DISC--Developing Innovations in School Cultivation--was founded to reignite an interest in and a taste for Indigenous foods in Uganda. The project works with Slow Food International to develop school garden projects and to help students recognize the importance of local foods for not only the nutrition they provide, but also for their economic value.
2. Growing Power. The organization Growing Power is finding ways to give opportunities to young people by growing food in the places we might least expect--under-served and low-income urban areas.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that around 23.5 million people in the U.S. live in areas without access to fruits and vegetables and other healthy food. Growing Power is working in 7 states across the country to bring urban farming practices and fresh, healthy food into these areas. Their work in Milwaukee and Chicago includes programs that specifically target young people aged 10 to 18, teaching them about organic agriculture, as well as leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
3. In the United States some of the most exciting innovations in preventing food waste are happening on college campuses. Students are questioning how much food their catering facilities throw away each day.
The Food Recovery Network is a network of student groups who were tired of seeing food wasted at their colleges and universities. They recover food from cafeterias or campus events and then distribute it homeless shelters and other organizations. And when food can't be recovered, it's collected for compost to nourish school gardens.
4. The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) is harnessing the expertise of young researchers and entrepreneurs in colleges and universities across the world.
Through their Young Earth Solutions, or BCFN YES! Project, they're encouraging students under 30 to submit their ideas on the question of how to make the food system more environmentally sustainable. Last year's winner is Federica Marra, who is working to improve urban agriculture and prevent food waste in cities across Europe, and she'll have the opportunity to implement her project with BCFN over the next year.
5. Food Corps enlists young leaders to work in communities across the country to teach kids more healthy eating habits through engaging them in school garden projects.
This project, which is like an agricultural Peace Corps program, helps elementary school kids in under-served communities not only learn how to eat better, but they learn how to see food differently. In addition to gardening skills, kids also learn how to prevent obesity, diabetes, and other health problems through their diets--and they're spreading that knowledge to their parents and communities.
6. Nearly every farmer I met with in sub-Saharan Africa had a cell phone or had access to a cell phone. And these farmers are not only using them to communicate with another, but also to find information about weather or markets or to make banking and financial transactions. For youth, the technology can also be a way to learn about different agricultural innovations.
In Kenya, an organization called ShujaazFM is distributing a monthly comic book by cell phone, as well as in print. The group also produces a daily radio program and is working on an animated version. Food and agriculture issues are a big part of the organization's work, including guides for preparing certain foods and discussing issues such as vaccinating chickens against Newcastle disease. The team is also set up to receive feedback via text message from listeners and readers across the country.
These examples show how agriculture's reputation is changing--farmers and scientists and government leaders from Africa to the United States are realizing that agriculture can be the answer to some of our most pressing environmental and social challenges. Most importantly, youth are becoming a huge part of the solution.
These sorts of innovations make agriculture something that youth want to do, not something they're forced to do because they don't have opportunities.
Agriculture can provide the economic and intellectual opportunities and excitement that have been missing in rural areas of both developing and industrialized countries.
Part of the food movement? Join Food Tank!]]>World Health Day: 9 Things We Can All Dotag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30021052013-04-02T18:44:24-04:002013-04-03T14:25:52-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/World Health Day focuses on high blood pressure, one of the many chronic diseases that are increasingly common around the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one-third of adults worldwide have high blood pressure, and one in ten adults worldwide have diabetes. These diseases are already well known in the United States, where high blood pressure affects 31 percent of American adults. However, the highest levels of hypertension now occur in many African countries, where more than 40 percent of adults are affected, and where the money and infrastructure needed for treatment are most lacking.
While there are multiple causes of high blood pressure and other chronic diseases, poor diets are among the most significant. The world today is facing a food paradox. There are nearly one billion people hungry and one billion people overweight, and in many countries these problems now exist simultaneously. Although they may seem to be opposite problems, reports have linked both hunger and obesity with diets lacking in nutrients.
Many of the best anti-hunger and anti-obesity groups have been so focused on their own important work that they have not been able to come together on common challenges. The solutions to hunger, obesity and agriculture issues are all out there. We need to bring our visions for the food system together to make these solutions a reality.
Over the past fifty years, the modern agriculture system has had great success boosting crop yields around the world; however, it has been reported that the amount and variety of essential nutrients in many crops has declined. The result is that the same amount of sweet corn, potatoes, or bread now has far less zinc, calcium, and iron than it did fifty years ago. At the same time, global emphasis on calorie content has increased access to high calorie, processed foods around the world, even as access to nutrient rich fruits and vegetables has declined. A new study from the Union of Concerned Scientists found that, as a result of the food industry's demand for refined grains and sugars, only 2 percent of U.S. farmland is used to grow fruits and vegetables.
One of the most powerful tools in changing the nutrient value of the foods farmers grow is choice. In the U.S. and across the developing world, farmers armed with knowledge about new markets for their products and more effective farming practices, as well as the freedom to choose how and what they grow, are taking the initiative to do things differently. Their knowledge and creativity are already improving the health of families, communities, and environments, from Illinois to India.
The following are Food Tank's 9 Recommended Strategies for Creating Healthier Food and Agriculture Systems:
1. Eat more vegetables and fruits
Less than one in three Americans meets the minimum goal of eating two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, eating less than the USDA's ideal recommendation of three-to-four servings of fruit and four-to-six servings of vegetables every day, can result in getting 80 percent fewer nutrients than are needed to maintain a healthy diet. The USDA also reports that failing to meet these guidelines increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity, and some cancers. The Organic Center recommends choosing items that are high in nutrients but low in calories. Strawberries and romaine lettuce are two nutrient dense fruits and vegetables. Oranges, green bell peppers, and boiled cabbage and carrots are also great options.
2. Strengthen soil with intercropping, agroforestry, and cover crops
Many essential nutrients come from the soil, making soil health critical to producing nutritious food. Intercropping with legumes, including alfalfa or peas, helps return nitrogen to the soil and support healthy plant growth. Using cover crops, which can be plowed into fields after harvest and return nutrients to the soil, is another strategy that helps increase the amount of nutrients in food. Planting trees on farms -- or agroforestry -- can also help keep nutrients and water in the soil. Ashoka research fellow Adam Tuller is helping farmers in Kenya plant fast-growing trees that regenerate soil and fertilize crops naturally, rather than requiring expensive fertilizer out of a bag.
3. Know your nutrients
Many don't know that kale, sesame seeds, dried figs, salmon, and broccoli are excellent sources of calcium. Dark green, leafy vegetables are also rich in vitamin K, which is similar to vitamin D in the way it helps the human body make the most of the calcium in food. The Harvard School of Public Health website features a section called The Nutrition Source, which offers an easy to browse list of topics on specific nutrients in foods and the benefits of different products, such as coffee or fish oil.
4. Support family farmers
Small- and medium-scale family farm are more likely than big farms to produce nutrient-rich crops, using practices that help keep nutrients in the soil. Family farmers also produce more more nutrient dense foods, including fruits and vegetables. The United Nations declared 2014 the International Year of the Family Farmer to honor and support these individuals. Buying food at farmers markets and joining a CSA can be good ways to support family farms and help build the local economy.
5. Choose whole grains
Whole grains are increasingly popular, but they still make up less than the recommended half of total grain use in the U.S. Whole grains are also valuable, low-cost sources of protein and fiber, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, Type-2 diabetes, and other diseases. Unfortunately, buying real whole grains can be confusing. When shopping, look for 100 percent whole wheat.
6. Eat out less
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) notes that some American restaurants serve portions up to eight times those recommended by the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Not only does this encourage overeating, but restaurant and take-away food is generally less healthy than food prepared at home. Eating home-cooked meals is an easy way to manage portion sizes and calories.
7. Buy and grow organic
While the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that organic fruits and vegetables did not have greater nutrient content than the same conventional produce, the Environmental Working Group publishes an annual Shopper's Guide assessing which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides. In 2012, apples, celery, and sweet bell peppers were in the top three; however, onions, sweet corn, and pineapples were among the safest foods to buy as conventional.
8. Choose grass-fed meat
Lean meat can contain many valuable nutrients that support a healthy diet. Grass-fed meat usually has less fat than conventional corn- and grain-fed meat products. The U.S. Mayo Clinic also reports that grass-fed meat has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid, and antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin E. When choosing animal products, two of the best labels to look for are "organic" and "pasture-raised."
9. Support indigenous, heritage, and heirloom
The Christensen Fund, Slow Food International, and other organizations are working in biologically diverse regions around the world to reignite an interest in -- and a taste for -- indigenous vegetables.
In honor of World Health Day, Food Tank: The Food Think Tank is highlighting the importance of nutritious, environmentally sustainable food in combating hypertension, obesity, malnutrition, and other diseases every day on our website. There's much that can be done to increase the nutritional quality of food, both at home and around the world!
We can all be part of the change!
Are you part of the food movement? Join Food Tank.]]>Fighting for Family Farmerstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29864522013-04-01T14:09:47-04:002013-04-01T14:09:51-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/ Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (FAO) is partnering over the next two years with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization to highlight the important role family farmers play in improving food security, alleviating poverty, enhancing ecoystem services, improving gender equity, creating opportunities for youth, and a whole range of other indicators. We're honored and thrilled to be involved in this important project and will look forward to your suggestions on groups we should highlight in Asia, Latin America, North America, ans sub-Saharan Africa.
"Family farmers" can be defined as producers who make most of their living by farming, have limited access to land and other resources, who work with family members, and where the head of the household is directly involved in production, not just management of the farm.
The World Bank reports that a one percent increase in GDP in the agriculture sector will be twice as effective in alleviating poverty than an equivalent increase in any other sector. But the percentage of global investment directed toward agriculture dropped from 16 percent to four percent between 1980 and 2010.
Fortunately, there are a number of organizations around the world that are currently working to make sure family farms get the support and investment they need. Here are nine organizations helping family farmers:
1. The National Family Farm Coalition (NFCC) is a U.S.-based nonprofit working with family farmers and rural communities. NFCC is pursuing a farmer-to-farmer initiative, in collaboration with local farmers' groups, to lead workshops and organize training programs for family farmers.
3. Thanks, in part, to Landesa's research and recommendations, historic legal changes are occurring in China. In an enormous coup for small-scale farmers, the Chinese government is now offering guaranteed 30-year land rights, both documenting and publicizing farmers' rights to their land and taking serious steps to limit expropriations. Landesa has helped secure the land rights of more than 400 million people in 45 countries.
4. Slow Food International's Terra Madre initiative is a network of small-scale farmers, breeders, fishers and food artisans around the world whose approach to food production protects both environmental and community interests. In Ireland, Slow Food has been supporting a campaign to protect the rights of dairy farmers. Ireland is the third largest consumer of raw milk in the world and a proposed government ban on unpasteurized milk threatened the livelihoods of family farms. The campaign's efforts were successful, and in January 2013 the government agreed to regulate, rather than ban, raw milk.
5. Navdanya has worked to establish 111 community seed banks throughout India, and has trained more than five million smallholder farmers to protect traditional seed varieties.
7. Organizations in the Promoting Local Innovation (PROLINNOVA) network have supported initiatives to pilot credit systems in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Farmers can access funds to do their own research projects and develop agricultural innovations that are most useful to them.
9. The World Cocoa Foundation offers a Family Support Scholarship program to family farmers. Not only does the three-tiered program help women to keep their children in school to allow them to focus on improving their farming enterprises, it also provides them with a business training course and additional funds to invest in their businesses.
Family farmers have been and will always continue to be critical to national and global food security. Food Tank will be featuring posts focused on the issues and innovations critical to family farmers around the world, as well as actions everyone can take to support them.
Connect with Food Tank: The Food Think Tank on Facebook and join the Food Tank weekly newsletter!]]>13 Tips for a More Sustainable Easter Celebrationtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29635162013-03-27T12:43:36-04:002013-03-27T17:20:25-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/ 1. Locally sourced eggs
If you choose to celebrate with real eggs, support your local farmer and buy eggs from pasture-raised chickens. Eggs from pasture-raised hens are healthier for you, containing more vitamin A, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids, according a report conducted by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2. Alternatives to Easter eggs
There are many alternatives to using real eggs for Easter celebrations; for instance, the White House traditionally uses decorated wooden eggs for its annual Easter Egg Roll. There are also plastic Easter eggs that are compostable, and ceramic Easter eggs that are dyeable!
3. Blown eggs
Blown eggs are another reusable dyeable option. Blown eggs are made of real eggs whose yolks and whites have been removed. Here is a tutorial. The leftover yolks and whites can then be used for baking, scrambled eggs, or other cooking projects.
4. Homemade egg decorating
There are many methods to make homemade egg dyes, using vinegar and spices, fruits, and vegetables. Check out these instructions from Real Simple!
5. Prevent food waste
If you hard boil fresh eggs before you dye them, the prospect of eating all of those hardboiled eggs may be daunting, but throwing them out is wasteful. Turn the eggs into a delicious dish: here are some ideas!
6. Avoid plastic Easter grass
Cellophane Easter grass, often found in Easter baskets, cannot go into the recycling bin. If you already have Easter grass, reuse it. If you were going to buy some for Easter baskets, try replacing it with shredded newspaper or tissue paper.
7. Give children stuffed toys instead of live Easter bunnies and chicks
Dyed Easter chicks are a perennially controversial topic: chicks are dyed while in the egg or sprayed shortly after hatching. The food coloring used to dye the chicks is non-toxic, but the real concern is what happens to the chicks after the dye wears off. Chicks are sold as seasonally-themed pets, most of whom are discarded or neglected after they molt and lose their artificially colored feathers.
Rabbits are also common Easter gifts: just as with chickens, rabbits are often neglected, surrendered to animal rescues, or released into the wild when the novelty wears off. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends giving children stuffed or chocolate bunnies instead of live animals, as rabbits can live seven to ten years on average and are a serious commitment. The Make Mine Chocolate! campaign also strives to educate the public on the realities of rabbit ownership.
8. Make a locally sourced Easter meal
If it's your tradition to have an Easter meal, why not try to make as many of the dishes as you can from local food? Check Local Harvest for your nearest farmer or farmers market.
9. Visit a local farm
Take the time to bring your family to a nearby farm. Children and adults will get an up-close look at how their food gets from the farm to home. Be sure to contact the farmers ahead of time! Here's another link to Local Harvest with helpful things to remember before your visit.
10. Instead of an Easter basket, Easter plants
Check your local nursery for seeds or seedlings and give friends and loved ones a reusable Easter gift: a homemade herb garden.
11. Give a donation to Heifer International
If giving plants is not your style, consider making a donation to Heifer International or a similar non-profit to fight poverty while providing an animal to a family in a developing nation.
12. Minimize packaging with candy and treats
Choose Easter treats with less packaging to cut down on the amount of waste generated by the holiday festivities.
13. Reuse your existing plastic eggs
If you still have a treasure trove of plastic eggs at home, there are plenty of ideas online for upcycling. From tea candle holders to a set of toy teacups to sophisticated Easter decorations, there are many great tutorials online.
This column was written by Food Tank: The Food Think Tank's Danielle Nierenberg and Katie Work. ]]>5 Ways to Make Your Passover Seder More Sustainabletag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29415252013-03-24T12:31:37-04:002013-03-24T12:31:49-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/ 1. Create New Innovative Meals From Holiday Leftovers
An important tenet in Judaism is "bal tashchit" meaning not to waste. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption -- or approximately 1.3 billion tons -- is lost or wasted each year. This Passover, instead of throwing away uneaten food, incorporate leftovers into stir fry dishes or stews, such as vegetarian cholent (a traditional Jewish stew). And for food scraps and leftovers that can't be eaten try composting, rather than throwing food into the trash. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 20 percent of America's methane emissions come from landfills.
2. Serve Local Food at Your Seder Table
The Seder table is a perfect place to incorporate locally grown food. For your charoset, a fruit and nut paste symbolizing brick and mortar, try buying locally-grown or organic apples and fair-trade pecans. For your Seder plate, try buying more pasture-raised meat, eggs, and dairy products. And support farmers who are committed to sustainable practices in agriculture.
3. Grow Your Own Seder Essentials:
If you can't find something at the farmer's market -- try growing a few of your own Seder essentials, such as the karpas, a green leafy vegetable. You can sprout this nutritious food from quinoa, which is kosher for Passover.
4. Unplug During Chol Hamoed
Spend leisure time your family outdoors during the days of Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days between the festivals of Passover) instead of watching TV or using electronic entertainment. By taking an occasional rest from energy-intensive activities, you can save thousands of tons of carbon emissions a year. According to Dr. Laura Iraci of the Earth Science Division at the NASA/Ames Research Center, one hour of TV watching produces 54 kilograms of CO2 which is more than the 11 kilograms CO2 produced by burning one gallon of gasoline.
5. Make Passover Eve a Meatless Monday:
Passover Eve and the night of the first Seder falls on a Monday. Try using this opportunity to go meatless for at least one of the Seders. Industrial meat is the number one contributor to green-house gases. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports that the production, processing and distribution of meat requires huge amounts of pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, feed and water. The EWG also found that red meat is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as vegetables and grains.
Written by Danielle Nierenberg who is the co-Founder of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.foodtank.org) and Anabelle Harari who is a writer living in Israel focused on seasonal and sustainable food.
Are you part of the food movement? Join Food Tank]]>7 Strategies for Reducing Water Wastetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28866462013-03-18T09:00:08-04:002013-05-18T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/Food Tank: The Food Think Tank is highlighting 7 Strategies for Reducing Water Waste.
Although the earth has 1.4 billion cubic kilometers of water, only 0.001 percent of that is accessible for human consumption and use. And 70 percent of water is used for agricultural purposes. In 2012, the United States experienced the most severe drought in at least 25 years which, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), affected 80 percent of agricultural land in the country. Couple that with recent droughts in other parts of the world, most notably in the African Sahel, and the urgency for action to safeguard water resources is clear.
As water supplies face mounting pressures from growing populations, climate change, and an already troubled food system, analyses of "water wealth" and "water security" are laying the groundwork for future cooperation and stability. In order to meet all municipal, agricultural, and ecological needs for water, it is crucial to develop innovative water saving systems for the future of food production.
Here are seven strategies for reducing water waste in the food system:
1. Eating Less Meat
According to Sandra Postel of the Global Water Policy Project, it takes roughly 3,000 liters of water to meet one person's daily dietary needs, or approximately 1 liter per calorie. A report published by UNESCO-IHE's Institute for Water Education found that the amount of water needed to produce one kilogram of red meat can range from 13,000 to 43,000 liters of water; poultry requires about 3,500 liters of water; and pork needs about 6,000 liters. Eating more meatless meals, even one or two days a week, can help conserve water resources.
2. Using intercropping, agroforestry, and cover crops
Soil health is critical to water conservation. Diversifying farms by including cover crops, planting trees on farms, and intercropping can help keep nutrients and water in the soil, protecting plants from drought and making sure that every drop of water delivered by rainfall or irrigation can be utilized.
4. Improving Rainwater Harvesting
Since the 1980s, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, farmers in Burkina Faso have been modifying traditional planting pits known as zai, making them deeper and wider and adding organic materials. As a result, the pits retain rainwater longer, helping farmers to increase yields even in years of low rainfall.
5. Using mobile technology to save water
Santosh Ostwal is an innovator and entrepreneur in India who has developed a system that allows farmers to use mobile phones to turn their irrigation systems on and off remotely. This helps reduce the amount of water and electricity wasted on watering fields that are already saturated.
6. Planting perennial crops
Perennial crops protect the soil for a greater length of time than annual crops, which reduces water loss from runoff. According to a report from the Land Institute, "annual grain crops can lose five times as much water and 35 times as much nitrate as perennial crops."
7. Practicing Soil Conservation
Soil conservation techniques, including no-till farming, can help farmers to better utilize the water they have available. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), studies have shown that no-till techniques improve water-retention capacity and improve water use efficiency in crops.
What do YOU think? What are the best ideas, studies, and on-the-ground innovations helping to conserve water? ]]>Are You Faking Your Fracking Knowledge? Here Are Six Good Sourcestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28129612013-03-05T15:49:37-05:002013-05-05T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/
People across America are talking about the effect hydraulic fracturing (often called "fracking") is having on our food, water and health. But even if you don't have time to read all the reports and articles, you are probably curious about fracking, and why people are concerned.
2. Just the Fracts: This infographic by Linda Dong allows readers to delve deep into the world of hydraulic fracturing from the perspective of a water drop. Journey down the depths of the pipe as both facts and chemicals are added to the mix: The Dangers of Fracking
3. Seussian Cartoon Mini-Documentary: You drink water, right? Then, according to this clever cartoon by EarthJustice you--and everyone else--should be concerned about fracking. This is the story of the oil companies, who despite their best intentions can't help but succumb to Murphy's Law as "things" find a way to happen--such as toxic chemicals in drinking water: Things Find A Way.
4. This Fracking American Life: Two Pennsylvanian professors go head to head as they try to determine what's best for the people of their state. The residents of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania stand off against a gas exploration company when they discover it has leased 95 percent of the township's land. This podcast presents the story of fracking from the people who are living it as only NPR's This American Life can do. Join Ira Glass for episode 440: Game Changer .
5. Celebrity Endorsements: New Yorkers Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon do not want to see their beloved state succumb to the dangers of fracking. They are asking everyone to "Imagine there's no fracking..." Artists Against Fracking is a coalition of over 200 A-list artists from Lady Gaga to Paul McCartney who are taking a stand for New York. In this video manifesto, they remind us that a moratorium in New York could be a powerful precedent.
6. The Whole Fracking Enchilada: Want more information? Here's a full-length documentary film. Gasland follows filmmaker Josh Fox's journey through America visiting families impacted by fracking. Whether they hoped to benefit from the riches of the "Saudi Arabia of America" and signed a lease, or they found out they didn't own the mineral rights to their own land, the results were same: sick livestock, undrinkable water, sick people and faucets that can be set on fire. Gasland looks at the science behind fracking and shares the stories of Americans who have been fracked. Visit the Gasland website to learn more or buy a copy of the film.
Are you part of the food movement? Join Food Tank.]]>Who Would You Nominate for the World Food Prize?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27264952013-02-21T08:10:33-05:002013-04-23T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/
In 2012, Ellen Gustafson, the co-founder along with me, of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank, and I participated in a panel about transforming the global food security agenda through increasing the role of youth at the World Food Prize/Borlaug Dialogues in Des Moines, Iowa. You can watch the panel HERE.
Since 1987, the World Food Prize Foundation has given an annual award to individuals who work toward the goal of a "nutritious and sustainable food supply for all people." Over the last three years, the Prize has been given to a water scientist, two former presidents, and two anti-hunger advocates.
I'm wondering who you would like to see nominated for the Prize? An activist for food sovereignty in India? A scientist working on agroforestry practices in Latin America? An agronomist developing green manure practices in sub-Saharan Africa? A researcher helping urban farmers to grow safe, nutritious crops in Nairobi?
Here are 13 candidates who we think are worthy of this year's World Food Prize:
CHARLES BENBROOK: Benbrook was the Chief Scientist at the Organic Center and worked on agricultural policy, science, and regulatory issues in Washington D.C. from 1979 to 1997. He is now a research professor at Washington State University. Benbrook has studied the "dilution effect" or the decline in nutrient density in crops as a result of growth in yields over the last 40 years. He helped develop the Nutritional Quality Index which evaluates individual foods, as well as entire diets, based on their nutrient density.
NANCY KARANJA AND MARY NJENGA: Karanja is a professor at the University of Nairobi and Njenga is a Ph.D. student and through Urban Harvest, they have helped farmers in Kibera slum in Nairobi find ways to grow vegetables and vegetable seeds, despite many challenges, including lack of access to land and water. As a result, urban farmers are not only growing enough food to eat and sell in the slum, but also becoming a source of inputs for rural farmers.
ROGER LEAKEY: Leakey was born and raised in Kenya and is an expert on tropical agroforestry. He is the Vice Chairman of the International Tree Foundation and is Vice President of the International Society of Tropical Foresters. His work has focused on the role of tropical trees in environmental rehabilitation and the alleviation of poverty, malnutrition, and hunger.
REEMA NANAVATY: Nanavaty is the Director of Economic and Rural Development at the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), a member-based Indian trade union that brings together 1.3 million poor, self-employed women workers. SEWA works with women farmers and food processors, helping them use organic practices, as well as teaching them how to market and distribute the food they grow.
DYNO KEATINGE AND JACKIE HUGHES: Keatinge is the Director General of the AVRDC-World Vegetable Center based in Taiwan and Hughes serves as the Deputy Director General of Research. Together, they are leading AVRDC in working to promote a shift in the direction of global agriculture funding to include more research and support for the production of fruits and vegetables to address malnutrition.
LESTER BROWN: Brown is one of the world's most influential thinkers and his work on global food system issues over many decades has led the way for future sustainable development. Brown was the first person to publish a comprehensive projection of world food, population, and land resources to the end of the century with his book Man, Land, and Food. He also founded the Worldwatch Institute and the Earth Policy Institute with the aim of providing a visionary road map in achieving a sustainable environment and economy.
SARA J. SCHERR: Scherr is an agricultural and natural resource economist specializing in land and forest management policy in tropical developing countries. Founder of EcoAgriculture Partners, she now serves as its President and CEO. Scherr's work focuses on developing agricultural landscapes that reduce hunger, promote biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods.
ROLAND BUNCH: Bunch is Groundswell's Mali Program Coordinator. He specializes in agro-ecological practices and the design of agricultural development programs, with a focus on training rural residents. In 1982, Roland published Two Ears of Corn: A Guide to People-Centered Agricultural Improvement, which is available in 10 languages and is used by more than 60 universities and organizations.
SERENA MILANO: As the International General Secretary of Slow Food International, Milano strives to promote biodiversity in the global food system. Her work is helping small-scale farmers preserve biodiversity and raising awareness around the globe about the importance of agricultural diversity for nutrition, environmental sustainability, and increased incomes. She authored A World of Presidia, a book on food, culture, and community in relation to biodiversity.
DOV PASTERNAK: Pasternak has devoted his life to turning around the agriculture problems in Africa, giving people the skills and tools they need to improve their livelihoods. His work with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has improved women farmers' status and income in West Africa.
CARY FOWLER: Fowler is the former Executive Director, and now special advisor, for the Global Crop Diversity Trust. Throughout the 1990s, he headed the International Conference and Programme on Plant Genetic Resources at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, producing the first ever global assessment of the state of the world's plant genetic resources, and his work has focused on protecting crop diversity through seed banks.
LINDIWE SIBANDA: Sibanda is the Chief Executive Officer for the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), a network of farmers, researchers, and governments working in 14 south African countries and she is working to create a food-secure Africa that can feed itself. FANRPAN's goal is to create conducive policy environments for Africa's farmers.
KEN COOK: Cook is the president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). He has led EWG in creating innovative online databases which analyze toxic pollution and provide consumers with ingredient safety information. Cook is widely recognized as one of the environmental community's most prominent and effective critics of industrial agriculture and U.S. farm policy.
Who do you think should win the 2013 World Food Prize?
To make official nominations, visit the World Food Prize Foundation website www.worldfoodprize.org/nominate.
Become a founding member of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank by clicking HERE.
Connect with Food Tank: The Food Think Tank on Facebook]]>Hedging Against Hunger: Our Best Bet to Avoid a Global Food Bubbletag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26385892013-02-08T14:52:16-05:002013-04-10T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/In developing countries, where many people spend 60 percent or more of their income on food alone, higher food prices led to widespread malnutrition and civil unrest.
And it could happen again. Like the dotcom burst and the subprime mortgage crash, Wall Street speculators are driving a food commodities bubble to its breaking point. If it bursts, high food prices could become the new norm, impacting wallets and bellies everywhere.
According to recent articles in Time Magazine and The Atlantic and a report from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, financial speculation has broken the commodities market by undermining its ability to act as a stabilizing force for farmers, buyers and consumers. Food prices once again reached 2008 record levels in 2012 according to the FAO, and Oxfam warned that prices of staples such as wheat and rice may double in the next 20 years. These prices are no longer driven by just simple supply and demand, but instead by the sentiments of financial speculators.
Food expert and author Frederick Kaufman explains in Harper's Magazine that, historically, markets served as insurance against price fluctuations and crop failures. But the deregulation policies of the late 1990s changed the game completely, allowing for the entry of large, powerful institutional investors such as hedge funds, pension funds, and investment banks to speculate on food -- people generally without a direct connection to or understanding of the commodities they trade. The financial products designed by these institutions, called derivatives, are divorced from the commodities themselves; no actual wheat or corn is traded. In the past, commodity prices were determined by real-life factors such as quality, and supply and demand. Now, it is largely perception of the market that determines the price of a commodity. In 2008, for example, investors' trepidations about the drought in Australia impacted pricing of all wheat, even different varieties grown elsewhere in the world. These fears turned out to be unfounded -- in fact, it was an excellent year for wheat. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that 657 million bushels of wheat remained in silos after the buying season.
The speculation over commodity derivatives has a real and lasting effect on the prices of actual wheat, corn and rice. Kaufman explains,
The index funds may never have held a single bushel of wheat, but they were hoarding staggering quantities of wheat futures, billions of promises to buy, not one of them ever to be fulfilled. The dreaded market corner had emerged not from a shortage in the wheat supply but from a much rarer economic occurrence, a shock inspired by the ceaseless call of index funds for wheat that did not exist and would never need to exist: a demand shock.
In fact, even farmers have no idea what their crops are worth and misleading price notes have unintended consequences. The market price of corn may be high, for example, leading a farmer to plant a big crop only to find the price has fallen drastically by the time she or he goes to market.
Sophia Murphy and Timothy Wise from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found that responsible regulation can tackle excessive financial speculation and prevent it from driving food prices higher, such as those introduced in the 2012 Commodity Exchange Act. But the success of these regulations depends largely on international cooperation, and whether lobbyists will be successful in their bid to deprive the legislation of real teeth. They claim other factors are to blame for the price fluctuations.
Professor Oliver de Schutter, the United Nations Rapporteur for the Right to Food, says the reasons usually cited for high food prices -- demand for biofuels, China's increased appetite for meat, and the growing world population -- are minor catalysts. "In fact, while the food price crisis may have been sparked off the abovementioned developments affecting demand and supply, its effects were exacerbated by excessive and insufficiently regulated speculation in commodity derivatives." Mathematical models support his assertion.
Financial speculators now dominate the market, holding a hefty 60 percent of some market shares compared to the modest 12 percent they held 15 years ago. They have plenty of incentives to continue business as usual, as Brett Scott, a writer for the Ecologistpoints out: "Goldman Sachs [is] estimated to have made more than $1 billion in 2009 alone and Barclays as much as £340 million a year from trading food commodities." Commodities now account for more than $126 billion in investments.
Nearly a billion people worldwide are hungry and at the mercy of fluctuating food prices. If the commodities markets continue to drive food prices, millions more will suffer. As Hazel Healy warns in her 2011 article "The Food Rush" in the New Internationalist Magazine, "Famine helps bring the activities of speculative capital into sharp relief. Our food system fails to feed the hungry at the best of times, without entrusting it to the same gamblers whose risky finance already brought about a global financial crisis."
Danielle Nierenberg is the co-Founder of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.foodtank.org); April Galarza is a graduate student at Green Mountain College.
Are you part of the food movement? Join Food Tank..]]>10 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill While Eating Healthiertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25999472013-02-04T11:10:34-05:002013-04-06T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/Co-written by Suzannah Schneider
Grocery shopping can be overwhelming. Many of us are trying to eat at home these days, but we want to know how to enjoy effective grocery shopping to create wonderful, home-cooked meals. The simple chore of buying food involves many variables -- where to shop, seasonal options, recipe ingredients, family favorites... the decisions seem endless, especially if you aim to optimize your budget and your health.
However, there is a sweet spot to grocery shopping where wellbeing meets frugality; here's how to find it:
1) Buy in season -- It's the basic law of supply and demand: when certain produce is in season locally, the abundance usually makes it less expensive. Additionally, buying locally available fruits and vegetables allows you to experience delicious variety all year round.
2) Buy in bulk -- Buying staples like nuts, grains and legumes in bulk can cut costs because you only pay for the food, not the packaging. It can even be exciting to "DIY" grocery shop!
3) Buy frozen -- Frozen produce is often cheaper, and potentially fresher than fresh produce. Strawberries and blueberries, for example, are often frozen immediately after they're picked, which preserves the nutrients and flavors. Better yet, buy and freeze your own produce when it's in season!
4) Focus on whole foods -- Real, unprocessed food is generally cheaper than packaged alternatives. Making simple choices like brown rice instead of a fancy ciabatta loaf, or an apple instead of a candy bar.
5) Grow a garden -- Harvesting your own fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat healthy, seasonal food on a miniscule budget. You will also have constant access to healthy food for your daily meals.
6) Pick your indulgences -- Keep your shopping cart ascetic save for a treat or two once a week. Splurge on an ingredient or meal you've been meaning to try, and know that the price is worth the taste.
7) Simplify your beverages -- The only liquid we truly need to survive is water. Try to replace sodas and bottled teas with water and home-brewed tea to detox your body and replenish your wallet.
8) Portion Control -- If you eat less, you will purchase less. Become aware of your true hunger, and only eat what your body really needs.
9) Go meatless -- Cutting meat out of your diet even one day a week can have a huge impact on your grocery bill. By substituting beans, legumes, eggs, nuts and seeds for meat, you can save $80-$100 a month for a family of four!
10) Sign up for a CSA -- Community Supported Agriculture requires subscribers to pay in advance to support the harvest of local farms. However, once harvesting begins, members receive weekly shares of fruit and vegetables at an often lower cost than grocery stores.
What are your favorite strategies to stay healthy and save money? Let us know in the comments!
Are you part of the food movement? Join Food Tank!]]>Moving Beyond "Let's Move"tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25334702013-01-24T18:51:08-05:002013-03-26T05:12:01-04:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/By Danielle Nierenberg and April Galarza
Since its launch in 2010, first lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign has made excellent progress empowering parents and caregivers to make healthy choices for their families; serving healthier food in schools; ensuring kids access to healthy, affordable food; and increasing their physical activity. Let's Move has advised kids to play outside, for educators to incorporate nutrition and physical activity into the school day, and for parents to get children involved in family meal planning and cooking.
But, according to some doctors and nutritionists, the campaign doesn't address one major problem: many parents don't know how to cook and they're unable to pass culinary skills -- and the importance of cooking nutritious food -- on to their children. "Instruction in basic food preparation and meal planning skills needs to be part of any long-term solution," says Alice H. Lichtenstein and Dr. David S. Ludwig, in the Journal of the American Medical Association article "Bring Back Home Economics Education." According to the study, the improved food choices students are given in schools -- kale and carrots grown in school gardens or salad bars in school cafeterias, for example, or encouraging more exercise -- will have limited effects if they are not given the skills they need to make better food choices outside of school, and later as adults.
Perhaps the most urgent aspect of the United States' obesity problem is the early age at which many American children begin to develop weight- and nutrition-related conditions. Developing unhealthy eating habits at a young age not only predisposes children to nutrition-related health disorders, but it can make it all the more difficult to maintain a healthful lifestyle later in life. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, one adolescent in six is now obese. And the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the president says that we if we continue on our current path, one in three children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes, or other chronic obesity-related health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma.
Let's Move encourages kids to get active, which along with better school lunches and incorporating nutrition into classrooms, creates a more healthy school environment. Teachers, for example, are encouraged to use fruits and vegetables to teach students their colors and shapes, weights and measurements and to instruct students about nutrition through calorie counts and daily nutritional value charts.
But learning nutrition requirements and the importance of fruits and vegetables is only the first step. As Lichtenstein and Ludwig point out, "Boys and girls should be taught the basic principles they will need to feed themselves and their families within the current food environment." They envision a curriculum that teaches students how to select healthy food at the grocery store and farmers market, demonstrates how to plan a week's worth of meals using the ingredients purchased, and how to handle, cook and prepare the ingredients to make nutritious meals for themselves and their families. Several schools systems, including Illinois, New York and Colorado, are ahead of the curve and have already started offering programs to their students.
Parents and caregivers may not have time or skills to teach their children how to prepare healthy meals because of working long hours or having multiple jobs. Hectic schedules coupled with a lack of skills or inclination leaves many adults today relying on fast food and frozen dinners to feed themselves and their families. Rushed meals or those accompanied by TV represent a lost opportunity to share time as a family. According to the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition report "Eating Planet," family meal times have been proven to increase communication and conviviality between parents and their children.
In the past, home economics curriculums were ubiquitous. Social reformers in the late 1800s pioneered educational curricula that that took a scientific approach to food, nutrition and sanitation; providing students with the skills to prepare affordable, nutritious meals with limited ingredients. For several decades, these classes taught young women (and later young men) to care for their families. Budget restraints and academic re-focusing have caused the majority of schools to cut these programs. As a result, critical skills such as cooking, grocery shopping and meal planning have fallen by the wayside.
A modern, nationwide home economics curriculum could have the same effect on food knowledge as tobacco awareness education had on reducing smoking related diseases. Students who learn to prepare meals in school could help time-strapped parents by cooking for the family. According to the Barilla Center report,
The disconnect between young people and the global food system continues to grow. Young people, whether they live in Italy, the United States, Thailand, Guatemala, or Togo, do not grow up wanting to be farmers, and consumers all over the world have forgotten basic cooking skills because of an over-reliance on processed foods.
Students who know more about food and nutrition may be our best chance for reversing the childhood obesity epidemic, and will serve as role models for their parents and communities.
Danielle Nierenberg is co-Founder of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.foodtank.org); April Galarza is a graduate student at Green Mountain College.]]>13 Resolutions to Change the Food System in 2013tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.23396702012-12-20T13:49:50-05:002013-02-19T05:12:01-05:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/
Here are our 13 resolutions to change the food system in 2013:
1. Growing the Cities: Food production doesn't only happen in fields or factories. Nearly one billion people worldwide produce food in cities. In Kibera, the largest slum in Africa, farmers are growing seeds of indigenous vegetables and selling them to rural farmers. At Bell Book & Candle restaurant in New York, customers are served rosemary, cherry tomatoes, romaine, and other produce grown from the restaurant's rooftop garden.
2. Creating Better Access: People's Grocery in Oakland and Fresh Moves in Chicago bring mobile grocery stores to food deserts giving low-income consumers opportunities to make healthy food choices. Instead of chips and soda, they provide customers with affordable organic produce, not typically available in their communities.
3. Eaters Demanding Healthier Food: Food writer Michael Pollan advises not to eat anything that your grandparents wouldn't recognize. Try eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole foods without preservatives and other additives.
4. Cooking More: Home economics classes have declined in schools in the United Kingdom and the U.S. and young people lack basic cooking skills. Top Chefs Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters, and Bill Telepan are working with schools to teach kids how to cook healthy, nutritious foods.
5. Creating Conviviality: According to the Hartman Group, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. eat meals alone. Sharing a meal with family and friends can foster community and conversation. Recent studies suggest that children who eat meals with their families are typically happier and more stable than those who do not.
6. Focus on Vegetables: Nearly two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies worldwide, leading to poor development. The World Vegetable Center, however, is helping farmers grow high-value, nutrient rich vegetables in Africa and Asia, improving health and increasing incomes.
7. Preventing Waste: Roughly one-third of all food is wasted--in fields, during transport, in storage, and in homes. But there are easy, inexpensive ways to prevent waste. Initiatives like Love Food, Hate Waste offer consumers tips about portion control and recipes for leftovers, while farmers in Bolivia are using solar-powered driers to preserve foods.
8. Engaging Youth: Making farming both intellectually and economically stimulating will help make the food system an attractive career option for youth. Across sub-Saharan Africa, cell phones and the internet are connecting farmers to information about weather and markets; in the U.S., Food Corps is teaching students how to grow and cook food, preparing them for a lifetime of healthy eating.
9. Protecting Workers: Farm and food workers across the world are fighting for better pay and working conditions. In Zimbabwe, the General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ), protects laborers from abuse. In the U.S., the Coalition of Immokalee Workers successfully persuaded Trader Joe's and Chipotle to pay the premium of a penny-per-pound to Florida tomato pickers.
10. Acknowledging the Importance of Farmers: Farmers aren't just farmers, they're business-women and men, stewards of the land, and educators, sharing knowledge in their communities. Slow Food International works with farmers all over the world, helping recognize their importance to preserve biodiversity and culture.
11. Recognizing the Role of Governments: Nations must implement policies that give everyone access to safe, affordable, healthy food. In Ghana and Brazil, government action, including national school feeding programs and increased support for sustainable agricultural production, greatly reduced the number of hungry people.
12. Changing the Metrics: Governments, NGOs, and funders have focused on increasing production and improving yields, rather than improving nutrition and protecting the environment. Changing the metrics, and focusing more on quality, will improve public and environmental health, and livelihoods.
13. Fixing the Broken Food System: Agriculture can be the solution to some of the world's most pressing challenges--including unemployment, obesity, and climate change. These innovations simply need more research, more investment, and ultimately more funding.
We can do it --- together!]]>25 Innovations in 25 U.S. Statestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.20053542012-10-23T10:48:47-04:002012-12-23T05:12:01-05:00Danielle Nierenberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/here!
In honor of Food Day 2012, Nourishing the Planet would like to showcase 50 state-by-state programs, projects, individuals, and organizations that are innovating to make the nation's food and agricultural system more sustainable. This week, we bring you the first 25, from Alabama to Missouri. Keep an eye out for the second 25 next week, where we will highlight innovations taking place from Montana to Wyoming!
1. Alabama -The Jones Valley Urban Farm in Birmingham, Alabama has been in operation since 2007. Occupying 3.5 acres of once vacant space in downtown Birmingham, Jones Valley Urban Farm grows organic produce and flowers and offers hands-on education to the community about farming and nutritious foods.
2. Alaska - The Fish to Schools program, created by the Sitka Conservation Society, is a school feeding initiative dedicated to serving local and nutritious seafood to students in Sitka, Alaska. As the ninth largest seafood port in the United States, Sitka's economy and community is strongly interconnected with seafood. Through the Fish to Schools program, Sitka youth gain knowledge about local seafood resources by integrating seafood into their diets and by attending educational seminars on marine life and the process of harvesting seafood.
3. Arizona - The Sunizona Family Farms in Wilcox, Arizona started growing cucumbers in 1996. Today, not only do they sell nearly 95 percent of their organic produce, ranging from tomatoes, to kale to beets, to chard, locally, they also use growing methods which rely strictly on plant-based products. No animal inputs are used in any part of the farming process, they make their own fertilizers out of vegetable components, and even use waste pecan shells to create wood pellets, which they use to heat their greenhouse.
4. Arkansas - The City of North Little Rock, Arkansas has been given $1.5 million to encourage healthy nutrition and lifestyles in low-income neighborhoods. The mission is to make the City of North Little Rock a Fit 2 Live community that is committed to healthy eating and active living by creating an environment that recognizes and encourages citizens to adopt healthy life choices.
5. California - In 2011, San Francisco passed the Urban Agriculture Ordinance, amending the zoning code to allow food production for personal and public use, provide guidelines and requirements for urban farms, and regulating the sale of harvested products and value-added products. This law has allowed San Francisco to expand into sustainable urban agriculture and become a promoter of healthy, sustainable diets. Products like jams and pickles, for example, as well as those sold at farmer's markets, are subject to the San Francisco Department of Public Health's guidelines under this law, while agricultural products for personal consumption remain unregulated.
6. Colorado - The Central Colorado Land Link Initiative is a program designed to preserve agricultural land and connect new farmers to retiring or veteran agrarians. The Land Link Initiative is helping to keep retiring farmer's property in farming by connecting them with next generation farmers who are interested continuing to cultivate the land.
7. Connecticut - The Connecticut Farm-to-School Program has nearly 50 farms and 95 school districts participating in its program. It helps provide cafeterias in Connecticut schools with locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. The Farm-to-School Program is not only developing new markets for local farms, but is also providing Connecticut youth with nutritious food.
8. Delaware - The Delaware Young Farmers Program has been helping young farmers acquire farmland through long-term, no-interest loans since 2011. Designed to give a leg up to young farmers looking to start their own farms, the Program targets Delaware natives between 18 and 40 years old and offers them up to $500,000 in no-interest 30-year loans.
9. Florida - Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. (FAITC) is a non-profit organization that aims to educate students in Florida schools about the importance of agriculture. FAITC provides grants to teachers and volunteers for projects that teach students the importance of agriculture and the contribution Florida farmers make to their communities and state. The organization holds workshops to train teachers and volunteers and uses the 2013 Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award to recognize teachers who find innovative ways to bring agriculture into the classroom.
10. Georgia - In 2011, Georgia Olive Farms (GOF) conducted the first commercial olive harvest east of the Mississippi river since the late 1800s. GOF, an agricultural cooperative formed in 2009, aims to help potential East Coast olive farmers by providing informational resources, market access, and selling young olive trees. They also provide consumers with sustainably, locally produced olive oil, which greatly reduces the carbon footprint for olive oil consumed on the East Coast.
11. Hawaii - On the island of Oahu, FarmRoof grows organic, unprocessed foods on local rooftops. Rooftop farms lower energy costs by insulating the building and help prevent sewage back-ups by absorbing rain water. They also increase biodiversity and promote local food, reducing food miles and energy use.
12. Idaho - Earthly Delights Farm is a small-scale, human-powered farm growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers in Boise, Idaho. The farm uses almost exclusively hand tools and transports their produce on bicycles. Earthly Delights engages the community through their internships, workshops, and unique events like "weed dating" - speed dating where participants spend time learning about plants and weeding while getting to know one another.
13. Illinois - Part vertical farm, part food-business incubator, and part research and education space, The Plant in Chicago, Illinois is converting an old meat-packing building into an indoor vertical garden. The Plant will include a tilapia fish farm, vegetable gardens, a bakery, a brewery, a mushroom farm, and a shared kitchen space. The net-zero energy design hopes to not only produce zero waste, but actually consume more waste than it produces, eliminating waste from surrounding neighborhood food manufacturers.
14. Indiana - What's better than fresh baked goods? Fresh baked goods with a conscience! Marilyn's Bakery, located in Northwest Indiana since 1986, focuses on seasonal items made using locally-grown, farm fresh produce. The bakery sells only fair trade coffee, offers many vegetarian and health-conscious options, and uses 100 percent biodegradable packaging.
15. Iowa - Small Potatoes Farm is a certified-organic, human-scale vegetable farm run by Rick and Stacy Hartmann. Since 2001, Small Potatoes Farm has been selling their vegetables to local chefs, specialty grocery stores, and the community in the Ames and Des Moines areas. Their website includes information on their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a recipe database, and a Sustainable Agriculture Library of books they loan out to those interested in learning more about sustainable food and agriculture.
16. Kansas - The New Roots for Refugees program helps women refugees start their own small farm businesses growing and selling vegetables in the Kansas City area. The program, run by Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Cultivate KC not only provides the women with garden plots at a public housing site, but also financial literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The women remain in the program for a few years, gradually becoming more independent until they transition to running their own farm businesses.
17. Kentucky - The Restaurant Rewards Programis an incentive for restaurants in Kentucky to purchase local produce with the "Kentucky Proud" seal. Funded by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the program helps compensate participating restaurants for the higher costs of buying local foods, helping them lower their food costs while also promoting fresh ingredients.
18. Louisiana - Our School at Blair Grocery is an independent school and education center in New Orleans that gives disadvantaged youth the opportunity to become part of a supportive environment by engaging them in community-development activities. OSAG runs an urban farm that gives students the chance to learn and becoming actively involved in the local food supply chain.
19. Maine - Since 2007, the Maine Harvest Lunch has celebrated and raised awareness about small farmers and the health benefits of their produce. The lunch is a community-building, statewide event that helps connect farmers to their customers and sheds light on the local food system and its importance for environmental health.
20. Maryland - Rumbleway Farm, in the Chesapeake Bay town of Conowingo, combines animal raising, marketing, and community development. The farm experiments with "free-range houses" that provide chickens with more room to move, and with raising rabbits on pastures to boost their Omega-3 fatty acid content. The farm also hosts dinners around once a month, which are open to the public, to boost involvement and interest in the community's agricultural system.
21. Massachusetts - The Worchester Kindergarten Initiative is a farm-to-school program offered in five low-income public schools. The initiative offers in-class food tasting, cooking demonstrations, farm tours and mobile farmers markets.
22. Michigan - Just recently, Michigan State University implemented the MetroFoodPlus Innovation Cluster (MIC) project, with a pledge of $1.5 million to fund research and development for urban agriculture initiatives across Detroit. The project is looking to involve 80 local organizations in hopes of increasing communication between local food creators and distributors, and creating eight to ten state-of-the-art greenhouses to increase the city's agricultural knowledge base.
23. Minnesota - The Women's Urban Farm Incubator in St. Paul improves entrepreneurial and leadership opportunities for underprivileged women by providing them land to train and harness their agricultural skills. The initiative has helped several women to become successful urban farmers.
24. Mississippi - The Eco-Stamp Program allows consumers a chance to get educated on the initiatives in their communities that are tackling hunger, malnutrition, and agricultural malpractices. The program gives consumers a 50-cent credit that can be donated to local programs like Fruits of the City and West 7th Meals on Wheels.
25. Missouri - To get a better return on their investments, the Shepherd family at Shepherd Farms in Cilfton Hill took entire control of their marketing and distribution. The farm focuses on unique markets by producing buffalo, pecans, and gamagrass, a plant whose extensive root system breaks compact soil and helps recycle nutrients.]]>