Hi All,
Hope you had a delicious week. This Sunday will be a treat as we have a field trip to the New Frontier Family Farm. Nestled in the heart of big ag dairy and beef land in Ontario, New Frontier Farm is a model for the new food based economy. Husband and Wife Dave and Heather Fikel take us on a tour of their Poultry farm, which will soon be an organic vegetable CSA and Beef CSA. Tune in this Sunday to see how they are doing sustainable farming, and how this all relates to the upcoming Food Day on October 24. If you cant make it to NYC or Los Angeles, you can fill your plate with delicious chicken that is being grown outside the normal economic confines of larger farms. CHeck them out at www.newfrontierfamilyfarm.com.
Stephanie
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Quite a Weekend
Hi All,
For most of those paying attention, the weekend of October 15 and 16 was quite the event across the nation. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread across our country, with mostly a festive flair. If one pays attention to the posts, the food is quite good, and any sort of requests the protestors have is filled pretty quickly by those who can not participate in the occupation with their physical bodies.
But there where other things happening this weekend that did not get the press, but were no less important to our continued struggles as the world's oldest democracy. The dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in the Capitol, the Millions Against Monsanto Right to Know March, which started in New York City and ended in Washington DC, and the Slow Money Alliance national gathering in San Francisco. I see that they are all connected, and of course, I will tell you why.
In the attempt to fully organize Slow Food USA, there were site visits to the regions in 2008. These were delightful gatherings where staff and the then Executive Director of Slow Food USA met with leaders from chapters all over the nation. I had the deep honor of meeting with leaders from Hawaii and Southern California as I was part of Slow Food OC at the time. All the insights and suggestions from other chapters around the country were distilled into some key concepts. The one that mostly stayed with me was that Slow Food USA was deeply committed to changing our US Food Systems.
The Food System that is in want of change encompasses the following things: basically to relocalize access, growing, processing and distribution of food. What we are doing now is basically insane, it is heavily dependent on petroleum from growing and transportation of foods, in the hands of too few big agriculture corporations, and is basically loosing (if it has not already lost it) the connection between food, growers, producers and consumers.
The case in point of loosing the connections: most young American children think food comes out of a box, and are actually quite intrigued when you show them it comes from the land or animals. A friend of mine who is a Geology Professor at a major University here in Southern California recently took a group of grad students to an international conference in Chile. One of his students asked to borrow money for food. When asked why she was spending so much when their research quarters had a kitchen and was located near grocery stores, she replied"I have been to those stores, all they have is ingredients, and only Ice Cream in the frozen food section." So, we can see that there is much to be done, but more than education about where food comes from, the reconnection we need to have with our food is what it actually costs to raise it. And those with the money are determining who has or gets the food.
For generations, our food systems have become "commodities." When something is a commodity, it looses a relationship, because it becomes something one buys and sells. Of the top three grossing commodities on earth, two of them are foods. ( They are Oil, Coffee and Chocolate for those of you who want to seem like you know a lot.) When something only has a bottom line of profit, then anything done to maximize the profit is seen as fair game in the scheme of things. We have treated people, the land and food as commodities for too long. The banking crises is also a crises of agriculture and food, because it affects who can grow, harvest, produce and sell food. The Banks and how they lend money has been a leading cause of the decimation of our farm land and the catastrophe of modern agriculture.
In the last 50 years, America has lost farm land at an alarming rate. Here in the Inland Empire we have witnessed it in a dramatic way. Small farms could not compete with large Agribusiness, and had to sell their land to developers just to pay off loans. It was deemed that housing brought more money and revenue to the area than food. Rich cropland filled with grapes and citrus, wheat and vegetables has been turned into now vacant malls, houses and meat and dairy farms. MOst farmers have a full time job to support their families so they can farm! It all came back to banking, who could get the loans, who could afford them, and well you know the rest of the story. It is in the realm of the angels the knowledge of exactly who owns the mortgages, and they are actually split up and sold to numerous interests all over the world.
While the brave and boisterous Occupy Wall Street protestors have done a great deed to our national consciousness, lets go a step further. Genetically Modified Organisms produced by Big Agriculture Multinationals are seeking ways to force their products on the global commodity markets. These products are touted as a way to "feed the world" but are actually designed to produce sterile foods (no seeds so a farmer has to continually buy seeds instead of saving some from each harvest for the nest one) and are also designed to withstand to the same companies pesticides, forcing farmers to buy such pesticides. It is brilliant marketing and product development, but really not great for the environment or the economy. Farmers in India are committing suicide at an alarming rate because they are loosing their land to the banks who lent them money for the GMO seeds and their pesticides. Farmers here are forced into practices they do not want to do (utilizing lots of pesticides hormones and such) because they can not make a profit otherwise, or can not get loans. It costs more to do Organic because there are more jobs involved in the maintenance of the land, jobs cost money, and well, you know where that goes.
In the many, what I think are coherent, demands of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, what stands out is that we the people are tired of being last in any equation. I would add that the land that sustains us should also be part of the discussion. We are searching for new ways to fund our lives. In the beginning, banks were set up to facilitate a community enterprise. Now, they are nameless faceless entities that have more rights and access to our democracy that do our citizens. How this is marxist I do not understand, this is actually pro-life stuff, recognizing the rights of the born over the corporations, sounds pretty religious to me.
The Slow Money Alliance is a movement that was inspired by Slow Food. The same principles apply, to relocalize and humanize the system, but in this instance, it is money and banking. The goal is to get people to invest up to 50% of their investments in life giving enterprises, mainly small local food growers and producers. The key word is a "nurture economy" instead of an economy that enriches the few on the death of the many. This and many other ideas were the focus of last weekends gathering in San Francisco.
It is truly amazing what is going on in the world today. The people are rising up, non-violently and effectively against the absolute immorality ( and global suicide actually) of a system that creates wealth by sterilizing our food, decimating our land, destroying and withholding our water and shoving farmers off their land. It is immoral that weapons producers and the merchants of war are "making a killing" off of our young and foreign lands. It is immoral that we have been dug into debt to kill, and have to pay off the debt by withholding education and health care from our citizens. It is immoral that we have paid to absorb all the risks of our banks, and yet they will not invest in "life" with OUR money. Slow Money is educating all of us, and inviting us to invest as if fertility of the land and our farms mattered, invest only within 50 miles of your home.
Our youth are fantastic, the youth of the world are the greatest generation ever. They have the education and the technological skills, along with the moral forces of courage, consensus and community to solve the terrible problems we all face. I think Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream is actually being fulfilled, maybe that is why the dedication was postponed until this past weekend. His vision of linking justice, poverty, war and racism was correct. He said we should be somebody within the beloved community of life. As we witness the festivals inviting people to engage in radical democracy for the good of our community here in America, as the visionary bankers and investors meet through Slow Money, as citizens demand that their food sources not be owned by corporations who do not pay taxes, and defile our democracy with their lobbyists, shifting our laws to give them unregulated access to our food, lets take a small step in making that a reality, where all actions are done for the benefit of the community. Can't occupy a city, well, you can "un-occupy" the Banks who are investing in the death balance sheet; start investing in life, start investing in the land. Buy local, go to a farmers market, get to know the people who manage money and your food, pull your money out of death and put it into life. The great thing, it is delicious and fun!
For most of those paying attention, the weekend of October 15 and 16 was quite the event across the nation. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread across our country, with mostly a festive flair. If one pays attention to the posts, the food is quite good, and any sort of requests the protestors have is filled pretty quickly by those who can not participate in the occupation with their physical bodies.
But there where other things happening this weekend that did not get the press, but were no less important to our continued struggles as the world's oldest democracy. The dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in the Capitol, the Millions Against Monsanto Right to Know March, which started in New York City and ended in Washington DC, and the Slow Money Alliance national gathering in San Francisco. I see that they are all connected, and of course, I will tell you why.
In the attempt to fully organize Slow Food USA, there were site visits to the regions in 2008. These were delightful gatherings where staff and the then Executive Director of Slow Food USA met with leaders from chapters all over the nation. I had the deep honor of meeting with leaders from Hawaii and Southern California as I was part of Slow Food OC at the time. All the insights and suggestions from other chapters around the country were distilled into some key concepts. The one that mostly stayed with me was that Slow Food USA was deeply committed to changing our US Food Systems.
The Food System that is in want of change encompasses the following things: basically to relocalize access, growing, processing and distribution of food. What we are doing now is basically insane, it is heavily dependent on petroleum from growing and transportation of foods, in the hands of too few big agriculture corporations, and is basically loosing (if it has not already lost it) the connection between food, growers, producers and consumers.
The case in point of loosing the connections: most young American children think food comes out of a box, and are actually quite intrigued when you show them it comes from the land or animals. A friend of mine who is a Geology Professor at a major University here in Southern California recently took a group of grad students to an international conference in Chile. One of his students asked to borrow money for food. When asked why she was spending so much when their research quarters had a kitchen and was located near grocery stores, she replied"I have been to those stores, all they have is ingredients, and only Ice Cream in the frozen food section." So, we can see that there is much to be done, but more than education about where food comes from, the reconnection we need to have with our food is what it actually costs to raise it. And those with the money are determining who has or gets the food.
For generations, our food systems have become "commodities." When something is a commodity, it looses a relationship, because it becomes something one buys and sells. Of the top three grossing commodities on earth, two of them are foods. ( They are Oil, Coffee and Chocolate for those of you who want to seem like you know a lot.) When something only has a bottom line of profit, then anything done to maximize the profit is seen as fair game in the scheme of things. We have treated people, the land and food as commodities for too long. The banking crises is also a crises of agriculture and food, because it affects who can grow, harvest, produce and sell food. The Banks and how they lend money has been a leading cause of the decimation of our farm land and the catastrophe of modern agriculture.
In the last 50 years, America has lost farm land at an alarming rate. Here in the Inland Empire we have witnessed it in a dramatic way. Small farms could not compete with large Agribusiness, and had to sell their land to developers just to pay off loans. It was deemed that housing brought more money and revenue to the area than food. Rich cropland filled with grapes and citrus, wheat and vegetables has been turned into now vacant malls, houses and meat and dairy farms. MOst farmers have a full time job to support their families so they can farm! It all came back to banking, who could get the loans, who could afford them, and well you know the rest of the story. It is in the realm of the angels the knowledge of exactly who owns the mortgages, and they are actually split up and sold to numerous interests all over the world.
While the brave and boisterous Occupy Wall Street protestors have done a great deed to our national consciousness, lets go a step further. Genetically Modified Organisms produced by Big Agriculture Multinationals are seeking ways to force their products on the global commodity markets. These products are touted as a way to "feed the world" but are actually designed to produce sterile foods (no seeds so a farmer has to continually buy seeds instead of saving some from each harvest for the nest one) and are also designed to withstand to the same companies pesticides, forcing farmers to buy such pesticides. It is brilliant marketing and product development, but really not great for the environment or the economy. Farmers in India are committing suicide at an alarming rate because they are loosing their land to the banks who lent them money for the GMO seeds and their pesticides. Farmers here are forced into practices they do not want to do (utilizing lots of pesticides hormones and such) because they can not make a profit otherwise, or can not get loans. It costs more to do Organic because there are more jobs involved in the maintenance of the land, jobs cost money, and well, you know where that goes.
In the many, what I think are coherent, demands of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, what stands out is that we the people are tired of being last in any equation. I would add that the land that sustains us should also be part of the discussion. We are searching for new ways to fund our lives. In the beginning, banks were set up to facilitate a community enterprise. Now, they are nameless faceless entities that have more rights and access to our democracy that do our citizens. How this is marxist I do not understand, this is actually pro-life stuff, recognizing the rights of the born over the corporations, sounds pretty religious to me.
The Slow Money Alliance is a movement that was inspired by Slow Food. The same principles apply, to relocalize and humanize the system, but in this instance, it is money and banking. The goal is to get people to invest up to 50% of their investments in life giving enterprises, mainly small local food growers and producers. The key word is a "nurture economy" instead of an economy that enriches the few on the death of the many. This and many other ideas were the focus of last weekends gathering in San Francisco.
It is truly amazing what is going on in the world today. The people are rising up, non-violently and effectively against the absolute immorality ( and global suicide actually) of a system that creates wealth by sterilizing our food, decimating our land, destroying and withholding our water and shoving farmers off their land. It is immoral that weapons producers and the merchants of war are "making a killing" off of our young and foreign lands. It is immoral that we have been dug into debt to kill, and have to pay off the debt by withholding education and health care from our citizens. It is immoral that we have paid to absorb all the risks of our banks, and yet they will not invest in "life" with OUR money. Slow Money is educating all of us, and inviting us to invest as if fertility of the land and our farms mattered, invest only within 50 miles of your home.
Our youth are fantastic, the youth of the world are the greatest generation ever. They have the education and the technological skills, along with the moral forces of courage, consensus and community to solve the terrible problems we all face. I think Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream is actually being fulfilled, maybe that is why the dedication was postponed until this past weekend. His vision of linking justice, poverty, war and racism was correct. He said we should be somebody within the beloved community of life. As we witness the festivals inviting people to engage in radical democracy for the good of our community here in America, as the visionary bankers and investors meet through Slow Money, as citizens demand that their food sources not be owned by corporations who do not pay taxes, and defile our democracy with their lobbyists, shifting our laws to give them unregulated access to our food, lets take a small step in making that a reality, where all actions are done for the benefit of the community. Can't occupy a city, well, you can "un-occupy" the Banks who are investing in the death balance sheet; start investing in life, start investing in the land. Buy local, go to a farmers market, get to know the people who manage money and your food, pull your money out of death and put it into life. The great thing, it is delicious and fun!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
October 16th Show
Hi All,
This weeks guest will be quite entertaining. David Cohen of the San Bernardino Sun will join Real Food Empire to talk about his recent tour to Italy. He will also tempt us with his upcoming dinner, designed and presented with his wife Doreen; a Hungarian Feast. This will take place on November 5th, so make sure to tune in to get all the details on how to participate. David and Doreen host suppers throughout the Inland Empire featuring international cuisine. They are both accomplished chefs in their own right, and offer unique perspectives on what ever theme will be presented. The last time David joined Real Food Empire, he was promoting his Southern Themed Supper, and had both Christina Benjamen (my screener) and I drooling by the end of the program. Maybe David will bring something for us to sample this time! David also writes for Cucina Italiana and Inland Empire Magazine on, what else, Food! We hope you can join us, and as always if you can't listen live, you can always podcast the production at www.kcaaradio.com, under Sunday Programs Archives. David and Doreen Cohen are shining examples of incredible local culinary talent, you will not want to miss the October 16th Show. Tell a friend!
See ya then!
Stephanie
This weeks guest will be quite entertaining. David Cohen of the San Bernardino Sun will join Real Food Empire to talk about his recent tour to Italy. He will also tempt us with his upcoming dinner, designed and presented with his wife Doreen; a Hungarian Feast. This will take place on November 5th, so make sure to tune in to get all the details on how to participate. David and Doreen host suppers throughout the Inland Empire featuring international cuisine. They are both accomplished chefs in their own right, and offer unique perspectives on what ever theme will be presented. The last time David joined Real Food Empire, he was promoting his Southern Themed Supper, and had both Christina Benjamen (my screener) and I drooling by the end of the program. Maybe David will bring something for us to sample this time! David also writes for Cucina Italiana and Inland Empire Magazine on, what else, Food! We hope you can join us, and as always if you can't listen live, you can always podcast the production at www.kcaaradio.com, under Sunday Programs Archives. David and Doreen Cohen are shining examples of incredible local culinary talent, you will not want to miss the October 16th Show. Tell a friend!
See ya then!
Stephanie
Monday, October 10, 2011
Back in the Saddle Again
Hi All,
I've been away for a while from the Blog o sphere but I am back again! This past year has been an amazing discovery of delicious joy as to all the wonderful happenings in the Inland Empire. I will be expanding this blog to include updates, reflections ideas and resources. COming soon to your ethernet will be a video blog posting so you can learn more about how to eat for the health of your body, your soul, the land and community. Thanks to all of you who listen each week on KCAA 1050 am from 9 - 10 in the morning. We are working hard to bring you more up to date techno saavy stuff so you can hear us any time, any place. Let me know what you are wanting to hear about.
Till later, may all your meals be locally grown, hand made and delicious!
Stephanie
I've been away for a while from the Blog o sphere but I am back again! This past year has been an amazing discovery of delicious joy as to all the wonderful happenings in the Inland Empire. I will be expanding this blog to include updates, reflections ideas and resources. COming soon to your ethernet will be a video blog posting so you can learn more about how to eat for the health of your body, your soul, the land and community. Thanks to all of you who listen each week on KCAA 1050 am from 9 - 10 in the morning. We are working hard to bring you more up to date techno saavy stuff so you can hear us any time, any place. Let me know what you are wanting to hear about.
Till later, may all your meals be locally grown, hand made and delicious!
Stephanie
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Food Task Force
Last night in Los Angeles, an amazing thing happened. It has actually been in the works for about 30 years. As the host of Real Food Empire, I was honored to be part of the press for the unveiling of Good Food For All, a joint project of Roots of Change and the Los Angeles Food Policy Task Force. Roots of Change is a non-profit educational and legislative organization dedicated to creating a sustainable agricultural and food system here in the Golden State.The Vision of Roots of Change is "California's food system will become sustainable and lift the fortunes of the food industry, demonstrate the highest standards of stewardship, create pride of place, offer meaningful opportunities for workers in the industry and accelerate world wide demand for health and quality in everyday living." Now that's a vision I share! The Food Policy Task Force was brought together by Mayor Villaraigosa, in partnership with many individuals and organizations to work with Roots of Change to create the Good Food For All Agenda.
The basic recommendations include
1> Promoting a Good Food Economy
Build a Market For Good Food
Eliminate Hunger in Los Angeles
Ensure Equal Access to Good Food in Undeserved Communities
Grow Good Food in our Neighborhoods
Inspire and Mobilize Good Food Champions
Establish a Los Angeles Regional Food Policy Council
These lofty goals will be met with a collaboration between health care providers, city government, farmers, chefs, schools, public gardens, farmers markets and cooking classes.
When I was visiting the numerous non profit booths, the main question I heard, was "what are they doing out in the Inland Empire." Well, we are doing a lot, but it is my dream to have a similar agenda for the Inland Empire. We are after all part of the diverse and delicious "food shed" of Southern California. We are the jewel and we need to have good food for all. Good Food, means healthy affordable, fair and sustainable, available for all. The San Bernardino Farmers Market is the first certified farmers market to honor EBT machines in the Inland Empire. It is my hope to inspire and connect with those who would like to bring more "good food" to the Inland Empire.
Let me know if you are interested!
The basic recommendations include
1> Promoting a Good Food Economy
Build a Market For Good Food
Eliminate Hunger in Los Angeles
Ensure Equal Access to Good Food in Undeserved Communities
Grow Good Food in our Neighborhoods
Inspire and Mobilize Good Food Champions
Establish a Los Angeles Regional Food Policy Council
These lofty goals will be met with a collaboration between health care providers, city government, farmers, chefs, schools, public gardens, farmers markets and cooking classes.
When I was visiting the numerous non profit booths, the main question I heard, was "what are they doing out in the Inland Empire." Well, we are doing a lot, but it is my dream to have a similar agenda for the Inland Empire. We are after all part of the diverse and delicious "food shed" of Southern California. We are the jewel and we need to have good food for all. Good Food, means healthy affordable, fair and sustainable, available for all. The San Bernardino Farmers Market is the first certified farmers market to honor EBT machines in the Inland Empire. It is my hope to inspire and connect with those who would like to bring more "good food" to the Inland Empire.
Let me know if you are interested!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sustainable IE
When I finished Naturopathic School, I accepted a job with a "holistic psychologist" who wanted me to take over the nutritional aspect of her practice. After I planned to relocate to her Virginia office, she decided to move to Germany and asked me if I was still interested. As a graduate of German Lutheran middle and high school, my Deutsch was passable, but I was young and the prospect of living in Europe was too good to pass up. Long story short, I found out she and her network were part of the neo-faciest ilk, quite adept and articulate when it came to denying the Holocaust. Needless to say, after many arguments and much soul searching, I basically stole her car for an afternoon, moved my stuff to an international shipping company, returned the car and handed in my resignation. During one of our heated arguments, I told her, "It's not like I want the Holocaust to be true, it would be really great if it were a hoax, but I have friends with tattoos on their arms from their time at a concentration camp." She of course replied that God just told her I was not advanced enough in my spirituality to understand, and that she was not allowed to talk to me anymore. I now think she has a great future in conservative talk radio.
As I have gotten older, I have learned much from that experience, which is giving me a context as to how to understand some trends we are witnessing now. What I learned is the main reason for a push to deny the Holocaust by certain political groups is marketing. How can you sell Fascism and right wing oppression when it's greatest accomplishment was the slaughter of six million Jews and millions of other social undesirables and opponents of the regime? You have to deny it so you can push your political agenda, because well, concentration camps are such a downer, few wish to plug into a movement that promotes them.
A great way to keep up with trends these days is to read the back pages of the newspaper. Some seemingly un-related events that have been cropping up after page 9: Kimchi Crisis in South Korea, Aftermath of the Floods in Pakistan, Bigger River Flows. How does Kimchi in Korea relate to Floods in Pakistan and larger amounts of fresh water flowing into the oceans? Unusual weather patterns that the White House now wants to call "Global Climate Disruption." For the rest of us, we call this Global Warming. Apparently, there has been an unusual amount of rain fall in Korea spoiling the cabbage crop, causing hoarding of the beloved Kimchi. Scientists from UCI state that all of this is an indication of acceleration of the global water cycle of evaporation and rainfall. This accelleration influences the intensity of storms, floods and droughts which is straining global food systems. We can see and feel it here in the Inland Empire. Our Forests in our local mountains are suffering terribly, and it is anyone's guess as to what the current year will bring in terms of rainfall. Some scientists say El Nino, others La Nina, I say, who-knows-nada.
And yet there are many who say that such changes in a relatively short amount of time are not really happening. In fact, they get millions of dollars each year to spew their doubt through think tanks, conservative media outlets and political action committees. There is even a California ballot initiative to halt the excellent legislation pushed by our current Govenor to curb the many chemicals that have contributed to this global drama unfolding before us, all in the name of "jobs." The mantra of the pundits and certain political camps is that all we have to do is stop regulations, then rich people will create more jobs and we can all go shopping again.
Well, the so called America that so many fervent political activists want "back" can not be sustained, it only existed at great cost to our future. The entire American economy since colonial times was built on boom and bust, and with out resources, there is no economy, no rich, no nothing really. Which brings me back to my German experience. I understand why so many want to deny Global Warming, they are like my former employer and her network. The oil based economy created a lot of power and prosperity for many, but at a great cost to human health and economic disparity for a large portion of our local and global population. When we see the devistation that comes with an oil based economy, the death of an entire ocean in the Gulf of Mexico, the wars that are being fought to secure access, the collateral damage and our maimed veterans, the instability of our economic system, the destruction of our air and land, the change in the global climate, and even the shortage of Kimchi in Korea, well the old ways of an oil based economy are a hard sell. An Oil based food system is also very unstable, when we have to truck in food from thousands of miles away, we are at the mercy of the oil companies and all that comes along with that. Better to deny the problem, blame environmentalists for killing the economy, legislate away solutions that in the end would actually create long term stability and sustained economic prosperity for all. (These solutions that certain political parties want to legislate away can actually make some people rich in the process, but you know those pesky facts, some people just want the old ways to stay regardless the cost.)
We are living in a time of great upheaval, but the prospects for the future can be quite bright, the solutions are actually delicious and fun. It all starts with what you put into your mouth for nourishment. Local foods save energy, reduce the amount of petroleum needed, taste better and have more nutrition. When they are organically produced, the effect is even greater. Nearly 60 percent of green house emmissions are from an industrial agricultural system. The simple act of growing a garden, container, table top or otherwise can profoundly effect your own health and the health of your community as well as the globe. Shop Farmers Markets, get to know your food producers, dine at Restaurants who feature local and seasonal menu's, grow something.
Where to start? More is coming in terms of my website, but a great way to start is with the Growcology Learning Center in Riverside. Riverside is part of the Emerald City Project, encouraging cities to be the models of sustainability. Check out www.mygreenriverside.nihg.com and www.growcology.com for community, classes and tips on how to re-create our beautiful verdant green San Bernardino Valley for our future generations. The America I want, is an America where every person gets a chance to breathe clean air, drink clean water and eat healthy food, and have jobs that contribute to the betterment of our great nation as a whole. This is the California I want, as well as the Inland Empire I want. I do not want "back" an economy that is only good for a couple of years, that is dependent on hurting the land and people in order to grow. I do not want more smog, more boom and bust, more uncertainty.
It is time to stop denying the problem, and wake up to a delicious, clean healthy future.
As I have gotten older, I have learned much from that experience, which is giving me a context as to how to understand some trends we are witnessing now. What I learned is the main reason for a push to deny the Holocaust by certain political groups is marketing. How can you sell Fascism and right wing oppression when it's greatest accomplishment was the slaughter of six million Jews and millions of other social undesirables and opponents of the regime? You have to deny it so you can push your political agenda, because well, concentration camps are such a downer, few wish to plug into a movement that promotes them.
A great way to keep up with trends these days is to read the back pages of the newspaper. Some seemingly un-related events that have been cropping up after page 9: Kimchi Crisis in South Korea, Aftermath of the Floods in Pakistan, Bigger River Flows. How does Kimchi in Korea relate to Floods in Pakistan and larger amounts of fresh water flowing into the oceans? Unusual weather patterns that the White House now wants to call "Global Climate Disruption." For the rest of us, we call this Global Warming. Apparently, there has been an unusual amount of rain fall in Korea spoiling the cabbage crop, causing hoarding of the beloved Kimchi. Scientists from UCI state that all of this is an indication of acceleration of the global water cycle of evaporation and rainfall. This accelleration influences the intensity of storms, floods and droughts which is straining global food systems. We can see and feel it here in the Inland Empire. Our Forests in our local mountains are suffering terribly, and it is anyone's guess as to what the current year will bring in terms of rainfall. Some scientists say El Nino, others La Nina, I say, who-knows-nada.
And yet there are many who say that such changes in a relatively short amount of time are not really happening. In fact, they get millions of dollars each year to spew their doubt through think tanks, conservative media outlets and political action committees. There is even a California ballot initiative to halt the excellent legislation pushed by our current Govenor to curb the many chemicals that have contributed to this global drama unfolding before us, all in the name of "jobs." The mantra of the pundits and certain political camps is that all we have to do is stop regulations, then rich people will create more jobs and we can all go shopping again.
Well, the so called America that so many fervent political activists want "back" can not be sustained, it only existed at great cost to our future. The entire American economy since colonial times was built on boom and bust, and with out resources, there is no economy, no rich, no nothing really. Which brings me back to my German experience. I understand why so many want to deny Global Warming, they are like my former employer and her network. The oil based economy created a lot of power and prosperity for many, but at a great cost to human health and economic disparity for a large portion of our local and global population. When we see the devistation that comes with an oil based economy, the death of an entire ocean in the Gulf of Mexico, the wars that are being fought to secure access, the collateral damage and our maimed veterans, the instability of our economic system, the destruction of our air and land, the change in the global climate, and even the shortage of Kimchi in Korea, well the old ways of an oil based economy are a hard sell. An Oil based food system is also very unstable, when we have to truck in food from thousands of miles away, we are at the mercy of the oil companies and all that comes along with that. Better to deny the problem, blame environmentalists for killing the economy, legislate away solutions that in the end would actually create long term stability and sustained economic prosperity for all. (These solutions that certain political parties want to legislate away can actually make some people rich in the process, but you know those pesky facts, some people just want the old ways to stay regardless the cost.)
We are living in a time of great upheaval, but the prospects for the future can be quite bright, the solutions are actually delicious and fun. It all starts with what you put into your mouth for nourishment. Local foods save energy, reduce the amount of petroleum needed, taste better and have more nutrition. When they are organically produced, the effect is even greater. Nearly 60 percent of green house emmissions are from an industrial agricultural system. The simple act of growing a garden, container, table top or otherwise can profoundly effect your own health and the health of your community as well as the globe. Shop Farmers Markets, get to know your food producers, dine at Restaurants who feature local and seasonal menu's, grow something.
Where to start? More is coming in terms of my website, but a great way to start is with the Growcology Learning Center in Riverside. Riverside is part of the Emerald City Project, encouraging cities to be the models of sustainability. Check out www.mygreenriverside.nihg.com and www.growcology.com for community, classes and tips on how to re-create our beautiful verdant green San Bernardino Valley for our future generations. The America I want, is an America where every person gets a chance to breathe clean air, drink clean water and eat healthy food, and have jobs that contribute to the betterment of our great nation as a whole. This is the California I want, as well as the Inland Empire I want. I do not want "back" an economy that is only good for a couple of years, that is dependent on hurting the land and people in order to grow. I do not want more smog, more boom and bust, more uncertainty.
It is time to stop denying the problem, and wake up to a delicious, clean healthy future.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sustainable Food
There is so much going on these days regarding food. I had a delightful coffee meeting with a well known food critic here in the Inland Empire who was enthusiastically telling me about restaurant I should include in my show. At the risk of sounding elitist I shared with him that the restaurant that he was encouraging me to feature was wonderful, but not sustainable. This word sustainable has quite a buzz these days. There are many ways to consider it, but how I view sustainable is a behavior or endeavor that can go the distance as they say when it comes to longevity. Not only will it be a long lived initiative, but does so in a way that does not harm the earth, exhaust resources, is renewable and is kind and just to the people involved. So how is a restaurant sustainable? Is the cuisine made from locally grown, seasonal and organic produce? Are the animals and fish featured on the menu humanely grown and harvested? And does all of this matter?
On Real Food Empire, I strive to make the connection between what we eat, our health, the health of our communities and the land that supports us. There is much controversy over laws and legislation regarding the health of our environment. Some interests say that environmental and humane laws are too expensive and will kill jobs. A recent report from the Organic Center talked about how many of the common pesticides used on conventional crops actually put the human body into a sate of pre-diabetes, by disrupting the hormones that regulate sugar and insulin metabolism. We also have a new study stating that air pollution is linked to diabetes. Animals that are grown in crowded feces riddled pens carry antibiotic resistant diseases.
Industrial Agriculture accounts for nearly two thirds of all green house gas emissions, and incorporates hundreds of tons of pesticides per year. Such emissions are know known to be linked to diabetes. Pesticides are linked linked to diabetes, this disease is being touted as the great threat of our age and may bankrupt our health system. We also know that when food items are produced locally, 45 cents of every dollar remains in the local economy, compared with the 15 cents for items produced at a great distance. So, does buying a supper at a place where they feature only organic and locally grown produce and animal products? Actually it does. It keeps the money in the local system, reduces exposure to the chemicals that we now know are related to ill health and high medical expenditures. It also actually tastes better. So while some chains and independent restaurants may have nice menus, Real Food Empire will not disparage them, but the show wants to encourage listeners to patronize establishments that help on all levels. The good news is that here in the Inland Empire, we have many delicious choices from Farmers Markets to Restaurants to Vinyards and Breweries where we can spend our money, fill our tummies, delight our palates and support our communities with out hurting the land, water or air we depend on for life.
When you vote with your fork and food dollars, you make a difference in our world, your own health and the health of others. It is a fact!
On Real Food Empire, I strive to make the connection between what we eat, our health, the health of our communities and the land that supports us. There is much controversy over laws and legislation regarding the health of our environment. Some interests say that environmental and humane laws are too expensive and will kill jobs. A recent report from the Organic Center talked about how many of the common pesticides used on conventional crops actually put the human body into a sate of pre-diabetes, by disrupting the hormones that regulate sugar and insulin metabolism. We also have a new study stating that air pollution is linked to diabetes. Animals that are grown in crowded feces riddled pens carry antibiotic resistant diseases.
Industrial Agriculture accounts for nearly two thirds of all green house gas emissions, and incorporates hundreds of tons of pesticides per year. Such emissions are know known to be linked to diabetes. Pesticides are linked linked to diabetes, this disease is being touted as the great threat of our age and may bankrupt our health system. We also know that when food items are produced locally, 45 cents of every dollar remains in the local economy, compared with the 15 cents for items produced at a great distance. So, does buying a supper at a place where they feature only organic and locally grown produce and animal products? Actually it does. It keeps the money in the local system, reduces exposure to the chemicals that we now know are related to ill health and high medical expenditures. It also actually tastes better. So while some chains and independent restaurants may have nice menus, Real Food Empire will not disparage them, but the show wants to encourage listeners to patronize establishments that help on all levels. The good news is that here in the Inland Empire, we have many delicious choices from Farmers Markets to Restaurants to Vinyards and Breweries where we can spend our money, fill our tummies, delight our palates and support our communities with out hurting the land, water or air we depend on for life.
When you vote with your fork and food dollars, you make a difference in our world, your own health and the health of others. It is a fact!
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