Thursday, October 16, is officially World Food Day. But many people in countries around the world are celebrating it as World Foodless Day, to call attention to the growing threats to development and even basic survival many people face as food prices rise and availability falls. They are asking all of us to join them in a day of fasting (unless, of course, you have a medical reason not to skip meals). You can donate the food money you save to your local food bank or to an organization like Oxfam. Although the food crisis is less visible in more affluent communities, it exists everywhere. Most of us have felt the pinch of rising food prices. And here in the United States, many social programs (like your local food bank) that help people in need of emergency food supplies are running short of supplies and dollars just as their busiest time of year approaches. There are many “large scale” problems that contribute to worldwide food shortages and rising prices, including everything from financial crises, water issues, and increased use of crops for biofuel to persistent problems with poverty, inequality, and misdirection of resources. But our own daily habits and choices also play a significant role, both in the problem and in the solution. Read on to find out more… Think Globally, Act Locally It’s often very hard to see the connections between our own daily choices and habits and the effects they have on other people, whether they are down the street or on the other side of the world. It’s even harder to see how small changes we might make as individuals can have much effect on the enormous and powerful “systems” involved in global food production and distribution. But these connections are real, and every choice becomes another ripple moving out across the pond, far beyond its own little sphere of influence. That’s exactly why so many people interested in “big” issues have adopted the “think globally, act locally” slogan as their basic strategy. It’s the most effective way individuals can actually do something about these issues, whether it’s global warming, social justice, or global hunger. If you’re interested in finding out a little more about how the food you put on your plate is both a cause and an effect of large-scale systems, here are a couple of good reads: The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan (yeah, him again, lol). Food Politics, by Marion Nestle For a more action-oriented point of view, here are Twelve Steps You Can Take for Food System Change. So what do you think? Are you willing to skip a meal or a day's worth of them, to participate in World Foodless Day? I'm going to fast for the day and send the food money to my local food bank. How many of those 12 Steps mentioned above seem do-able to you? I've got to admit I'm not real consistent yet with eating locally, but I'm working on it... |
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