Nutrition Discussion Question

Below is my answer to the following question for my nutrition class; What are some of your ideas about what we can do to decrease the use of hormones, antibiotics, and environmental pollutants in our food supply and still meet worldwide food demands?
This question perplexed me greatly! First thing I thought of is I am so concerned with feeding my own kids I couldn’t even imagine taking on ways to feed the entire world! Second thing was with all the people starving in this world, how is it even possible to decrease the steroids and still produce enough food? Then I came to this website: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/home . The Rodale Institute has been an organic farm and research facility for almost 30 years! In their pdf for the Organic Green Revolution they state, “studies show that sustainable agricultural practices can actually increase food production by up to 79% while at the same time actively reducing the effects of farming on climate change through carbon sequestration”. What?? I thought the reason we started using hormones was because we couldn’t feed the world this way?? In fact they go on to say, “The researchers
concluded that organic farming can produce enough food to feed the world without increasing the agricultural land base.” They then go on to detail specific ways that the farms themselves can change from conventional farming to organic farming and what these changes mean to us (the world). It is one of the most fascinating papers I have read so far. Here is the direct link: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/files/GreenRevUP.pdf
So what are my ideas to decrease the hormones, antibiotics, and environmental pollutants in our food supply? Education and action. Plain and simple people need to be educated! Unfortunately eating organically and sustainably has received a bad rap all these years. We need to reach the children first and show them the movies: Food, Inc., The Future of Food, and Fresh (http://www.freshthemovie.com/). Once the children are aware of what is going on behind the scenes and pretty pictures of conventional farming they will definitely spread the word to all adults they know! Once people are educated about what is really in the food they are feeding their children and themselves they will slowly back away from conventionally grown foods. Even if each person in the United States only changes one meal a week, that is 307 million meals a week that are supporting organic or sustainable agriculture! That number is staggering! Americans need goals they feel are attainable and once they are committed they will follow thru! Another feasible goal is to buy one item a week that is locally grown. Did you know that, according to Sustainabletable.org, “even though broccoli is grown all over the country, the broccoli we buy at the supermarket travels an average of 1,800 miles to get there”? That’s an amazing journey! If we support local farmers we will not only put money back into our own community, but we will allow the farmer to stay where he is because there will be demand for his food!! A great website to find organic farms, restaurants, and grocery stores in your area to support is: http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home Another thing we can do is buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. If you are anything like me, you don’t know what seasons are peak for what! So if you (like I) need help with that, go to, http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/seasonal/. Even if we only touch one person with what we have learned so far the ripple effect will be amazing! And if you are interested in reaching more people or becoming more active in the fight for healthier food and environment go to: http://sustainableagriculture.net/take-action/, also the Rodale Institute has a page of action items also!

The reason I posted this answer on my blog is I think it has some great websites to look up that won't make you sad or disgusted like the movie Food, Inc. But maybe you will be willing to try one of my suggestions! Thanks for reading!!