With so many food options and food movements out there, what do you choose?
Food is a major factor in human health, and in environmental health as well. There are an abundance of eco-friendly food movements out there, including vegans, vegetarians, vegawarians, locavores, and those who eat strictly organic food. By the way, those who adopt a vegan diet don’t only contribute to a healthy environment and climate but also to their own health since animal products are among the major causes for hemorrhoids, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks and other deceases.
Each movement has its own set of beliefs, and while someone could definitely be a vegan organic locavore they don’t necessary go hand-in-hand. The vegans and vegetarians object to the carbon-emitting and polluting meat industry, whereas the locavores are concerned with the pollution associated with shipping food from far-off places and therefore try to consume food from as close as possible. Organic devotees are in a different pool altogether, and are concerned with the environmental effects of hormones and pesticides both on the earth and on its creatures.
With all of these movements around, it can be a little tough to keep food politics straight. Which may be why the Social-Economic Academy in Tel Aviv just offered a new food politics course called “Between Funding and Food”.
The Academy describes the course as such:
“The food industry determines and effects our lives. Global food distribution sentences entire populations to hunger while other populations suffer from the side effects of consuming excess and unbalanced foods. The food industry is a factor in the destruction of the environment and in global warming. Structural and technological changes have transferred control over food production to large international corporations, thus hurting small farmers, rural communities, and animals. This course will facilitate a critical view into the politics of an influential industry that is sometimes neglected in social and environmental discussions.”
Lectures will include:
- Behind the Scenes of the Processed Food Industry
- The Ecological Footprint of the Food Industry
- Latin America: Millions of Hungry People on a Continent of Plenty
- The Appearance of Industrialized Agriculture
- Food Politics
- Organic, Ecological, and Community-Supported Agriculture
- Fair Trade
Read more about food politics::
Israel’s Finest Restaurants Offer Vegetarian Specials on Mondays
Vegawarian Dinner
To Meat or Not to Meat – The Question of Vegetarianism or Cheatarianism
Image via: McKay Savage
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
This looks great. And thanks for introducing me to a new term: Vegawarian – interesting. 🙂
a very interesting topic. I wonder if I could recieve the materials online or by email.
Regrads,
I think they have material only in Hebrew. But email them to ask.