Food Priorities

I think, as a culture, we have some very backwards ideas about what food is and how we should produce it. I would like to offer my top five food priorities as an alternative to what has become conventional food thinking:

1.) Food is our primary source of energy and health. It is our first defense against fatigue, mental imbalances, the affects of aging, sickness and disease. When we aren't feeling healthy, happy, or fully energized and alive, I believe that 9 times out of 10 we are eating a poor diet. A diet of mostly plants and free of chemicals is the most beneficial for our minds and bodies. I like to think that it's not what we eat some of the time but what we eat most of the time that counts. Developing good eating habits is key for our health, but that's not to say we can't indulge every once in a while!

2.) Today food is considered by many to be a burden or inconvenience (see fast food or soylent). I think that this is a dangerous misconception, but I understand where it comes from. We have high-stress jobs, loaded schedules and numerous commitments that turn eating into a chore. While I try to see the benefits of the quick meal, I believe that in the long run this mentality will only hurt us. You can't cut corners with food. It will catch up to you. So whatever goals we are pursuing, let's not forget that a balanced diet of mainly plants is the foundation for success in every facet of our lives.

3.) In terms of the food production processes within our global system, waste is a huge problem. An astonishing amount of food is lost from farm to table in the industrial system - food rots in the fields, it goes bad while being transported across the global, and it gets thrown away if it does not meet industry standards at the supermarket. This is a devastating problem that contributes to environmental stress and global hunger. We need to support systems that promote efficient use of food, and that means choosing local whenever we can. Furthermore, the trash generated by the packaging that goes into supermarket products is unbelievable and unnecessary (think about all the plastic that food is wrapped in at the grocery store). Eating local helps to combat that issue, too.

4.) The food industry has but one goal: to make money. That means cutting corners whenever possible to turn the most profit. The result is the use of chemicals on our crops, the degradation of our lands through unsustainable monocultures, and the exploitation of people and resources in developing countries. Let's learn about our farms and our food so the food industry can't get away with these atrocities! Uncovering the scandal is the first step. More importantly, we need to support local farmers who do things the right way. This will build strong communities around us and help to decrease the environmental and social injustices imbedded in the global food system.

5.) We all know that climate change and environmental deterioration are real and devastating consequences of the modern lifestyle. Industrial agricultural practices are the number one contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, deforestation, and the subsequent mass extinctions occurring in the animal kingdom. The meat industry is by far the most harmful industry on the planet. Now, I am not going to preach about vegetarianism because I know a lot of people don't want to hear it and I don't want to drive anyone away. I will, however, assert that eating low on the food chain is the healthiest choice for both people and the planet. When you do choose to eat meat, choose local and humane.