"It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly."
The 'Hot Topic' was co-authored by Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RD and Anne-Marie Scott of the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition(HEN) Dietetic Practice Group(DPG) of ADA. In their review they challenge the AJCN study for "not examining differences in contaminants (such as pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residues) or the possible environmental consequences of organic versus conventional production practices." Further, the authors claim there are benefits to organic beyond human nutrition.
When considering benefits and costs of organic versus conventional agricultural production, it is important to consider benefits and costs to consumers, farmers, communities and the environment. For example, current research in numerous areas is showing both short-and long-term benefits to our population and the planet with organic and other sustainable production systems. Documented environmental benefits of organic production systems include reduced nutrient pollution, improved soil organic matter, lower energy use, reduced pesticide residues in food and water and enhanced biodiversity.
It is refreshing to see the ADA not taking their traditionally myopic approach.
The challenge for our field(dietetics) is to understand exactly how foods and food products are grown and manufactured and the effects these methods may have on our personal health and the health of the global environment.
Disclosure: I am a HEN member. HEN is currently the fastest growing DPG of the ADA. (phew..a lot of acronyms)
I am really excited to say that my panel: Blogs, Tweets & Movies: Fueling the Good Food Movement is being considered for the 2010 South by South West (SXSW) Interactive Festival. (see below for details). If I get picked they will have me design and pick the panelist!
How can you help? Well, I am really glad you asked! 1. Go vote for me at: the 2010 Panel Picker Site To find my panel at this site just search the title or my name: Ashley Colpaart (it has 2 a's)
2. Could you send this link to everyone you know that may be interested in this topic? It would be greatly appreciated!
Here is my panel description: The Good Food Movement is using twitter, blogging, newspapers, movies and other creative forms of media to fuel changes in the way we eat and produce our food. Individually and globally, it is the cornerstone issue that connects people, the environment, health and energy. Can highlight: Meatless Monday, Food Inc., Fresh, Free Range Media, Berkshares, CSA/farmers markets/farm to school
And my content ideas:
food policy blogging
sustainable agriculture education
approaches to access of food, innercity gardens
using video/media for education
alternative investment and economic models
meatless monday campaign
Veggie trader to connect homegrown food with people
A few radio shows have emerged lately on topics related to the good food movement and sustainable agriculture. I thought I would share some of my favorites:
First, fellow Registered Dietitian, and friend, Melinda Hemmelgarn has started a weekly 1/2 radio program – taped interviews with innovative, insightful and interesting guests who will help listeners "think beyond their plates" and connect the dots between food, health and agriculture.
The show airs on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. Central and you can listen live on line at: www.kopn.org or listen to podcasts as they're posted. KOPN is a 35-year-and-still-going-strong community–owned, volunteer-run radio station – Free press at its finest with NO commercials.
Third, Heritage Radio Network(HRN) is "a cutting edge internet-based radio station designed to protect and advance our country’s rich cultural roots in the form of interviews, reflections, musings and ramblings from America’s leading farmers, food mavericks, filmmakers, artists and tastemakers. The live radio shows are then uploaded onto heritageradionetwork.com where content is archived into audio bits and pieces and searchable by keywords or phrases. This is an unprecedented venue for future historians who want to research their past, our present."
HRN has plenty of shows and topics to choose from. Some of my favorite shows:
Edible Communities Hosted by: Kate Manchester, Marla Camp and Deborah Schapiro Celebrating the abundance of local foods, season by season.
Heritage Farm Report Hosted by: Heather Hyman and Lorenzo Ragionieri A day in the life of a Heritage Farmer. America's leading farmers discuss the history of their land, avant-garde farming techniques, and farming how-to's.
Greenhorn Radio Hosted by: Severine von Tscharner Fleming Greenhorn Radio: Radio For Young Farmers, By Young Farmers. Acclaimed activist, farmer, and documentarian Severine Fleming surveys America's cutting edge, under-forty farmers.
Fourth, The National Center for Appropriate Technology's Sustainable Agriculture Spotlight is a weekly Internet radio show. The show covers a wide range of topics on sustainable agriculture, including on-farm production of biodiesel, integrated pest management, growing crops for farmers' markets, organic crop certification and federal farm policy. Each week host Jeff Birkby, ATTRA outreach directory, interviews regional and national experts. The show airs live Thursdays at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on the Green Talk Network. Archives are listed 24 hours after the show.
Last, but not least, is my new favorite guilty pleasure: Agritalk Radio: The Voice of Rural America. I download Agritalk as a podcast and listen to it on the way to school. The show is hosted by Mike Adams and helps us "agricultural intellectuals" understand issues important to American farmers. There is a ton of policy discussion and guest interviews from many representatives who sit on agricultural committees. Scattered throughout the show are commercials from our favorite big agricultural corporations, Checkoff programs and the AdCouncil. My favorite episode is the June 2nd show: The Growth of Small Farms with guest Agricultural Economist, John Ikerd.
Would these Americans be willing to pay the true cost of food? Food from unsubsidized corn and soy and including the externalities of the health care costs and environmental damage?
They certainly are willing to spend money of TV ads. This one makes me want to go camping with some Big Red.
Note the coalition members:
Coalition Members 7-Eleven, Inc. Advantage Vending Equipment Alabama Beverage Association Alabama Grocers Association Alcan Packaging Allen Beverages, Inc. American Advertising Federation American Beverage Association Americans for Prosperity Arizona Beverage Association Arkansas Beverage Association Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association Bernick’s Beverages and Vending Beverage Association of Mississippi Beverage Association of Tennessee Beverage Association of Vermont Beverage Truck & Trailer, LLC Brinker International C. C. Clark, Inc. California-Nevada Soft Drink Association Can Manufacturers Institute Canada Dry Bottling Co. of New York Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. Carolinas Food Industry Council Chesterman Company Clark Beverage Group Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United, Inc. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Fort Wayne, IN Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Minden, Inc. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Winona, MN Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Inc. Coca-Cola Company, The Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. Colorado Beverage Association Colorado Retail Council Connecticut Food Association Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Inc. Corn Refiners Association Cornelius Council for Citizens Against Government Waste Cowan Systems, LLC Coyote Bait & Tackle Darden Restaurants, Inc. Domino’s Pizza Dr Pepper Bottling Company of Dublin Dr Pepper-Royal Crown Bottling Co. Dr Pepper Snapple Group Enterprise Leasing Company of Georgia Entravision Communications First Choice Vending Florida Beverage Association Florida Maritime Leadership Coalition Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Food Industry Association Executives Food Marketing Institute G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Georgia Agribusiness Council Georgia Association of Convenience Stores Georgia Beverage Association Georgia Chamber of Commerce Georgia Food Industry Association Georgia Retail Association Georgia Restaurant Association Global Closure Systems OBRIST Americas Graphic Packaging International, Inc. Great Dane Trailers Grocery Manufacturers Association Hispanic Media Council Hoosier Beverage Association Idaho Soft Drink Association Illinois Beverage Association Illinois Food Retailers Association Illinois Retail Merchants Association Independent Buyers’ Co-op Indiana Grocery and Convenience Store Association Indiana Restaurant Association Institute for Liberty International Dairy Foods Association International Dairy Queen, Inc. Iowa Beverage Association Kansas Beverage Association Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association Kentucky Beverage Association Kwik Trip, Inc. L & E Bottling Company Lakeside Pepsi-Cola Lancer Corporation LinPepCo Partnership Louisiana Beverage Association Louisiana Retailers Association Mack II, Inc. Maine Beverage Association Maine Restaurant Association Maryland Retailers Association MD/DC/DE Beverage Association Massachusetts Beverage Association MeadWestvaco Corporation MEI, Inc. Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Mexican American Grocers Association Michigan Chamber of Commerce Michigan Food and Beverage Association Michigan Grocers Association Michigan Soft Drink Association Mid-Wisconsin Beverage, Inc. Minges Bottling Group Minnesota Beverage Association Minnesota Grocers Association Mississippi Automatic Merchandising Association Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association Missouri Beverage Association Missouri Retailers Association Montana Beverage Association National Association of Convenience Stores National Association of Manufacturers National Association of Theater Owners National Automatic Merchandising Association National Confectioners Association National Council of Chain Restaurants National Grocers Association National Restaurant Association National Supermarket Association National Taxpayers Union Neighborhood Market Association Nebraska Beverage Association Nebraska Retail Federation Nei Bottling Group, Inc. New Hampshire Grocers Association New Hampshire Soft Drink Association New Jersey Food Council New Mexico Beverage Association North Carolina Beverage Association North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association North Carolina Retail Merchants Association North Dakota Grocers Association Ohio Chamber of Commerce Ohio Council of Retail Merchants Ohio Grocers Association Ohio Restaurant Association Ohio Soft Drink Association Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative Oregon Soft Drink Association Original Roadhouse Grill Pace Global Energy Services Pennsylvania Beverage Association Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association Pennsylvania Restaurant Association Pepsi Bottling Group Pepsi Bottling Ventures PepsiAmericas, Inc. PepsiCo, Inc. Pepsi-Cola & National Brand Beverages Pepsi-Cola of Florence, LLC Pepsi-Cola of Rochester, MN Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Association Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Central VA Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hastings Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hickory, NC Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of LaCrosse Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Logansport Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of New York Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Pipestone, MN Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Roxboro, NC Pepsi-Cola Decatur, LLC Pepsi-Cola Dr Pepper Bottling Co. Pepsi-Cola of Northeast Wisconsin Quail Mountain, Inc. Quality Retail Services, Inc. Rehrig Pacific Company Retail Merchants of Hawaii Rexam, Inc. Rhode Island Beverage Association Ron’s Towing, Inc. SandenVendo America, Inc. Seneca Wholesale Co., Inc. Sherm’s Thunderbird Markets, Inc. Snack Food Association South Carolina Beverage Association South Dakota Beverage Association Streva Distributing Co. of New Iberia, Inc. Sun Drop Bottling Co. Swire Coca-Cola Temple Bottling Company Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association Texas Beverage Association Texas Grocery and Convenience Association Texas Roadhouse Towerwall, Inc. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Utah Beverage Association Varsity Beverage Venmart, Inc. Vermont Grocers’ Association Virginia Beverage Association Virginia Chamber of Commerce Vitro Packaging, LLC Walton Beverage Company West Virginia Beverage Association West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association Western Kentucky Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc. Wilson Corporation Wisconsin Beverage Association Wisconsin Grocers Association Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association Wisconsin Restaurant Association WP Beverages, LLC Wyoming Beverage Association Yum! Brands, Inc.
One of my favorite RD's bringing the truth about food to the American public is Melinda Hemmelgarn.
Her new radio show is available online and she has already had some great guest like Roger Dorion, Founding Director Kitchen Gardeners International, Robyn O'Brien author of The Unhealthy Truth and Julie Fischer on the Missouri CAFO issues.
Melinda Hemmelgarn is a registered dietitian, newspaper columnist, and freelance writer and speaker. She has written her trademarked weekly "Food Sleuth" column for the Columbia Daily Tribune since 1989, and it now appears in a variety of publications nationwide. The "Food Sleuth" mission is to "digest" nutrition research, expose diet fraud and help consumers think beyond their plates.
Melinda's launch into media work began when she learned that most consumers receive their nutrition and health information through the media. She developed (and for 15 years directed) the Nutrition Communications Center at the University of Missouri, where she wrote a nationally distributed newsletter, conducted hundreds of media interviews annually, and instructed dietetic and science journalism students.
Motivated by escalating childhood obesity rates and the inability to effect significant change through traditional nutrition education strategies, Melinda turned her attention to food marketing, advertising directed towards youth, and children's "media diets." She joined the Alliance for a Media Literate America in 2001 and has been conducting national workshops blending media literacy with nutrition education ever since.
Melinda is a member of the American Dietetic Association's Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Practice Group, the Society for Nutrition Education, and the Missouri Association for Social Welfare's Hunger Task Force. She is also a new member of the Association for Health Care Journalists, and an affiliate member of the University of Missouri's Center for Health Policy.
Melinda describes herself as a "change-agent," working to improve public health and create a more just and sustainable food system.
This blogpost is participating in a Registered Dietitian Bloggerfest. Please check back daily and use the links below to read other RD's posts on Woman's Health. This post is dedicated to women coming together is special ways make the world a better place.
Last night I attended my first meeting with The Pleiades, a network of women working for a sustainable world. According to Wikipedia:
the Pleiades, or seven sisters, are an open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Pleiades has several meanings in different cultures and traditions.
The mission of our group, Pleiades, is to "create a network of leading women thinkers to be an inspirational force within the sustainability movement. Leveraging the talents of its diverse members, Pleiades provides strategic partnerships and educational initiatives that empower the role of women in restoring balance in our lives, our communities, and the natural world."
The group was the brain child of Kathleen Frith, Assistant Director of Harvard's Center for Health and the Global Environment that stemmed from an idea she had in her early 20's. Our first meeting was held at member Ana Sortun's Sofra Bakery and Cafe in Cambridge. We enjoyed delectable yet simple, healthy food made of conscientious ingredients and tasted some organic and biodynamic wines. While this seems like the typical "Slowfoodie" event often criticized for being elitist, a fly on the wall would argue that the conversation had this evening was far from elitist.
A round of introductions revealed accomplished writers, activists, scientists, mothers, health care providers, farmers, teachers, artists, environmentalists, all of course, women. I was humbled to be surrounded by such agents of change.
After we enjoyed some nourishment, we moved on to a discussion. Dr. Molly Kile, a research fellow and epidemiologist in the Department of Environmental Health shared her experience in Bangladesh. In the 70's Bangladesh had a Cholera outbreak that was being perpetuated by the people's use of surface water. The international community came together to help fund water pumps that would give the people access to ground water and help control the epidemics. What is saddening is now Bangladesh faces arsenic exposure at daunting levels. It is disheartening to attempt to solve one problem, only to unavoidably create another.
Molly went on to share her story of her recent visit to Uganda, a nation of 30 million people, which according to the World Health Organization had an estimated 10.6 million cases of malaria in 2006. The estimated 70,000 to 110,000 deaths a year seriously hampers economic development. Molly's descriptions of suffering was difficult to hear. Having worked in extreme poverty, she said that regardless, you can never prepare yourself.
What is interesting about this story, and so conflicting to Molly, is that Uganda is being pushed to spray the infamous insecticide DDT to control the mosquito populations. Since the publishing of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, DDT has been banned from the US for its serious wildlife and habitat destruction. While this isn't the only approach, unfortunately things come down to the price, and DDT is cheap and effective. Molly's memory of stepping over dying children conflicts with her knowledge of the repercussions of using DDT and is sympathetically felt.Those who understand sustainability know that trying to solve the malaria problem with DDT only leads us down a path of more complex issues. What seems a silver bullet is actually a shotshell, causing unapproachable damage.
Our conversation turned to some very difficult questions. What is out of balance in the system? How can balance be restored? How does population and population control play a role? How do we address issues culturally? Why is money alway at the root? What can I do?
As the intensity of the conversation began to lighten, Kathleen brought us full circle to answer the question, "What can I do?" Having just spent a couple hours hearing a story, asking questions and discussing what is often difficult to discuss, we had achieved a part of Kathleen's vision for the Pleiades: to learn from and support each other. Through one person's account we all knew a bit more about our world and our place in it. What is interesting about the Pleiades constellation is that it is easier to see clearly out of your peripheral vision. Our group hopes to be seen making change within the peripheral of our community and world.
In a world facing insurmountable issues like poverty, climate change, disease, water and food shortages, habitat destruction and economic downturn, we can often feel helpless. For many women, the strength of community helps lessen the burden and gives an arena to discuss solutions, but this gathering of women is also good for our health. According to a new study when women are under stress they release more oxytocin, which encourages us to care for children and hang out with other women, creating a “tend and befriend” notion developed by Drs. Laura Klein and Shelly Taylor.
Study after study has found that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. “There’s no doubt,” says Dr. Klein, “that friends are helping us live.”
Want to make a difference in your community? Start a community women's group. Talk about the issues facing your neighborhood and your world. Be a source of strength for each other. A woman's traditional role in the society is the nurturer and our communities could use a bit more nourishment. By creating a space to have the talk that women have when they are together, you are being the change.
