Blogging Assignment 10- EC Spokesperson

Assume the role of an EC critic or EC spokesperson. Given what you’ve learned this semester, discuss ethical decision-making, sustainability, and the EC.

Given everything that we have read, discussed and written about the Earth Charter I have become more optimistic about the document overall. While I still am skeptical, not as much of the goals set out, but of the reality of them being implemented assuming the role of an EC spokesperson is enthralling because ethically this document makes sense. It provides a level of hope for current and future generations. It instills in the reader how much power they actually have to makechanges and better our world. As the Earth Charter states,

“This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of the substantial way of life locally, nationally, regionally and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize this vision.”

I feel that this closing statement is one of the most powerful out of the whole document. To recognize that change requires more than just action, but internalization of these ideals notes how our future must be a collective movement congruently between every individual. Ethical decision-making fosters powerful progress individually, locally and nationally. The Earth Charter encourages ethical decision-making through open-mindedness. I feel that awareness is key when it comes to being able to actually make ethically sound decisions. I was personally struggling with that prior to taking this class. I simply was unaware of how the decisions, for example of what I eat, affect so many other individuals and groups. After reading Fast Food Nation, The Omnivores Dilemma and Closing the Food Gap I feel that if the correct education were implemented people would realize that they do have options, which would (hopefully) inspire them to make changes in their lives. I feel this way because that’s how the Earth Charter worked for me. After becoming aware of where my food came from, what it took to get to me and often how there are simple alternatives to my choices, I felt empowered.

Sustainability is something that our school prides itself on. We spend countless hours learning about it in our classrooms and thousands of dollars improving our campus. Imagine if every university implemented these practices. This is the same mindset I have with the Earth Charter document as a whole; it would make immense change! While I understand the magnitude of making these changes, it is still hard to fully commit. For example, trying to go vegetarian, for me, it’s ideal and I wish that I could make the switch over. I had every intention of sticking to it, but life happened and things just seemed to get in the way. This exact mentality is the reason why many of the Earth Charter principles aren’t being implemented continuously; our priorities need to change. The minute we make something our number one priority, things can change. The minute things no longer become an option, we have to change. I wish we would realize now, before it’s too late, that we have the power to prevent catastrophic things from happening!

I feel that the United States has the mentality that we are invincible. This ethnocentric mindset will be our downfall, unless we start thinking and making ethical (and sustainable) decisions. As Sophie Nicholls so elegantly quotes Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness is a certain way of paying attention that is healing, that is restorative, that is reminding you of who you actually are so that you don’t wind up getting entrained into being a human doing rather than a human being.” We are so focused on trying to compete and live up to what others (other nations or people) think of us that we have lost focus. The Earth Charter is an inspirational document that is focused on recentralizing how and why we do things. Just as the Earth Charter concludes, “Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good and short-term objectives with long-term goals.”

Local Food Initiatives

I feel that there are many local food initiatives in progress, two of which I learned about in this class such as The Roots Heritage Garden and The Harry Chapin Food bank. Local food initiatives help to bring control of our food back to a local level. This empowers communities and creates a sense of belonging and that control is being put back into the hands of the consumer. I feel the more people can become involved with their food, like through the Roots Heritage Garden, the more likely they will become educated about what they are eating, where it comes from and how they should be feeding their bodies. Some shortcomings of programs like this are funding and sheer manpower. Without funding and community support, gardens like this cannot flourish. Many individuals find it hard enough to find time in their day to go to the grocery store, if one is even available within the area, let alone go work on a garden. I also think that as a society, we crave instant gratification and working in a garden does not always provide that; it takes time to cultivate and grow everything, which could lead to frustrations, desperation and rejection of the project. Another shortcoming with local food initiatives is that they have a higher chance of being affected by donor and volunteer fatigue. Volunteer fatigue is a term we talked about in our group discussions during class, meaning that because of the constant demand and dependence on volunteers they may become burnt out. For example, in the Roots Heritage Garden they depend on volunteers and individuals committed to coming to the garden continuously. If there ever was a shortage of this, which I can imagine at times there could be, the garden would suffer immensely. (Picture source)

As the 5^th EC principle states, “Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all developmental initiatives.” I feel this principle applies to local food initiatives because once the garden (a sustainable developmental plan) becomes established, it would help to rehabilitate our communities’ notion on food. This EC principle continues to note that maintaining biodiversity is necessary because it helps to preserve our natural heritage. This point especially applies to the Roots Heritage Garden (RHG), because by growing produce/vegetables that flourish in SW Florida it preserves foods that have always been here and creates a diversity of foods other than those found in the super markets. As we learned in class, it appears we have

options, when we really don’t. By growing our own food, we can reintroduce food biodiversity! The 9^th EC principle also ties in nicely with the idea of the RHG stating, “Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.” This is exactly what the RHG strives to introduce in our community! By empowering people with the knowledge of how to grow their own vegetables, it would encourage them to teach others and help to gain food security. (Earth Charter) (Photo Source)

If people can begin to support themselves, there would be less reliance on fast food corporations and can help to break the negative cycle of food decisions. I feel that the RHG is providing more than food security, it brings a sense of community back to our society. The more we feel connected to the people and places in our community, the more we will feel responsible for what is going on and how people are getting by. This connection could create a sense of family in their neighborhoods, where people would become more prone to helping each other out. Overall, local food initiatives such as the RHG are amazing opportunities to provide stability within our society and hopefully will inspire future generations to change what they consider food and how they acquire it.

My Vegetarian Dilemma

Over the past weekend, I traveled to Gainesville, Florida to visit one of my friends. She is a vegetarian and has been for the past year or so. I decided it might be interesting to try to be a vegetarian for the weekend. Surprisingly to what I had previously created in my own mind, not eating meat wasn’t quite as difficult as I had originally imagined. Although I will say, it is easier to eat vegetarian when you are in a city surrounded with restaurants dedicated to vegetarian/vegan/organic alternatives and being around other people who chose to eat that way. All weekend I ate organic eggs, cheese enchiladas, guacamole, salsa, beans, rice, bagels, pancakes and organic spinach pizza. Overall, I have to admit I felt better about myself.

After reading all of the horrors in Fast Food Nation and Omnivores Dilemma, morally and ethically I felt more sound and whole. I mean, how can you NOT feel disgusted and repulsed about the journey our food takes before it reaches us? As we read in Home Grown, our food travels thousands of miles to reach us, but before the long journey, animals are treated so inhumanly it’s disturbing. Chicken have their necks sliced while still alive, they often are in such poor shape by the time they reach this stage in the food production from everything injected in them that many do not make it here. We learned all of this in class and in a few of the documentaries we watched, but having my friend Breklyn to reinforce this every time my eyes were drawn towards a chicken or meat dish on the menu was a constant reminder. I vowed to make a change.

I returned home from Gainesville on Monday and after I got off work at 9pm I decided to go grocery shopping for the week. Reminding myself to focus on what I had practiced over the weekend, I set out determined to fill my basket with organic, healthy, vegetarian items.I began in the produce section with all organic celery, Honey Crisp apples and grapes. I continued to add bagels, cheese, yogurt and other items that I normally eat to my cart. Turning a blind

eye to the produce and meat section I begrudgingly continued on my grocery trip. Nearing the end of the store I realize, I don’t actually have any meals. I have foods I can eat for breakfast and snack on, but no full meals I can make. I make the decision to purchase some organic chicken from Publix’s GreenWise section. Reminding myself that changes like aren’t as easy as they seem and that if I continuously cut back on my chicken intake, maybe over time I won’t have the desire to eat it at all.

In my naivety, I had not taken as close of a look as I should have at the prices on my organic finds and led my way to a hefty $63.00 total. Stunned at how my bill got so high with a cart so seemingly empty, I browse over my purchases. My organic seedless grapes rang in at an astounding $6.00 and my three Honey Crisp apples… a whopping $7.00. My Publix GreenWise frozen pizza cost less than both of these items at around $5.00. (The photo is one that I took on my mobile phone)

My chicken tenderloins were the least of my problem also at $5.00. The produce is what killed me! No wonder lower income individuals are stuck in such a vicious cycle of fast food. Food is my main expense every month, but how on God’s green Earth can anyone afford to eat organically all the time? I know I will not be able to afford to eat organically on the budget my parents give me per month. Many families as we learned at the Harry Chapin food bank are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table, let alone organic.(photo credit)

Curious about Publix’s GreenWise products I checked out their website. They note that they created their GreenWise food line because of the demand for naturally delicious and environmentally sound products. Their website continues on to note, “Our organic items are raised without added growth hormones or synthetic antibiotics, steroids, pesticides, or

fertilizers and are all-natural with no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Minimally processed, our all-natural items have no artificial colors, flavor, preservatives or sweeteners. Our earth-friendly products are produced in such a way to minimize any negative impact on the environment.” On their website, they also list what products they offer in this manner, their nutrition labels and how they can be used as a snack or in a meal. Some of their GreenWise items are similar in price, just cents being the difference, with non-organic items. Overall, from now on I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to be more involved and decisive about my food. While I’ll admit that I will not always be able to purchase organic items, due to price, when I can I will. (photo credit)

Food Network Nation- Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

I am an avid Food Network watcher. It is my go-to-channel when the television is turned on! I do not watch the cooking shows as frequently because they are on during the day when I am at school or work, but I really enjoy watching the food competition and food exploration shows. My personal favorite show is called Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. This show is hosted by Guy Fieri, who is a vivacious, outgoing, relatable person. He travels around the country going to places that viewers recommend. These places are typically small, family owned and operated, with home cooked food and generations of family recipes. Although the show is about amazing food in unrecognized places, it sends positive messages about food. (Citation)

This show helps to get every age group, including the younger cookie cutter fast food generation, excited about what they are eating and the idea of using quality ingredients. Guy brings relaxed diners, drive-ins or dives to life and explores their conceptualization of food. Many of the diners and dives that he visits are using family recipes passed down from generations, which require time, effort, patience and the most important fresh, quality ingredients. There was an episode on Monday where he went to a restaurant called Tap Tap Haitian Restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida where the owner was making a classic marinated pork and a watercress sauce all from scratch with locally grown ingredients. Many of the places he stumbles upon, with a little help from viewers, emphasize the need for fresh, locally grown ingredients. One particular chef noted how buys ALL of his ingredients locally because he wants the community to support him in turn, which they do full force. Unlike in Fast Food Nation, how we are continuously reminded of the lack of care and unhealthy ingredients put into our food. The breakdown of what happens behind the counter in fast food chains shows just how much love is put into that food, ZERO. Food becomes a monotonous task and they have to inject fun into the meal with toys and bright colors to get kids excited. (citation)

Guy Fieri is married with two sons, whom he constantly talks about on the show, and is an all around family guy. When he goes into a restaurant, he sometimes mentions what his sons like to eat or cook and how food brings them closer together. I could be wrong, but I couldn’t imagine his family frequenting fast food chains. He also has a cooking show called Guys Big Bite, which I feel appeals more to men than women. Typically, cooking shows are directed toward women in general, the stay at home mom, the busy wife and women with families living on a budget. Guys Big Bite is directed toward the Food Networks male audience, (I believe) targeting a heterosexual, masculine cook. I particularly see dads watching this show because Guy shows frequently how to grill chicken, steak and vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, his show does have variety, but overall it brings out the masculinity about food. I feel like it sends a unique message about gender roles by encouraging men to get into the kitchen and interact with their food and families.

Guy’s messages about consumption tend to be in quantity, but also in quality! Unlike what is being engrained in our younger generations today, quantity over quality. Fast Food Nation highlights how children are targeted with low quality foods because if they get them addicted, in a sense, early enough it will become engrained in their lifestyle well into their adult years. This also ties in with another post I made about our conceptualization of quality over quantity. Indulging in excess of food, low in quality is more of a want versus a need. Many of the places he visits serve large quantities of food. In the episode I included in my post, they have locally grown ingredients with family history behind them. The owner of Mulberry Italian Ristorante traveled to New York to learn Italian cuisine, but returned to his roots to make fresh, light, flavorful food. He makes hand stuffed peppers, homemade lasagna with all homemade ingredients. He makes his own pasta, sauce, meatballs and mozzarella from scratch! He changes the idea of consumption we have now back to old school cooking, where getting involved with you food is just as important as eating it. This ties into the video we watched in class about how large of a role food plays in a farmers life. It is more than just simply the act of farming; they are seeking to protect the “old” way of farming without added pesticides and harmful bacteria. Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, shows examples of home new and flashy aren’t always better. Getting back to our roots and the simplicity behind our actions can make all the difference.

(At the end of the video there is something unrelated to what I am addressing, it is no longer a Diners, Drive-in and Dive episode.) (Citation-YouTube)

Blogging Assignment 3- CIW

Discuss how the work of the CIW upholds principle #3 of the EC, and encourages a sense of global responsibility. Describe your own reactions to this information.

• Principle 3: Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable and peaceful.
• Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone as opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
• Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.

The third principle in the Earth Charter states that we need to, “build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.” (Earth Charter) The CIW seeks to uphold this principle through their actions to protect the workers in the tomato fields. The workers that the CIW are trying to protect are

encountering sub-poverty wages, are being denied of their fundamental labor rights and have even encountered forms of modern- day slavery. One of the CIW’s major works was the boycotting of Taco Bell. This stand against a fast food corporation giant gained the CIW major public stance and awareness. Their efforts fought only for one more penny per pound of tomatoes that they harvested, but the deeper meaning behind this was to help win back fundamental human rights and freedoms that were not being given to the workers. This one act of defiance against a corporation so large not only brought attention to where our food is coming from, but also how the workers are being treated and the conditions they are living and working in. We spoke about in class the harsh working conditions in meat packing industries. The treatment the farmers are receiving I believe surpass some of the worse conditions that the meat packing employees had to deal with. Neither are ideal, but the workers in the meat packing plants at least have some rights! (Photo Credit)

I feel like CIW has opened the Pandora’s Box of working conditions because it is forcing the public to recognize the extreme issues happening right in our backyard. The workers are being put through what I would consider torture at times. The CIW is working towards fulfilling principle III to address the minimal pay, no benefits, extreme living and working conditions. This requires that we, as a community, hold the bosses of the workers accountable for their actions and hold each other accountable for our food choices. The choices we are making, such as where we spend our dollar, affect the demand of goods, like tomatoes, and in turn we can be seen as fuel to the

fire of these problems. I felt almost embarrassed that I had never heard of the CIW, their principles or their struggle until now. How could something so close to us be so invisible? I’ll admit that I do not actively watch the news, but how could something of this magnitude never come up in class discussions of ethics, morals or values. I feel like food issues tend to be pushed under the rug because we don’t want to address them because it is such a large problem. For example, we all know McDonalds is BAD for us, but yet we still continue to eat it because: a. everyone else is or b. it hasn't been brought to our attention just how bad it is. I know that video we watched in class hit a cord with me because I do enjoy a small french fry every once in awhile, but little did I know that those super fries are capable of withstanding weeks!

I even felt overwhelmed at the CIW because of how much they are still fighting for! Compared to where they have come from though, they have accomplished great things. The CIW is continuously fighting for social and economical justice for the impoverished workers. Our most vulnerable members of society, those who are new to America, legal or illegal, may not fully understand the rights they deserve. As the CIW explained that some of what they are fighting for is not considered illegal; “The sub-poverty wages, long days without overtime, the denial of the right to unionize, the lack of benefits- are all perfectly legal due to the intentional exclusion of farm workers from key New Deal labor reform measures.” (Student Farm Worker Alliance FAQs) This just shocks me. I couldn’t imagine being put in a situation where I am denied or withheld from all of these things, or even just one of them. I also couldn’t imagine having to fight for a job everyday with no guarantee. What is even worse is that they are fighting for a job that is less than desirable to an average person in our society today. (Photo Credit)

Side note: The Student Farm Worker Alliance FAQ link it to their website, I got this information off a packet given to us by the CIW.

The Age of Rage

In my Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone class last semester, we focused on ethical dilemmas surrounding our lives and at one point the decisions we make about what we put into our bodies. We read a book called In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore. He continuously noted how our culture was consumed by the need for speed, which was becoming detrimental to our lives in many aspects. We somehow got the notion that everything is better faster, which he applied to our eating, parenting and schooling notions. One chapter I remember in particular was titled, “The Age of Rage,” which further developed Honore’s ideas about our constant need to press fast forward. The key concept throughout his book is not to go too slow, or too fast, but to recognize the right speed. We need to begin to savor the moments in the present and not constantly be trying to get ahead. Honore also includes the idea of the concept of quality over quantity. This concept especially I feel we need to apply to our current philosophies about food.

Fast Food Nation has highlighted how our notions of food came to where they are today. TheOmnivore’s Dilemma notes what is currently going on and how the decisions that we are making will heavily affect our future. Carl Honore believes that by living at the right pace we can solve many of the problems we are currently encountering. Imagine if we created and ate every meal slowly. We would be more aware of what goes into our food, what goes into our bodies and over time I feel we would recognize how drastically different our bodies would feel. We spoke about in class how vicious of a cycle the food industry is, that we can’t seem to break the tumultuous path we have created for ourselves. By making our own food, i.e. growing our own vegetable gardens or making our own dinner, we can help to break the cycle because they are small forms of resistance to the fast food super power we have created.(Photo Credit)

Technology has helped us in a way dig our hole deeper. I feel technology is one of the main reasons why our world is under pressure to keep up because there are constantly new technologies emerging to make our lives “simpler,” but in all reality, is more of a detriment because they take away face-to-face interactions. Think about all of the jobs that technology has replaced, especially in the food industry. The impersonality of our food and the process that goes into making it has become a commodity. The reason our food can be so cheap is because there are shortcuts taken to remove “unnecessary” expenses. That means removing all of the love, care and compassion from the food process and replacing it with artificial flavoring. How tantalizing. Unfortunately, amyl acetate, amyl butyrate and methyl heptine carbonate have now replaced real strawberries in my Burger King strawberry milkshake to provide just the illusion of the taste of real, handpicked strawberries. (Schlosser 125) The real question is, if we know all of this why do we keep buying and supporting this lifestyle? The more money we put into this industry the more, in reality, we are continuing to hurt ourselves in the long run. We have successfully shut down millions of family operated farms, sold them to corporation tyrants and all because there is demand for McDonalds products. The demand we are placing on McDonalds French Fries and their now all white meat chicken nuggets has given the non-verbal go ahead that this lifestyle is acceptable and even encouraged. (Photo Credit)

After reading an article I found online called Social Media Addiction Can Ruin Your Health, by Jonathan Benson it reinforces how technology runs our lives. This “keeping up with the Joneses” and always being available notion has become an addiction, just like our need for speed and our fast food dependence. Benson notes, “Researchers from HUST recently performed a social experiment in which they deprived the university's entire 800-student population from using social media for a week. What they found is that social media addiction is similar to drug addiction, in that people go through similar withdrawal symptoms.” (Benson) I feel this reaction would be similar if we removed all fast food from our campus. This would mean goodbye Subway and Taco Bell, hello Whole Foods and a farmers market.

Overall, we are consumed by the Age of Rage, as Honore named it, and as Benson notes addicted to the certain lifestyles we live. When will we finally be pushed to the breaking point and realize that we are hurting not only our own future, but our children’s as well. It may be too late if we continue at this pace. (Photo Credit)

Blogging Assignment #1

Prompt #1: Which of the Earth Charter principles is the Omnivore’s Dilemma or Fast Food Nation encouraging you to think more deeply about? Explain.


Are our societies doomed beyond belief with the knowledge that history tends to repeat itself, or is the dawning of a sustainable era upon us with a singular document seeking to inspire a wave of change. Personally, I am wary, but never the less determined, of how much hope and belief are established within The Earth Charter. The Earth Charter is a document that I consider as a utopia, a dream we could one hope to one day achieve. I do not consider myself a pessimist, more of a realist and Fast Food Nation is a book that I consider a harsh, but true, burning reality of American culture. So where does the crossover lie? Well, Fast Food Nation has encouraged me to think deeper about many of the EC principles and how the sloth of food is overcoming our nation.


I use sloth in the sense of spiritual emptiness and as EC principle 12 states we need to, “Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.” The beginnings of the fast food epidemic started with the desire to make a buck and live out the American dream, to become successful primarily monetarily. After reading the first couple of chapters of Fast Food Nation and comparing it to our current situation food use to bring people together, but now fast food segregates us instead. The spirituality in eating is gone. Fast food encourages us to eat in our cars or on the go and therefore loses the spiritual meaning behind it. Food use to be made with love and care, not to maintain the McDonaldization standards of efficiency, predictability, calculability and control. Where has our love and desire for food or a good meal gone? It has been replaced by our need for speed and our lack of priorities. Fast food puts a strain on maintaining bodily health with their processed, genetically modified ingredients and on a natural and social environment. As we spoke about in class we as a society have created such a demand for this style of eating that we spend billions of dollars a year on it! Billions of dollars on ruining principles we ought to be striving for, degrading the concept of family dinner as I use to know it. (Photo credit)


Another one of the EC principles Fast Food Nation not only encouraged, but also forced me to recognize was principle 13E, “Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions.” This plays hand in hand with EC principle 14, “Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.” So I’m assuming targeting children in public schools and preying on counties in need of funding would fall in this category. After reading this article, Fast Food Branding Makes Children Prefer Happy Meals by Roxanne Khamsi, it shows how much children are influenced by advertising alone. The youth and future of our nation is being targeted by greedy, billion dollar industries not concerned about the impact their advertising, or food, will render on the children in the long run. As Khamsi shows us, children preferred the food with McDonald's packaging over the exact same food in non-name brand packaging. I’m glad large corporations have realized that they can tap into an age group that is ready to be brainwashed and also prey on working parents who feel guilty about not spending quite enough time with their children. As Schlosser states large corporations have younger target groups, “Hoping that nostalgic childhood memories of a brand will lead to a lifetime of purchases, companies now plan “cradle-to-grave” advertising strategies.” (Schlosser 43) This type of advertising in our formal education I can imagine wasn’t in mind of the many men and women writing the Earth Charter. Fast Food Nation has proven just how much corporate giants can influence a way of life especially when they target public institutions such as schools in order to tap into eager, young minds. I can only imagine if instead of advertising about the latest toy in the kids meal, they put up posters about respecting our planet or key tips to living sustainably. It also wouldn’t hurt if children, younger than the college age, were taught what living sustainably actually means. (Photo Credit)


Overall, the Earth Charter is a living, breathing document that I’m positive will grow as we do, but in order for it to grow we need to make those sacrifices and for a change put others before ourselves. Fast Food Nation drew to my attention the shocking reality that advertising and the fast food epidemic, for now, has no limits. We as a society can create those reality checks only if we come to realize how much is at stake. How far will these boundaries be pushed until they are broken forever?

There is actually this YouTube video I found that you can subscribe to and follow all of the new Earth Charter videos posted. This one I feel has child friendly animation while at the same time carrying the important messages the EC is trying to convey.




References:

The Earth Charter

Schlosser, Eric. 2004. Fast Food Nation. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, NY.