And today, I'd like to talk food. Remember food? If you're my age or younger, you might not. You might know mostly food-like products (Lucky Charms anyone? How about Velveeta?). I was a vegetarian for five years not because of the plight of the animals kept in nasty cages and treated terribly (though there's something wrong about that too) but because of how wasteful, ridiculous, and costly--both to our health and to our ecological well being--the western meat production system is.
However, there's a lovely tide coming--one where we eat locally grown food, we know our farmers, we eat things that were grown in season, using sustainable methodologies...etc. We take care of the soil and it takes care of us. We eat when we're hungry. We eat with others, sharing stories and savoring flavors. We stop when we're full. We spend a larger percentage of our income on food, as do the Italians, the Spanish, and the French.
Whole Foods and PCC used to be where the greasy hippies shop. Now it's where we all shop*. But I propose taking it one step further--go to your farmer's market. Talk to the guy who milks the cows on Saturday for market on Sunday. Meet the woman who bakes the bread. Talk to her about where she gets her flour. Ask her if she uses eggs from pastured chickens.
So. Here's my spin on Blog Action Day: let's not let ourselves live in poverty of nutrition. Did you know that for the first time in history, pediatricians are seeing obese children with major nutrition deficiencies? That's a serious, serious problem. We've created cheap food so that we all have plenty to eat...but we've stopped thinking about WHAT we're eating. Empty calories don't do anyone any good.
Let's get back to knowing what we're eating; participating in our own nutrition; cooking and sharing food with neighbors, friends, and family--and in the mean time, we'll all be richer. But I'm not talking about money, ya'll.
Check these out:
1. A book you have to read
2. A movie you have to watch
3. Where to get good food
4. Where we buy the best lamb, raw milk, and hairy pig in town
5. Why you want to buy local
*Okay, I admit, I'm living in Seattle, and though many of us wear suits, we're all pretty much greasy hippies on the inside.
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