In our final unit for our class Food for Thought, we learned al about industrial vs, organic foods. We also learned about the food industry, and how our food is made. We watched a film called "Food Inc." This film was pretty disturbing to me, considering I am pretty much always terrified of food poisoning and am overly concerned about food safety. This film only reinforced my fears and made me give up red meat completely. For our FE, we went to an all organic and green rooftop garden called Uncommon Ground in Edgewater. We met with farmer Allison who leads us on a tour and let us sample their crops. For our action project, we also studied Ayurvedic tastes and did a taste test of different foods to identify their tastes. For our final action project, we were asked to cook a homemade meal, and then get the same meal from a restaurant and compare the two. I chose a long-time favorite of mine: chicken tenders. I cooked the chicken tenders and made potatoes wedges to represent french fries. I then went the next night to Popeye's Chicken and got their chicken tenders and fries, which have also been a long time favorite of mine. My favorite part of this action project is the fact that I got to each one of my favorite meals two nights in a row. I thought the most challenging part was identifying all the different tastes of each dish. In the end, this is my last action project of my freshman year, and I am very excited for next year.
Showing posts with label Food for Thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food for Thought. Show all posts
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Deforestation, More Like An Abomination
For our second unit in Food for Thought, we learned about death. It may seem morbid, but it wasn't directly related to death. We learned about global trade history and colonialism. We learned how people treated other people and how our food got to us throughout history. For our field experience, we went to the French City Market in Chicago and talked to different vendors about the history of their product and where they get theirs from. For this action project, we were asked to look back on the past, literally. We looked back at our first humanities class, MDG's & You. We looked back on the MDG's and SDG's and decided on a topic to correlate with food. I wanted to challenge myself and do something not so directly related. I chose deforestation and I found it to be challenging enough but not impossible. I thought the most difficult part of this project was typing and researching everything. It was also nerve-racking to film, but in the end, I am very proud of how it came out.
Food for Thought AP2 CM from CM on Vimeo.
CM
5-23-17
Food For Thought
AP2
Did you know that out of this planet’s 18.9 million square miles of cropland, most of it is deforested land?
In today's global food system, it is growing harder and harder for us to feed and sustain all the people on this planet. With 7 billion of us, there isn't always enough food to go around. Sadly, people go hungry and many people, even in developed countries, struggle to find or buy food. My question is: How does deforestation affect food security and sustainability, and if it does, how do we control it?
Deforestation is a huge problem and many species of plants and animals are losing their natural habitats. I want people to be aware of what they buy and think about the impacts that that product might have on the world.
There are many factors that contribute to why this happens. One of these is something that you generally wouldn’t think of when it comes to food shortages: deforestation. According to Weforum.org, we deforest an area the size of Panama every year. This is mostly because of our need for food. Forests are getting cut down to make room for farms, for meat, and produce. Without forests, animals die because they don’t have a place to live. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Amazon rain forest which takes up more than two-thirds of Brazil has the greatest density of plant and animal species of any ecosystem. With the Amazon rainforest being cleared at alarming rates, and with more than ⅔ of the world’s species living in forests like these, scientists believe there could be a mass extinction. Without some of these plants and animals, native people who live in these forests will starve.
Without forests, the normally wet and humid climate of the Amazon will turn drier and will be more susceptible to droughts. Droughts in Brazil are becoming more and more common. Sao Paulo, a city in Brazil has been struggling with droughts in the past few years. Rainfall is less common and water is becoming a scarcity. Farmers are struggling to keep their crops, and restaurants struggle to stay open, says NPR
Many native people have tried to fight off efforts to take away their land. Unfortunately, many of these tribes have had little or no contact with the outside world and are easily fought off. The Kayapo people have not been in contact with the outside world for very long. They as well as many other tribes joined with conservation efforts to supply security around their borders. The Kayapo people joined with Conservation International and they have been helping the people with security since 1992. Conservation International helps the Kayapo people by surveilling their borders with boats and helicopters to keep out the industries. They also act as a voice for the people to negotiate with corporations. They also help the people maintain their rich culture and biodiversity by helping them use their traditions and profit off of them. The Kayapo people have a tradition of harvesting Brazil nuts and the conservation efforts help them make a small profit off of those nuts to help sustain their villages.
We can learn from these experiences with native people. Companies need to think more about native people and native people should reach out for support. We should also think about the effects of deforestation. The thing about deforestation is that deforestation is a short term solution. We clear out forests because we want to grow more food, but in the long term is affecting our environment and contributing to climate change and environmental changes which would jeopardize our ability to grow food anywhere.
What can we do to help? If more people ate and bought local, produce and meat wouldn't have to be raised across the world and shipped to supermarkets in the U.S. and other countries. If more of us ate local, and local food was more accessible, fewer forests would have to be cut down. If more people went vegetarian we could save a lot more grains, and therefore less forest space lost. According to Weforum.org: “For example, in the US, it takes an astounding 25 kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef, pigs require a grain to meat ratio of 9:1 and chickens, relatively less wasteful, are 3:1.” Also, if more people donated to causes to help protect against deforestation and conservation of tribes and land, we could have a stronger fight with corporations. Also, if people researched the brands they bought and saw what the environmental impact is, and avoid buying those products.
In the end, we have to think about our earth as a whole, we need to think about the habitats, the people, and the ecosystems. It may not seem like it but, the earth is one big cycle with each thing relying on the other. My main argument is that we need to be more conscious about the brands we buy, and where we get it. If more of us ate local or ate more vegetables and fruit, and less meat, we could have hundreds of acres of forests around the world. My plans and goals will help achieve one of the eight millennium development goals which is environmental sustainability. By conserving forest, we can ensure habitats for many species across the earth. I want everyone to think about what they buy and how it contributes to the world, be conscious and be aware.
“About the Kayapo”. Kayapo.org., The Kayapo Project. N.d. Web. 23 May. 2017
Kehoe, Laura. “Could this improve food security and stop deforestation?”. We Forum.org., World Economic Forum. 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 May. 2017
Pimm, Stuart. “Deforestation”. Encyclopedia Britannica., Encyclopedia Britannica. 1 Mar. 2017. Web. 23 May. 2017
Food for Thought AP2 CM from CM on Vimeo.
CM
5-23-17
Food For Thought
AP2
Did you know that out of this planet’s 18.9 million square miles of cropland, most of it is deforested land?
In today's global food system, it is growing harder and harder for us to feed and sustain all the people on this planet. With 7 billion of us, there isn't always enough food to go around. Sadly, people go hungry and many people, even in developed countries, struggle to find or buy food. My question is: How does deforestation affect food security and sustainability, and if it does, how do we control it?
Deforestation is a huge problem and many species of plants and animals are losing their natural habitats. I want people to be aware of what they buy and think about the impacts that that product might have on the world.
There are many factors that contribute to why this happens. One of these is something that you generally wouldn’t think of when it comes to food shortages: deforestation. According to Weforum.org, we deforest an area the size of Panama every year. This is mostly because of our need for food. Forests are getting cut down to make room for farms, for meat, and produce. Without forests, animals die because they don’t have a place to live. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Amazon rain forest which takes up more than two-thirds of Brazil has the greatest density of plant and animal species of any ecosystem. With the Amazon rainforest being cleared at alarming rates, and with more than ⅔ of the world’s species living in forests like these, scientists believe there could be a mass extinction. Without some of these plants and animals, native people who live in these forests will starve.
Without forests, the normally wet and humid climate of the Amazon will turn drier and will be more susceptible to droughts. Droughts in Brazil are becoming more and more common. Sao Paulo, a city in Brazil has been struggling with droughts in the past few years. Rainfall is less common and water is becoming a scarcity. Farmers are struggling to keep their crops, and restaurants struggle to stay open, says NPR
In the Amazon, lots of the forest sits upon steep mountains. Without the tree roots to hold loose soil in place, landslides are becoming more common, which can destroy farmers fields. The areas that have been burned to clear trees have extremely bad soil quality because most of the nutrients were burned away, allowing for a difficult time to farm, and more farmers raising meat on these grounds
There are many indigenous people who live in the Amazon. These people live a completely different life than most of the modern world. When companies come into their forests that they have inhabited for thousand of years, they are essentially hopeless.
The Kayapo people are an indigenous group to the south amazon. They have only been in contact with the outside world since the 1960s. The Kayapo, as well as many other tribes, have been facing the problems of deforestation head on. Companies have been taking away their land and causing them to flee. According to the Kayapo Project.org, the Kayapo live in over 50 villages across 11,000,000 hectares that are legally protected for them.
To show just how bad it is, according to Empires of Food: “In the Amazon an average of 17,500 square kilometers is converted for agricultural use each year, mostly to be used as pasture for cattle and soy used mostly for oil and livestock feed. The soybean industry is particularly greedy, and harvests of it have doubled in Brazil between 1994 and 2004.” This just shows how fast we are turning over land and threatening the native people.
There are many indigenous people who live in the Amazon. These people live a completely different life than most of the modern world. When companies come into their forests that they have inhabited for thousand of years, they are essentially hopeless.
The Kayapo people are an indigenous group to the south amazon. They have only been in contact with the outside world since the 1960s. The Kayapo, as well as many other tribes, have been facing the problems of deforestation head on. Companies have been taking away their land and causing them to flee. According to the Kayapo Project.org, the Kayapo live in over 50 villages across 11,000,000 hectares that are legally protected for them.
To show just how bad it is, according to Empires of Food: “In the Amazon an average of 17,500 square kilometers is converted for agricultural use each year, mostly to be used as pasture for cattle and soy used mostly for oil and livestock feed. The soybean industry is particularly greedy, and harvests of it have doubled in Brazil between 1994 and 2004.” This just shows how fast we are turning over land and threatening the native people.
Many native people have tried to fight off efforts to take away their land. Unfortunately, many of these tribes have had little or no contact with the outside world and are easily fought off. The Kayapo people have not been in contact with the outside world for very long. They as well as many other tribes joined with conservation efforts to supply security around their borders. The Kayapo people joined with Conservation International and they have been helping the people with security since 1992. Conservation International helps the Kayapo people by surveilling their borders with boats and helicopters to keep out the industries. They also act as a voice for the people to negotiate with corporations. They also help the people maintain their rich culture and biodiversity by helping them use their traditions and profit off of them. The Kayapo people have a tradition of harvesting Brazil nuts and the conservation efforts help them make a small profit off of those nuts to help sustain their villages.
We can learn from these experiences with native people. Companies need to think more about native people and native people should reach out for support. We should also think about the effects of deforestation. The thing about deforestation is that deforestation is a short term solution. We clear out forests because we want to grow more food, but in the long term is affecting our environment and contributing to climate change and environmental changes which would jeopardize our ability to grow food anywhere.
What can we do to help? If more people ate and bought local, produce and meat wouldn't have to be raised across the world and shipped to supermarkets in the U.S. and other countries. If more of us ate local, and local food was more accessible, fewer forests would have to be cut down. If more people went vegetarian we could save a lot more grains, and therefore less forest space lost. According to Weforum.org: “For example, in the US, it takes an astounding 25 kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef, pigs require a grain to meat ratio of 9:1 and chickens, relatively less wasteful, are 3:1.” Also, if more people donated to causes to help protect against deforestation and conservation of tribes and land, we could have a stronger fight with corporations. Also, if people researched the brands they bought and saw what the environmental impact is, and avoid buying those products.
In the end, we have to think about our earth as a whole, we need to think about the habitats, the people, and the ecosystems. It may not seem like it but, the earth is one big cycle with each thing relying on the other. My main argument is that we need to be more conscious about the brands we buy, and where we get it. If more of us ate local or ate more vegetables and fruit, and less meat, we could have hundreds of acres of forests around the world. My plans and goals will help achieve one of the eight millennium development goals which is environmental sustainability. By conserving forest, we can ensure habitats for many species across the earth. I want everyone to think about what they buy and how it contributes to the world, be conscious and be aware.
Works Cited:
“About the Kayapo”. Kayapo.org., The Kayapo Project. N.d. Web. 23 May. 2017
“Brazil’s Kayapo: Stewards of the Forest”. Conservation International., Conservation International. N.d. Web. 23 May. 2017
Carter, Cavarrio. “Deforestation: A New Threat to Global Food Security”. Borgen Magazine., Borgen Project. 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 23 May. 2017
Faser, Evan & Andrew Rimas, “Empires of Food.” Counterpoint., 2010, Book. 23 May 2017
Faser, Evan & Andrew Rimas, “Empires of Food.” Counterpoint., 2010, Book. 23 May 2017
Garcia-Navarro, Lulu. “As Brazil's Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are Leaving”. Parallels., NPR. 22 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 May. 2017
Kehoe, Laura. “Could this improve food security and stop deforestation?”. We Forum.org., World Economic Forum. 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 May. 2017
Pimm, Stuart. “Deforestation”. Encyclopedia Britannica., Encyclopedia Britannica. 1 Mar. 2017. Web. 23 May. 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Wild About Rice
In our 3rd humanities class, Food for Thought we talked all about food and where it comes from, we made personal connections to our food and traced it back. We went on a field experience to Metropolis Coffee, where we learned about the origins of coffee. In class, we made a map and traced back different types of food to different ancient civilizations. For our action project, we were asked to pick an ingredient that correlates to a traditional family dish. I chose wild rice because my family is Canadian and lots of us have grown up in northern Wisconsin, it has been a key part of our family meals for generations. I researched and traced back wild rice, as well as interviewing my grandmother who is a famous family cook, about her fondness and experience with wild rice. In the end, I think it came out really well and I am very proud of my video and research. I think the hardest part was making the presentation since it was a prezi and I am really bad at them. It was also hard to record as I kept messing up. In the end I am very proud of my project and I am happy I could research something personal.
My Script:
Hello, my name is wild rice I am a delicious grain that has been growing right here in North America for thousands of years. I also have been known to grow in China along with many other rice species, although I am not related to any Asian rice species. I have always been most popular in North America
I appear as a grass and I like to live in and near marshy and inland lake areas. I am most commonly found in the lakes and streams of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. There are actually 3 different species of wild rice grown in North America and 1 in China. The most common type is northern wild rice, which I am.
The others are Wild rice, which is native to around the St. Lawrence river and along the Gulf and Atlantic coast of America. Texas wild rice is native to central Texas. And Manchurian Wild rice which is native to China.
I was first harvested by The Ojibwe, as well as many other tribes when they discovered me while canoeing. I was most commonly eaten by dabbling ducks but when native American discovered me I was harvested, and all of me was put to use. Not only would they eat my grain but they took my stalks and made satchels, bags, and tools out of me. I was used in many traditional Ojibwe and native American dishes. I was traditionally cooked in deer broth or maple syrup. I was also made into sweets like rice cakes and rice puffs.
I was harvested by two people in a canoe one would row while the other would use a “knocker” which is a wooden pole that they would push the flowering bud on top so the rice would fall into the canoe. In many native American cultures, wild rice harvesting is a sacred & cultural event. The Ojibwe people refer to me as manoomin which means “harvesting berry” or “good berry.” I am known to be a sacred food believed to be a gift from the Great Spirit.
I was mostly used by native people but due to my nutritional value and taste. I gained popularity in the mid to late 20th century. Commercial harvesting started in the U.S. and Canada.
In 1950 James & Gerald Godward started the first wild rice paddy near Brainerd, Minnesota. They discovered that I did not need flowing water to grow. They only had a one-acre meadow that they dug dikes and constructed drainage ditches and flooded the tilled soil. They spread my seeds and the crops grew. They were the first to grow me not in the wild.
The U.S. and Canada produce much of the world’s wild rice In the U.S. California and Minnesota are my biggest producers and I am grown in paddies. In Canada, I am usually harvested from natural lakes in Saskatchewan.
In 1974 my cultivation began in Hungary on the rice fields on Szarvas. Hungarian wild rice is cultivated under its own company and ships around the world.
Today, I am used in many dishes in north America, and I am usually associated with Canadian or northern culture. I am still harvested in the traditional native American ways in some places. In the Moody family, I have been an important part of their family culture for generations. The Moody family is originally from Quebec, but many of them grew up in northern Wisconsin. Yvonne Moody grew up in northern Wisconsin and has been a cook her whole life. One of her favorite recipes to make is wild rice pilaf. According to Yvonne, “It is important to the family because it has been served at many dinners. The history goes back to the area where I grew up and enjoyed the wild rice harvested by the Native Americans in our area. The value is extremely high because of our fondness for it. Priceless.”
The Moody family gets their wild rice from North Bay Trading Company, company based out of Canada where they buy me in bulk.
Sources:
"About Us." North Bay Trading Co., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017
"History." White Earth Wild Rice. White Earth Nation., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.
lucy_sarson, "China Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017
Nicholas Raymond, "Hungary Grunge Flag", Flickr, Web, 2012, 27 Apr. 2017
"Louisiana State Flag", Wikimedia Wikimedia Foundation. n.d, Web, 27 Apr. 2017.
vejoyce, "Texas State Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017
My Script:
Hello, my name is wild rice I am a delicious grain that has been growing right here in North America for thousands of years. I also have been known to grow in China along with many other rice species, although I am not related to any Asian rice species. I have always been most popular in North America
I appear as a grass and I like to live in and near marshy and inland lake areas. I am most commonly found in the lakes and streams of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. There are actually 3 different species of wild rice grown in North America and 1 in China. The most common type is northern wild rice, which I am.
The others are Wild rice, which is native to around the St. Lawrence river and along the Gulf and Atlantic coast of America. Texas wild rice is native to central Texas. And Manchurian Wild rice which is native to China.
I was first harvested by The Ojibwe, as well as many other tribes when they discovered me while canoeing. I was most commonly eaten by dabbling ducks but when native American discovered me I was harvested, and all of me was put to use. Not only would they eat my grain but they took my stalks and made satchels, bags, and tools out of me. I was used in many traditional Ojibwe and native American dishes. I was traditionally cooked in deer broth or maple syrup. I was also made into sweets like rice cakes and rice puffs.
I was harvested by two people in a canoe one would row while the other would use a “knocker” which is a wooden pole that they would push the flowering bud on top so the rice would fall into the canoe. In many native American cultures, wild rice harvesting is a sacred & cultural event. The Ojibwe people refer to me as manoomin which means “harvesting berry” or “good berry.” I am known to be a sacred food believed to be a gift from the Great Spirit.
I was mostly used by native people but due to my nutritional value and taste. I gained popularity in the mid to late 20th century. Commercial harvesting started in the U.S. and Canada.
In 1950 James & Gerald Godward started the first wild rice paddy near Brainerd, Minnesota. They discovered that I did not need flowing water to grow. They only had a one-acre meadow that they dug dikes and constructed drainage ditches and flooded the tilled soil. They spread my seeds and the crops grew. They were the first to grow me not in the wild.
The U.S. and Canada produce much of the world’s wild rice In the U.S. California and Minnesota are my biggest producers and I am grown in paddies. In Canada, I am usually harvested from natural lakes in Saskatchewan.
In 1974 my cultivation began in Hungary on the rice fields on Szarvas. Hungarian wild rice is cultivated under its own company and ships around the world.
Today, I am used in many dishes in north America, and I am usually associated with Canadian or northern culture. I am still harvested in the traditional native American ways in some places. In the Moody family, I have been an important part of their family culture for generations. The Moody family is originally from Quebec, but many of them grew up in northern Wisconsin. Yvonne Moody grew up in northern Wisconsin and has been a cook her whole life. One of her favorite recipes to make is wild rice pilaf. According to Yvonne, “It is important to the family because it has been served at many dinners. The history goes back to the area where I grew up and enjoyed the wild rice harvested by the Native Americans in our area. The value is extremely high because of our fondness for it. Priceless.”
The Moody family gets their wild rice from North Bay Trading Company, company based out of Canada where they buy me in bulk.
Sources:
"About Us." North Bay Trading Co., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017
"History." White Earth Wild Rice. White Earth Nation., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.
lucy_sarson, "China Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017
Nicholas Raymond, "Hungary Grunge Flag", Flickr, Web, 2012, 27 Apr. 2017
"Louisiana State Flag", Wikimedia Wikimedia Foundation. n.d, Web, 27 Apr. 2017.
vejoyce, "Texas State Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017
"Wild Rice." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017
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