Food Inc.

I finally watched Food Inc. last weekend and was amazed at how in line the documentary was with the themes of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and this blog; the beauty of eating sustainable foods and the importance of supporting small, local farms.

But it also opened my eyes even more to the attention we must give the food machine in this country. America's industrialized food system puts profit ahead of consumer health, the American farmer, and our environment. Rampant obesity, E. coli outbreaks, and epidemic levels of diabetes are all indicators of the shocking flaws that exist in our food system.

What can I do?

1. Purchase organic, local foods. The following website is an amazing tool in the search for local farms, markets, restaurants, and more.

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home

2. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides. The use of pesticides is associated with cancers, autism and neurological disorders, especially amongst farm workers and their communities.

3. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections. Farm workers are the backbone of our agricultural industry and, at the very least, deserve basic workplace protections.

http://www.ufw.org//

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks. It is unacceptable that one-third of children and adolescents in this country are overweight or obese. You can start voicing your opinion by signing the petition to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act at the following link.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/reauthorize-a-robust-child-nutrition-act

5. Go without meat one day a week. Most of the 10 billion animals raised and killed in the US annually for our food supply are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions.

6. Educate yourself. If you haven't already, please watch Food Inc. You should also visit their website which has many more suggestions for taking action.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/