Five Things you can do to Impact Food Justice and the Environment
This list is brought to you from FRESH New London and their Food Justice Workshop.
Purchase Organic Food
When you think about buying organic, I bet the first thing you think about is being healthy. While that can be true, buying organic does so much more! In conventional farming, farm workers often inhale or otherwise ingest the pesticides that are sprayed on the plants, causing long term harm. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers also have a huge impact on the soil and the surrounding environment. Profits from the conventional farming system go to large food and farm product corporations like Dow Chemical and Monsanto (now Bayer). Use your dollars to support organic!
Purchase Fair Trade
When something is Fair Trade Certified, it meets a standard that supports workers and the environment. From Fair Trade Certified: "Today's global market enables – often encourages – compromise at the expense of farmers, workers, and fishermen… All businesses that work with us are held to rigorous Fair Trade standards which drive income sustainability, community and individual well-being, empowerment, and environmental stewardship."
Stop Using Single Use Plastic
Single use plastic items, like bags, cups and straws, are hard to recycle, get caught up in street drains and often make their way into the ocean. Bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store when you purchase food and any other goods, buy a reusable straw, and a travel mug to replace the plastic versions.
Acknowledge History and
Express Gratitude
Sometimes you can't find the thing you need at a minority owned business or afford to purchase local, fair trade or organic food. And that's okay! As we've learned the system keeps many people from being able to purchase "just" food. Take time to acknowledge where the food comes from, the land where it was grown and the people who labored to bring it to your plate.
Buy From Minority and Women Owned Businesses When Possible
People of color and women were excluded from owning property for the majority of the United States history. Owning and passing down property is the main way families gain wealth. Therefore these groups still experience a wealth gap in the United States, despite the fact that these policies have changed. You can use your capital to support women, people of color and local cooperatively owned businesses and start to combat this wealth gap.
Additional Reading
— Sean Sherman, Time Magazine
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Food Solutions New England (the whole website but especially the 21 Day Racial Equity Habit)
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Land Co-Ops, Compost: A Local Food Economy Emerges in Boston's Poorest Neighborhoods
— Penn Loh, yes! Magazine
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EPA tosses aside safety data, says Dow pesticide for GMOs won't harm people
— Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune
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— Ta–Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic
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10 Single–Use Plastics you can Quit Right Now (and What to Use Instead)
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Food CHAIN$, The Revolution in America's Fields
(Documentary Film)
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Heavy Hand of High Tech in the Food We Eat
— Letter to the Boston Globe
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My Self–Discovery Through Food Justice
— Julie Rosali Garay–Perez
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The History of the Idea of Race… And Why
it Matters
— Audrey Smedley