hoppekat’s Recent Comments

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  single-mindedness isn't the answer

  Fair Trade and Buy Local advocates share many important concerns about the ways we can take back our food system so that it works best for small farmers and consumers, as well as care for our planet. Let's be careful not to create unnecessary wedges between the two movements who at their hearts and souls are trying to achieve the same goals. We need to work together, build one movement, and come up with creative and effective strategies. If not, it will be agribusiness - with their GMO seeds, harmful pesticides, and huge profits, that will continue to dictate how and what we grow, buy, eat... and live.

  Read a post about this very thing at http://eecampaign.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/local-and-fair ...
  On Dean's Beans founder on the good effects of trade posted 1 year, 2 months ago 13 Responses

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  it's not just food education

  I think the first comment is a bit overly simplistic.  Nutrition and food preparation education is sorely lacking across the country (not just in low income communities) but the lack of access to better food choices along with the lack of time in which to  prepare whole foods is also a factor.

  Many urban communities lack community gardens, access to farmer's markets and have limited access to grocery stores with a wide variety of fresh produce.  I have lived in some cities where the only place to purchase food that was accessible by public transportation was a small bodega with not a lot of selection and probably ingredients unfamiliar to some people in my community.  The large grocery stores has moved to the suburbs.  In another community I've lived in the only local grocery store was an expensive whole foods store.

  Time and convenience are also a factor.  When many are working two or more jobs to make ends meet, people often do not or cannot spend the time to prepare foods.  I understand that not all healthy food takes a long time to prepare, but I'm saying the temptation of convenience food when you're at the store after working two jobs and needing to go home and take care of your domestic responsibilities is often irresistible.  

  Food prep equipment costs money (may not seem like a lot to everyone, but when you're on the edge of poverty and homelessness it's a different thing) and if you only have a couple of hours of time off from work to prepare food, take care of children, clean, do laundry, etc. with no partner to help or possibility of paying for someone to help with these things then it's a big problem.

  Our choices and actions are very important, don't get me wrong, but it's also important to note that choices are often limited by income.  Some communities have great programs that have community gardens, free nutrition instruction and the like but it's the exception and not the rule.

  This article is focused on those with low-incomes  and I think is well done.  We need to volunteer and educate where we can and break down the stereotypes and stigmas of what it means to be low-income and what it means to be vegan and vegetarian and healthy. On Higher food prices likely mean more health problems for low-income folks posted 1 year, 5 months ago 8 Responses