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The American food industry trumpets that we are the best-fed nation in history. And it is spreading the message worldwide with an "affordable" diet of ever more fast-food joints and the mega-super-food-marts that follow them. Zillion-dollar advertising industry supermodels make it look simply glorious on TV. Countries everywhere are scrambling to sign up.
What's wrong with this picture?
We might start with the FIVE extra Earths it would take to support everyone eating the American way. Many astronomers believe the nearest totally Earthlike planet (not even close to being found) is on the order of 500,000,000,000,000 miles away, if not a lot farther. (At the speed of light it would only take 100 years to get there.) And who even wants to live on another planet?
There's got to be a better way...
Enter the Sierra Club's "True Cost of Food" campaign plus video, brought to you by your national Sustainable Consumption Committee.
But first - why does our diet have such an impact? Basically, it's because the food industry has found it enormously profitable to flood both our markets and our senses with cheap, seemingly delicious food, regardless of the long-term cost to our environment and our health. The result is a diet that's:
- Pesticide, chemical, hormone, or antibiotic laden, often all four together.
- 60% animal products, largely the most unnatural, unhealthy, cholesterol-loaded type.
- Super-processed to appeal to the most infantile palate through removal of any natural taste or nutritional value.
- Shipped thousands of miles, often around the world, to bolster (subsidized) corporate bottom lines.
One quick look at the above (if you can stomach it) should explain America's dietary catastrophe, of which our obesity epidemic is just the most obvious symptom.
We are literally eating ourselves to death. Worse, far worse is this: Corporate food behemoths, abetted by the government and the WTO, are stuffing this model down the gullets of the rest of the world. They are doing everything possible to get the whole world to eat - not just itself to death - but the biosphere as well, and quickly.
Consider these environmental consequences:
- Our industrialized one-crop farming poisons the soil, encourages pests, and destroys biodiversity.
- "Chemical" agriculture is far and away the number one water polluter in the U.S.
- Half of the U.S. land surface is dedicated to cows.
- We need FIVE times as much land per person for a U.S. animal based diet than for the largely vegetarian diet of developing countries.
- Subsidized, worldwide shipping of food stokes global warming. And it destroys local economies along with the small farmers who are the best stewards of the land.
- CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations - read "cheap" meat) are America's foulest local polluters and wreak horrific cruelty on animals.
Feeling a little queasy at this point? Can't say we blame you. But thanks to our "True Cost of Food" campaign, there's plenty you can do about it while having fun and good camaraderie in the process:
Here's our basic message:
For the environment - and for your own health - shift your food consumption toward:
- Plant-based
- Organic
- Locally-grown
There's absolutely nothing doctrinaire here. We're not saying do all or nothing, simply that the more of the above the better. Even a little more of the above can make a big difference. The Union of Concerned Scientists states that our food choices are one of the two biggest ways we can help the environment. (The other is our transportation choices.)
Now for the specifics:
FIRST: Watch our new "True Cost of Food" video at www.truecostoffood.org. It's a 15-minute gripping yet humorous animation that dramatizes what our so-called "cheap" food really costs. If you lack a computer or have one that doesn't handle video, go to any public library for Internet access. You can also order a personal copy at nominal cost from Truecostoffood@aol in either VHS or DVD.
SECOND: Show a FREE copy of the video to your friends and family members over a potluck dinner or reserve a room at lunchtime and show it to a small group of your co-workers. Belong to other environmental, religious, educational or community groups? These groups are always looking for interesting program ideas. Why not offer to show them this video? For this purpose we will send you not only the video but also a discussion guide. The latter gives you all you'll need to lead a lively discussion afterwards. You don't have to be any kind of expert; the guide provides you with plenty of facts and suggestions to help you get people thinking and talking. For specific info about obtaining a copy of the video send a request to Truecostoffood@aol. We're looking forward to hearing from you!
THIRD: Join Mt. Vernon Group members for a regular earth friendly eating adventure. It could be an inexpensive vegetarian meal at a local restaurant. Or maybe a group potluck or cooking demo at someone's home. Please contact Diana Artemis at 703-671-4916 or ½ if you would like to be notified of these outings.
FOURTH: We have a whole menu of other exciting activities you can do, either on your own or with friends or fellow Sierra Club members. Check out our resources on the web: www.truecostoffood.org. Please join us in the wonderful adventure of eating to preserve the planet and promote a healthy lifestyle.
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