Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution & Climate Change

[Essay]

Has anyone been following Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC? He went into a West Virginia school system to promote eating fresh-cooked foods for the school lunch programs. Local production and preparation of foods is favored over institutional-style processed foods. His motivation is getting kids healthier--avoiding the looming diabetes epidemic, etc.

 

I think this could also be a great way to teach kids about nutrition, biology, and science in general. Learning about our food production system is all about the sciences of chemistry, ecology/environment, and ethics/economics. What could be more fundamental?

 

Our agricultural system (also being exported around the world) is a major contributor to climate change, and soil management is the easiest way to reverse the significant impact on the carbon cycle that our industrialized agriculture system has perpetuated. Local food production requires more labor (jobs), but it is less energy and pollution intensive; and it is a way to sustainably manage the soil, which helps with the climate-change problem.

 

I see this Food Revolution as important for climate change because of the need to change "how" we farm, but also because if we don't head off this "looming diabetes epidemic" there won't be enough money in the budget to help with climate-change mitigation/adaptation. Plus, it is for the kids! C'mon, can we get behind this new way of doing things?

 

Please check out Jamie's petition at:

Sign the petition | Jamie's Food Revolution USA | Jamie Oliver

 

~ :lightning

[Buffy]

Yah, Jamie Oliver walks on water. I predict he'll be so despised by so many corporate interests that he'll be canceled in 2 months... Every time I watch this show I marvel that ABC picked it up at all....

 

It is when power is wedded to chronic fear that it becomes formidable, :lightning

Buffy

[Essay]

I predict he'll be so despised by so many corporate interests that he'll be canceled in 2 months... Every time I watch this show I marvel that ABC picked it up at all....

:thumbs_up It's the only "reality" show that I've been able to watch, but I worry about that too....

===

 

Yes! Yes, one of the main problems that he has is getting the institutional contracts and distributors to cut back on their ceaseless line of production. It's such an easy way for the school district to reduce expenses, it is hard to blame them for struggling to get by. But in the big picture of the budget I can't believe that the additional expenses associated with shifting away from processed foods wouldn't pay back greater benefits in the long run (such as less diabetes, better education in nutrition, science, etc.).

 

Giving kids a purpose and focus in life (or just in school) will do more to increase grades and retention and any privatized program could do, imho. Getting the parents involved is the hardest part since they are usually already too busy, but if the parents can't volunteer, there should be some other local options (service groups, other schools, churches, businesses, etc.). There are opportunities for "internships" and other work/study programs here, if we get creative about integrating learning about science and economics with the cooking/eating/food revolution.

 

In the last show, a teacher commented that they didn't have the afternoon "sleepy time" problem anymore. Gee, go figure.... :lightning

[maikeru]

One of my friends is a foodista and loves this show. I've tried watching on the site but for some reason the vids won't play for me... I hope Jamie can give nutrition a big kick in the behind to get things rolling again in this country. I remember when I was in elementary there were very few overweight or obese kids (two decades ago). But I drive by my old elementary often and I see things have completely changed...

[Alpine]

To be honest, I was one of the first people to on twitter to sing his petition about American kids (for that matter all kids) need something more than fatty food. :rolleyes:

[Moontanman]

I'm very familiar with Huntington WV, I grew up in the general area. I was amazed the people of that area embraced him the way they did. His ideas have merit and I loved the show. I try to eat local as much as possible, from seafood to vegetables local food just tastes better to me.

[maikeru]

Does anyone else think that "eating local" and organic and sustainable farming go hand-in-hand? For me, I see eating local as part and parcel of helping local farmers stay in business as well as profitable, and helps find a market for their products and may encourage them to go for more sustainable production. Maybe a focus more on quality than quantity. I'm sure local farmers could grow GMO food and let the locals eat it locally, too, but somehow that sounds a lot less appetizing than savoring locally adapted crops or breeds used in local cuisines. I think eating local, combined with eating a wide variety of foods, will help people realize the magic and the fundamentals of food. At work I regularly see people who become more and more familiar with new recipes, new types of food, and new cultures and ideas, and what I see is an opening of culinary horizons which leads to a greater appreciation and understanding for food.