Food Security, Fast Food Nation - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotation #4 Documentary Series. “Unnatural Causes.” Unnaturalcauses.org. Web. 26 April < http www.unnaturalcauses.org/video_clips_detail.php?res_id=217>. The two video depicts of the health situation in America today. America is shown to go through various challenges that significantly lead to poor health of the population. This is in deep contrast, as living in America is perceived to be a guarantee for robust health. However, the two videos highlight that robust health is not the case. The two videos points to the fact that there are various determinants for robust health. These are cited as social determinants for proper health in the population. The two video cites inequality as a significant thing that leads to poor health of the population. This affects diet and personal health behavior and changes what one is innately born with. Moreover, inequality in distribution of resources in America is shown to contribute to the rise of poor neighborhood. This occurred as the African Americans were denied of resources of acquiring decent homes. This led to some form of disadvantage. The impoverished areas lacked any credible investment. This led to poor schools and other inadequacies that led to a vicious cycle of poverty. This leads to increased worries in family in these areas as they ponder about their children future, jobs, bills, and safety. This in the end leads to stress which is associated with some of the chronic diseases such as heart diseases. Food Justice In the article, food justice is highlighted as ways of ensuring people have equal access to a health food. This is also seen as a way of ensuring people engages in activities that will see increased agricultural activities in the urban areas. In this section, there is an acknowledgement that there is enough food for everyone in the globe. In fact, it is noted that the world produce enough food responsible for sustaining life of every being that exist in the world. The food produced can be able to free the world of hunger and population. However, there are some challenges that are highlighted as leading to lack fo food in certain areas. The challenges of failing to get food are shown to arise from economic constraints and social inequalities. This is because lack of money to buy readily availability food in stores and groceries makes one goes hungry even if food is available for everyone. Food justice wants to ensure there no longer takes place in the world. Economic challenges and social inequalities will no longer be the basis for people going hungry and being starved. In pursuing food justice, food is listed as a basic human right. Hence, lack of food will be seen as a human right violations and an injustice to a human being. Food justice will be achieved through fairer distribution of food to all areas of the globe. This means that there will be no country, region, or people going hungry while some parts of the globe are already producing excess of food. As a result, chronic hunger and malnutrition will be eliminated in the world. Food Security On the other hand, the article describes what food security is. This is described as access of food to people at all time for a healthier life. The security is seen through ensuring people have easy access to the food source and through increased food production. This is shown to be possible through the empowering of society to have easy access to food and able to produce enough food to sustain themselves. Moreover, food security is seen from the dimension of the households not going through hunger or fear of starvation. In this area, the article notes that there has been increased food production in the world. However, some parts of the world are being obese due to overeating while other parts have population going hungry due to lack of food. The number of children dieing due to hunger in the world is also worrying. The hungry people are shown to be due to extreme poverty while others have varying degrees of poverty. The article also notes that a problem in farm supplies significantly affect food availability in the urban areas. The problems are related to the global credit crisis that negatively influence farm credits. The problems of food insecurity are shown to be due to a reduced number of farmers. Elimination of food insecurity, therefore, can be through increased land under food crops and ensuring food is provided at a cheaper price for all. MANDELA MARKETPLACE. “Projects.” Mandelamarketplace.org. Web. 25 April 2014. < http://www.mandelamarketplace.org/#!projects/c21kz>. In this place, I have learned of various ways one can use to feed the community in a health way. I have learnt of the way the place ensures that there is a strengthening of community health, provision of economic opportunity and empowering of Oakland residents and business. Moreover, the Mandela market place engages in various initiatives geared towards promotion of local family farms. The effort is mostly geared to the less fortunate and inadequate in the society. Through empowering the people of inner-Oakland, it has been possible for them to benefit from public resources and a political voice. Overall, this improves their quality of life and that of the general population in the area. Through the initiative of the organization, it has shown to be possible to make a community produce enough food without relying on other areas. Moreover, the production and live of these people is achieved in a sustainable manner. The community is also able to overcome challenges that occur due to changing time. In this reflection, I have learned myriad of things. First, I have come to realize that economic empowerment correlates with community health. Second, I have also realized that support to farmers can help in overcoming challenges faced in marketing their produce. Third, improved way of produce delivery helps in ensuring people has adequate access to health and nutritious foods. The produce is also easily available in places frequented by the community. An increase in availability also makes some of the produce cheaper for the community. Schlosser, Eric. “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.” In the first section of chapter seven, there is a description of how the lives were in some areas of Colorado. The lives were harsh due to the increasing feedlot brought forth by the meat packing companies. The feedlots are described as leading to environmental degradation due to enormous waste that came from animals as they were fed on grains rather that grass from prairies. On the other hand, there is a description of difficulties faced by meat cutters. They were exposed to various hazards and poor wages. Their attempt to form union was also faced by challenges as leaders were exposed to corruption. The other part address the rise of ConAgra as the world meatpacker in the world. This arose due to the merger of Excel with Spencer Beef and later acquisition of Monfort. The company is now viewed as the largest foodservice supplier in North America. The company is also shown to have engaged in dishonest activities, in pursuit of farmer. This was done through inaccurate weighing of chickens delivered from Alabama chicken growers. The company has also been charged in court over fixation of prices. On the other hand, there is a description of a rising number of immigrants as workers in the meatpacking companies due to cheap labor. Consequently, this has led to increased social ills in areas where these companies are located. In my opinion, it is clear that most of the meatpacking companies progressed through paying of low wages to migrant workers. On the other hand, this has contributed significantly to rise of social ills as minimum wages makes it difficult to survive in such areas. In chapter eight, the author describes the challenges of those working in meat cutting industry. The workers are shown to go through various nerves stretching condition. The author describes women sweating a room where the temperature is too low for one to sweat. In addition, the author describes how one spends more that eight hours in a pool of blood. The author describes the slaughterhouse as having poor ventilation with only one window and a dim source of light. The author notes that meatpacking is the most dangerous job in the country. The rate of injury in the slaughterhouse is described as significantly high as compared to other factories. Most of the work is done by use of hands and lacerations are shown as the common form of injury. The increased injury is linked to the rise of “IBP revolution”. The lack of union is cited as the reason for lack of complaints due to challenges faced by workers in these industries. For example, only a few of IBP’s workers belongs to the union and hence any complain leads to dismissal. Moreover, the supervisors are also seen as contributing to challenges faced by workers such as sexual exploitation. The industry is shown to have poor regulation because of the rise of workers who are illegal immigrants. In this chapter, it is clear that the worst form of human right violation characterizes slaughterhouse and meatpacking. Hence, more need to be done to improve the working conditions of workers in the industries. Spencer, Nik and Butler, Declan. “Food: The growing problem.” Nature.com. Web. 25 April 2014. < http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100728/full/466546a.html>. The article begins by acknowledging how hunger has become a global phenomenon. However, the reasons for hunger are shown to be remarkably different of the people expectations. There is also address of feeding the population in the future. The article notes that hunger has not been reducing in the world. It notes that the developed countries have had a significant decline in the number of hungry people. However, in the globe there number of hungry people has not been declining. The food crisis in 2008 is attributed to be the cause for this stagnation as it reversed the gains made in the past towards elimination of hunger. On the other hand, the article notes that there has been a worry that increasing world population would make it difficult to make food available for everyone. In contrast, the population is shown not to be increasing anymore. Moreover, the family size in the poor countries is expected to decline by the half of the century. The article further notes population increase has been followed by an increase in availability of calories per person. This makes it possible to produce enough food in the future through proper harnessing of available resources. Additionally, improved food production is shown to be possible through adoption of current technologies and practices. Improved public investment in agricultural research is shown a critical thing in meeting these goals. TED Talks. “Stephen Ritz: A teacher growing green in the South Bronx.” Youtube.com. Web. 25 April 2014. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF6qTlgtHU0>. In this talk show, Stephen Ritz begins by acknowledging that he is not a farmer, bit a teacher and a parent. In the show, Ritz talks of the way, he has managed to transform the school in South Bronx. This has been possible through the growth of vegetables in the Bronx. As a result, majority of the students engages in farming and this has proven beneficial especially to the underprivileged students in the region. The students have also been able to earn a living through the initiative and transform their lives into better managing to beat the odds in Bronx County. After watching this talk show, I have come to understand several things. First, I have realized that transformation society can occur through the initiative of one person. Hence, food security can occur through adoption of unique ways of production in the society. Moreover, I have realized that feeding community and society does not require complicated mechanism. For example, the Ritz and his students manage to produce enough food for the school, senior citizens, and in the local groceries. This makes it possible for the community to live in a sustainable manner. Moreover, I have learned that poverty cannot be a limit in food production. The student in Bronx manages to produce enough food for the society despite various economical and social challenges. The effort leads to the presence of healthy food in the local stalls and hence a healthy population. Read More