Reflecting on Food Systems: Alternatives for the Future - Personal Statement Example

Reflecting on Food Systems: Alternatives for the Future When we buy a Whopper at Burger King it has a significant economic, health, social, and cultural impact, but we seldom think too far beyond how it tastes. It may contain lettuce from California, tomatoes from Florida, and onions from Mexico. It has impacted the growers and the workers who have planted and harvested the food. It affects the workers in the packing plant that processed the ground beef to make the charbroiled burger. Consuming a Whopper is more than simply a fast food meal; it is a social statement that economically supports the food system and a personal reflection about our own concern for good health. I still enjoy a Whopper and fries, but when I eat one now I am more keenly aware of the path that the burger has taken to get to my table, the lives that it has impacted, the social footprint it has made, and the alternatives I have when choosing the foods I eat. I have listened for years as the news has told about the health issues that surround the foods we eat. It seems like every week there is another new health scare that portrays the American diet as dangerous and unhealthy. Trans fat, bacon, mayonnaise, and cheese have all come under fire as health advocates have suggested the limiting or elimination of certain foods from our diet. At some point it becomes like the boy who cried wolf too often. I have to wonder what is the food of the week that has drawn the attention of dieticians and nutritionists. If I had taken it as serious as they portrayed it then my favorite double cheeseburger with a large fries would have been out and replaced by a bowl of greens and alfalfa sprouts. Still, I had only a few sources for my food and had no knowledge how different it all was. If I didn't get my food from Burger King, then what alternatives did I have I had never given much thought about how the food had arrived at my table, or how the process had taken its toll on the nutritional benefits of the food I was eating. Being told my food was unhealthy didn't have much effect on me as I as simply seen food as all the same and never gave a thought to its origin. I am more of an activist learner and like to get involved with what I am learning. I can be told a hundred times and there may be little effect, but show me once and I'll never forget. I need facts and figures and they need to make a connection that I can understand. The learning that I have done in food systems has been instrumental in fundamentally changing the ways that I think about food, the decision I make regarding the foods I buy, and my future plans for creating an alternative means of acquiring it. Yet, this would not have been possible without being involved in this class, my exposure to the UCD student farm, and the education that I have gotten in regards to alternative means of food production. I am far more aware of the risks we take when deciding what foods to eat and the ways it impacts growers and farmers around the world. It wasn't that I didn't care about the health of the food I ate; it was that I simply was not aware of the myriad issues that surrounded the topic. One of the issues that I became more aware of was the use of chemicals that are required to feed the population of the world. I never stopped long enough to think that there are other species on the planet that are competing for the same food that the human race is. I didn't know how the smallest of insects could damage and kill a field of vegetables before they are even given an opportunity to grow. They can feed off the roots or the vines and bring death to the plant long before there are any signs of fruit. Killing the pests can be accomplished through the use of chemical pesticides, but they leave a residue that works its way into the plant. We then ingest the food and in doing so we consume some trace of the original pesticide. Weeds can overtake a field or garden plot as they also compete for space. Many weeds have evolved for the millennia to endure the harsh outdoor conditions and are a formidable foe for a carefully cultivated tomato or lettuce plant. Once again, chemicals can be used to selectively eliminate the unwanted weeds, and once again we introduce an unwanted chemical into the food chain. My exposure to the organic farm made me realize that the challenge facing farmers was huge, while there were alternatives to the use of chemicals. My interest in organic foods began to grow when I was shown a natural fertilizer that was used at the UCD student organic farm. The fertilizer was made out of discarded chicken feathers. It was processed into pellets and sowed as needed with the vegetables. This not only found a use for an otherwise discarded product, it was a healthy alternative to the list of chemical nutrients banned for use on organic farms. By rotating crops, pests could be discouraged and would further reduce the need for chemicals. Careful plot management and hand labor would reduce the unwanted weeds from gaining a foothold and using the soil's nutrients. I no longer viewed organic foods as some specialty item that was advocated by health nuts. It was a viable alternative to the growing methods that depend on the heavy application of chemicals to boost production and allow farming on a large-scale basis. In addition, meat products become laden with chemicals from the application of pesticides and herbicides to the corn and soybeans that are fed to the animals. Growth hormones and antibiotics that promote animal growth are additional health risks that work their way into commercial food production. When I consider a whopper now, I see it as a maze of chemicals introduced from the complex process of growing and producing the ingredients. The education that I have received concerning our food systems has also made me a more socially conscious consumer. While I have long lamented the sales of tennis shoes made by child labor in a developing country sweat shop, I only recently became aware that food was subject to the same social and political forces. Even the drinking of a cup of coffee can have a social impact and can be seen as a political action. Understanding food systems, and the food chain, has made me question whether the farmer that grew the lettuce on my whopper was able to raise a family in good health and have an adequate access to education. Did the workers who butchered the charbroiled meat patty have conditions that were safe Did they get treated fairly and paid a wage that could provide the most basic essentials for their family Were the tomatoes grown in a fashion that respected the environment of the people that lived in the area When we select our food we make a decision to accept or reject the working and living conditions of the farmers and the producers. Our food system is more than just our personal health; it is also the social health of our planet and makes a political statement. Another issue of social importance that I became aware of from my education in food systems is that we don't have to look too far to discover the social impact of the foods we choose. Food processors in the US can be as complicit in the violation of human rights as a dictator half way around the world. Corporate names that resound with respectability do not necessarily abide by the principles of justice and fair treatment. As a consumer, it is my responsibility to assure that the foods I buy were processed in a manner that supports my own sense of social fairness. Was the meat processed in a plant that hires child labor, or do they exploit the situation of immigrant workers This is not just a problem of the developing world, our own fields and cities are suspect and as consumers we make our vote with our pocketbook. Learning about food systems set off an alarm in my head, and as they say; you can't put the ring back in the bell. If I had only learned about the status and source of our foods, I might be too fearful to ever eat again. However, one of the most valuable things that I will take away from this course is the knowledge that we have alternatives for our source of food and its production methods. Having grown up in a city, I was never aware of what it took to grow food or even had any thoughts about how it came to be a whopper. Now, I see that the production of food is not as complicated as it may seem, nor as simple as it may appear. I look forward to putting into practice some of the concepts that I have learned in this class. I would like to produce some of my own food through a private garden or a shared community farm. In addition, I would like to investigate organic farming methods further and apply them to a home garden. I have developed a healthy fear about food that is tempered with an awareness that I have choices and that there are alternatives. My grocery shopping used to only be concerned about which supermarket I would patronize. Now, my shopping considers each individual product for its own merits. I always look for a Fair Trade label as a way of promoting social justice in the global community. I want to make sure that my money is not distributed through a system of exploitation, greed, and corruption. I look for organically grown foods when they are available and compare prices to the commercially grown products. I have also become aware of the other economic forces that impact our selection of the foods we eat. The price of oil can drive prices up or down and may make some food systems more competitive. I even consider how much waste the product generates. The Yolo County landfill is mostly food waste, yet has the potential to be a significant environmental hazard. Food packaging leaves an environmental footprint just as the production and distribution systems do. Do we really need our whopper wrapped in wax paper and placed in its own individual Styrofoam dish only to be discarded seconds later My shopping not only considers the price, but also the social, environmental, and political impact that it has on the world around me. In conclusion, my food systems education has been valuable for the awareness that it has given me in regards to the food I eat. I've always known that a proper diet promoted good health, but I didn't understand the intricate implications of mass produced agriculture and the chemical impact that it has on our health and the environment. Now, I not only consider my own well being, but I also stop to consider the health and well being of the farmers and producers that were responsible for bringing the food to the supermarket. Food is a central part of everyone's life and culture. I see food not only as a way to satisfy my hunger, but also as a social and political statement. In addition to the awareness that I have a choice in the foods I eat, I also have gained the knowledge that there are alternatives. I still enjoy a bacon whopper with double cheese, but it is no longer the mainstay of my existence. I now look forward to the day when I can consume a meal that was grown in my garden without the harmful effects of chemicals. The production of a Burger King whopper is a complex process that involves scientists, farmers, commercial growers, and distribution and packaging systems. It leaves a considerable social and environmental footprint that I look forward to reducing as I begin to explore the additional options I have in selecting the foods I eat. Read More