While clicking through the slide of each photo within the Hungry Planet gallery, I instantly felt a sense of sadness and even shame when I stumbled across the photo of the Aboubakar family from Eastern Chad. Their weeks’ worth of food supply was practically less than what my two-person household consumes on a daily basis. There were no processed or… Read more »
In today’s monetary world, economic troubles are due to a number of political, ecological and cultural factors, where one may seemingly blame one more than the other. The international food system and political hierarchies from leader to pawn are certainly both economically intertwined on a worldwide scale. Coming from a global background, I have been able to see the effects of… Read more »
When we think of the types of exports that, in this modern 21st century day and age, significantly shape or change the course of a nation(s), food is not at the top of the list. Most attention, especially in common news media, focuses on the big post-industrial power markets of things like oil, gold, coal, copper, diamonds, weapons, electronics and… Read more »
In contemplating living systems, it’s difficult to imagine that so many “dead” systems form relationships with human bodies that can bring such differences in how lives unfold. Humanity brings to life systems that are otherwise inert. It is easier for me to imagine how living systems theory works in an interactive way between organisms and the environment when I imagine… Read more »
The contemplative practice that I found to be the most interesting was the lesson on the production of chocolate. Chocolate is one of the most well known commodities in our culture. It’s heavily sought after by consumers during significant holidays, it’s the perfect gift for a loved one, and we add it to various foods such as cakes and ice… Read more »
It amazes me how much freshwater is embedded within almost every commodity we produce. The products in the below diagram from, What does virtual water conceal, are all mass produced throughout the world. They are common in most people’s daily lives. Our water foot print is tied directly to our state’s economic structure. Our water footprint changes everyday not only individually… Read more »
Many people care about keeping their house clean. We always think of ways to improve our quality of our home. People care about what is happening in their house. Most of us would be offended if someone came into our homes and made a mess. In the film, Anthropocene, watching the Earth from outer space allowed us to stop, take… Read more »
This week’s lesson noted a significant observation among different global class demographics in relation to their ecological footprint and dietary trends. The global poor contribute about 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, the global rich contribute about 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This greenhouse gas issue stems from the differences in diets depending on people’s wealth. Poorer people… Read more »
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. Results from Surveys of Farmers, Ranchers and Consumers. Nationwide Surveys Reveal Disconnect Between Americans and Their Food. www.prnewswire.com/, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 6 July 2017. As we look at the changes due to the specialization of labor in the industrial food change there are many notable benefits. After all, because of the specialization of labor we… Read more »
The growth of the human population has always been centered on a civilization’s ability to cultivate crops. Regardless of the Malthusian or the Cornucopian perspective, the trend between the agricultural revolution and the growth of the human population directly parallels technological growth. In terms of sustainable systems most of the world is still in developmental stages today, giving us high… Read more »