For my Hungry Planet paper, I chose to compare the Ukita family of Japan and the Ayme family of Ecuador: “The Ukitas are a four-member family unit in a relatively small living space, which is common for Tokyo-dwellers. They spend roughly $320 per week on a variety of foods, including fish, fruits, rice, noodles, vegetables, oils, and several snacks. Sashimi… Read more »
The two photos I chose from Peter Menzel’s Hungry Planet are significantly different from one another. Photo one shows the Revis family, mom, dad, and two teenage boys, in North Carolina, USA . They spend $342 on food for one week. We can see from the photo that their food consists of a lot of processed food and take out…. Read more »
The Ayme family of Tingo, Ecuador and the Melanson family of Iqualit, Canada appear to be polar opposites. The Aymes spend $3.50 per person per week for their food, while the Melansons spend $69 – a staggering 1,970% increase in cost. The Aymes are subsistence farmers and eat produce and grain nearly exclusively, while the Melansons consume far more meat,… Read more »
The wide range of families and diets portrayed by Menzel and D’Alusio’s illustrate both the diversity in cultural foods, while also highlighting the wide spread disparities. When looking at the dietary contents of the various cultures, a striking number of cultures were consuming a lot of processed and pre-packaged foods, this was more prevalent in areas that would typically be… Read more »
Americans have a bad reputation for their eating habits, for good reason. The Revis’ of North Carolina spend $341.98 a week on food – but very little of it is actually “food”. It is particularly challenging to find even one piece of fresh produce among the packaged goods. In contrast, the Egyptian family from Cairo, the Ahmeds, spend the equivalent… Read more »
Compare the diets of the LeMoines of France and the Batsuuris of Mongolia, as Menzel and D’Aluisio have in Hungry Planet (2005), and the impact of climate, culture, and industrialization becomes clear: The LeMoines’ larder is full of packaged, ready-to eat fare while the Batsuuris’ table still recalls the traditional diet of nomadic herders. Mongolia’s harsh winters and short, inhospitable… Read more »
The world’s food system is intricately connected through a myriad of national and international organizations and policies. Ironically, at the same time that millions of people are dying from a lack of access to food, the Western diet of an overconsumption and processed foods is increasing mortality through diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Food and trade… Read more »
Much of the food we eat takes an interesting journey to get to our plates. The supply chain that brings us our food is often indirect; the path between producers and consumers can be circuitous, with many people and stops in between. In this industrial food system, it’s rare to think about the small farmer in Africa or elsewhere that… Read more »
Of all the contemplative practices we’ve done, the one that has stuck out to me the most is the one based on hunger. I’ve really only ever been dangerously hungry a few times, and usually it was out of negligence rather than a lack of food availability. That, in and of itself, speaks to the privilege I have of being… Read more »
This contemplative practice regarding living systems has made me do a great deal of thinking about the living systems which are most vulnerable due to the climate and geopolitical trends of the 21st century. Climate change in this century will have horrendous consequences for food and water systems throughout Africa, which provides the most shocking example of its potential effects… Read more »