My toddler son loves raisins. They’re in the local, organic, gluten-free granola he eats every morning. He often picks out every one with his index finger and thumb, savoring (inhaling) them with a huge smile on his face before begrudgingly eating the reminder of his oats once he’s exhausted the daily raisin supply. I keep a jar of organic California… Read more »
Any significant drop or raise in population would dramatically change the state of the economy, and ultimately, the function of the market. If something simple, such as wheat, were to suddenly become scarce, the impact would be dramatic. Since wheat is used in such a great many other products, those products relying on wheat would also become scarce and would… Read more »
My post is in response to the Lesson 3 contemplative practice about chocolate and cocoa farms. I thought about how different the Hershey bar I had with me at home was made than the chocolate that was farmed on the Ivory Coast. We can simply buy chocolate for a few dollars at any store, and enjoy it while not having… Read more »
What I found interesting this week was the evolution of food systems, from it’s beginning to it’s present forms. The lifestyles of humans have evolved dramatically. In a hunter gatherer society, food was consumed as it was available, and groups would migrate to find more food resources once theirs become scarce. However, as these evolved into settlements and communities, humans began to deplete… Read more »
Between the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO we begin the journey into acronym ladened globalization lead by the neoliberal policies of Bretton Woods. Although the intentions appeared to be in the best interest of the average person, with trade incentivizing countries to create ties rather than going to war. We began an era of subsidized and industrialized… Read more »
Oil runs through my veins. That’s what I think as I sit, cross-legged, listening to the contemplative practice on living systems from week two of our class. I’m returning to it a second time, four weeks later. Before, I reflected on ‘the far-flung resources’ that brought me my dinner. Today, I imagine dinner floating past on an inky, petroleum river…. Read more »
The food system is a linear system: take resources – make product – consume – waste. In linear systems we know that input is directly proportionate to output. However, there can be synergy which is when the collective element’s output is greater than the output of the individual elements. There is also interference which is the opposite of synergy, it is… Read more »
Today’s consumers are more sensitive to where a product comes from and who is affected during production. Many companies are reluctant to reveal the source of their materials or method of production to maintain a competitive advantage or protect trade secrets. There is a lot of information on the Internet from watchdog groups, but is the information credible? How far… Read more »
There are two contrasting approaches to understanding human being’s responsibility and capacity to change difficult social or environmental problems. One perspective places accountability on the shoulders of the individual; this is the idea that a single person has the power to make changes in their personal conduct that could alter the course of complex issues. In his essay on… Read more »