I didn’t truly know what to expect this quarter prior to taking the course. I had started to take the same course during a previous quarter but had to drop it after doing a little bit of the coursework. I knew that I would be learning about the food system and how the food system interacts with global politics. Now, at the conclusion of the course I can say that I walked away with a lot more knowledge than I anticipated and a new perspective on food and the sociopolitical effects of the global food system. What really stood out to me is how much something we rely on in our daily lives is negatively effecting our earth. I realized how important it is that we work to change our agricultural practices and the way we farm. What was particularly shocking was learning how much water we waste for farming. In a time of both a rapidly growing population and a changing climate, it is essential that we prioritize preserving resources and reducing the harmful toxins and various forms of pollution we are currently putting into our soil, water, and atmosphere. It appears that a good start to some of these global issues is to more efficiently use water and reduce deforestation.
I will be walking away from the course with conservation and change in mind. Great steps need to be taken to really see results, which is underway with the help of various food movements that are advocating for huge changes in the food system, such as Localism. However, changes start with the individual. Minor life changes, such as recycling, reusing, and reducing waste would make a large impact with collective action.