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,… Read more »
In the Lesson 9 contemplative practice, I connected deeply with the analogy of human growth and see growth. Having a toddler, the experience of pregnancy, growing my own small seed, is still fresh in my mind. The similarities came up frequently during the course of this practice. Watching the Youtube video of the germinating seeds, I remember the obsessive tracking… Read more »
I came into this class feeling extremely confident that my “superior” consumption habits (vegetarian, “local”, participating in a CSA, having a small garden, frequenting the farmers market, etc.) would set me up well for success, at least on the surface. I anticipated being very validated in my amazingly informed choices. It took the first reading Pollan’s book, which I was… Read more »
Practical and realistic changes have stood out as “aha moments” because it offers a way to contribute to better uses of food. Whether this is through the conservation of water, gardening approaches, food shopping, or being informed of large company practices (i.e. Pepsi Co.) I am able to make better choices for my family and play a broader role in… Read more »
During my first time in college, I used to work odd jobs to make ends meet. One of those jobs was driving a delivery truck delivering soy bean sprouts. I had no interest in, nor had I ever heard of the term “hydroponics,” until I took a vacation to Disney World last year. Inside Epcot Center is a ride called… Read more »
Food is highly political. It can be easy to cast this aside to feel justified in eating what we want to, whether it be fast food or the newest nutritional “it” food. It can be hard to seek out information and make informed decisions, but if we don’t make the extra effort, we are contributing to a food system that… Read more »
I am so grateful for the opportunity to have taken this course. Some the information I had some previous knowledge of, such as some of the politics behind the world trade and how corn, soy and wheat dominated our grocery stores, but much of the information was new. I was challenged in my thinking in some modules, but in other… Read more »
Meditation (guided or silent) has been part of my daily life for the past few years. I found meditation through yoga practice. The aim of my meditation practice thus far has been self-healing (physical and mental). The introduction of a contemplative practice as a pedagogic tool in this course was appealing. I had expected positive results, as I have been… Read more »
As a society, we have devalued food. Therefore, change is necessary, but how and where should change occur? Throughout this course, we’ve looked at the global food system as a connected set of processes; from seeds to growing, harvesting, transport, trade, and water, each becomes interrelated and dependent on one another. To change the system that exists now,… Read more »
Our relationship with our food has changed, as has the perception of our impact. These two elements of our introspective analysis have come together in our search for a better way address hunger, be less wasteful, be more healthy, and become more sustainable. In my own exploration of food and the relationships it has to politics, economics, health, social justice,… Read more »