I found this cool link... and I think it will be beneficial to all you conscious shoppers out there. :)
Enjoy!
(Copy and Paste)
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating-recipes/stories/17-eco-food-labels-decoded
More on Food Labeling... Coming Soon!
29 April 2010
28 April 2010
We Need to Rally People!
This weekend I went to the Climate Change Rally on the National Mall.
First: AMAZING=Passion Pit, The Roots, Joss Stone, John Legend, and Sting!! (..If you were there and saw some random girl dancing up a storm and having the time of her life.. that was me! hah!) But, on the other hand, despite the gloriousness of the music and the dancing, I was actually a pretty disappointed walking away from the crowd.
In between all of the music performances, there were speakers from across the country talking about the importance of Climate Change awareness and what we can do as citizens to combat that. While some were better than others, everyone had something important to say and they all said something along the same lines: This is a huge problem and we need to do something about it NOW. Not only that, but they called upon the young generation--the crowd at the Rally, to make a change and make a difference.
And what did the crowd do? That's right--Nothing. Everyone stood there, didn't pay attention to the speakers or to what they were saying, they just yelled for the Roots to come on. Seriously! I mean, the Roots are awesome. And I was pumped to see them to. But the REASON for the concert, for the Rally, was to raise awareness about Climate Change and the contributing causing factors that we are doing to contribute to it. So pay attention to that too, please!!!
On my way home, I talked it out with my friend and tried to make sense of it. Why DON'T people care?? I reasoned that maybe it is something too huge to comprehend and therefore I can't expect people to spend much time trying to figure out what to do about it, if they can't even understand it on a fundamental level. I also thought maybe it is because this movement is asking for change that doesn't necessarily fit in to the Culture of Convenience that we are all used to, instead it is asking people to go out of their way a bit and make lifestyle changes. Or maybe it is simply true that less people actually BELIEVE it is happening. It is not something you see on the street or on a day-to-day basis. From an individuals perspective, life is pretty much business as usual, so there is not desperate reason to worry about it.
Whatever the reason, and I can list off more, we need to figure out a way to create the necessary mass support movement to change our day-to-day lives, to push policy change, and to first of all CARE about something as frightening and destructive as Climate Change!
First: AMAZING=Passion Pit, The Roots, Joss Stone, John Legend, and Sting!! (..If you were there and saw some random girl dancing up a storm and having the time of her life.. that was me! hah!) But, on the other hand, despite the gloriousness of the music and the dancing, I was actually a pretty disappointed walking away from the crowd.
In between all of the music performances, there were speakers from across the country talking about the importance of Climate Change awareness and what we can do as citizens to combat that. While some were better than others, everyone had something important to say and they all said something along the same lines: This is a huge problem and we need to do something about it NOW. Not only that, but they called upon the young generation--the crowd at the Rally, to make a change and make a difference.
And what did the crowd do? That's right--Nothing. Everyone stood there, didn't pay attention to the speakers or to what they were saying, they just yelled for the Roots to come on. Seriously! I mean, the Roots are awesome. And I was pumped to see them to. But the REASON for the concert, for the Rally, was to raise awareness about Climate Change and the contributing causing factors that we are doing to contribute to it. So pay attention to that too, please!!!
On my way home, I talked it out with my friend and tried to make sense of it. Why DON'T people care?? I reasoned that maybe it is something too huge to comprehend and therefore I can't expect people to spend much time trying to figure out what to do about it, if they can't even understand it on a fundamental level. I also thought maybe it is because this movement is asking for change that doesn't necessarily fit in to the Culture of Convenience that we are all used to, instead it is asking people to go out of their way a bit and make lifestyle changes. Or maybe it is simply true that less people actually BELIEVE it is happening. It is not something you see on the street or on a day-to-day basis. From an individuals perspective, life is pretty much business as usual, so there is not desperate reason to worry about it.
Whatever the reason, and I can list off more, we need to figure out a way to create the necessary mass support movement to change our day-to-day lives, to push policy change, and to first of all CARE about something as frightening and destructive as Climate Change!
23 April 2010
Food does not equal Waste.
I may have mentioned the following statistic before (In fact, I know I have touched on this subject in my Michael Pollan rant) -- But, it is so ridiculous that I feel it can be emphasized again. I read it in an issue of the Economist last year: Americans waste 40% of there food.
First of all that sounds completely absurd. How can we possibly waste almost half of our food? Especially considering all of the people who are starving in this world? It's as if we are playing a very sick joke on the rest of the planet.
Anyway, this came to mind a few weeks ago, while I was at lunch with a friend (who shall remain nameless!) and I mentioned this very blog. He asked me to write about him and I said sure--what do you have to say about food? He didn't have anything to tell me, so the conversation turned.
As we were getting up to leave, I had finished my sandwich and went to through away the wrapper (I know, how can I even say anything when I am contributing to the landfill with to-go food, sorry!!) and he did the same. However, he had not finished his salad and sandwich that he ordered and proceeded to through away the remains--about 40% of his meal. Well, needless to say, I had a lot to say at that point (I never did learn to keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to my self...)
I realized as I started spewing about the Economist, starving children in Africa, and how could he throw away such good food? that this was exactly the problem. When people decide they are done eating, they just leave the rest--to be thrown away, to go bad in the fridge, to go back to kitchen...but ultimately, that food is wasted. And if everyone does that to their meals (or the majority of them) then it soon adds up, and we as Americans are wasting nearly half of our food.
This is not intentionally trying to attack the integrity of my friend here, he is just a textbook example of this issue. So, my friend, you have made the blog. Sorry that it's not the in the best light, next time hopefully you will have a more positive review!
First of all that sounds completely absurd. How can we possibly waste almost half of our food? Especially considering all of the people who are starving in this world? It's as if we are playing a very sick joke on the rest of the planet.
Anyway, this came to mind a few weeks ago, while I was at lunch with a friend (who shall remain nameless!) and I mentioned this very blog. He asked me to write about him and I said sure--what do you have to say about food? He didn't have anything to tell me, so the conversation turned.
As we were getting up to leave, I had finished my sandwich and went to through away the wrapper (I know, how can I even say anything when I am contributing to the landfill with to-go food, sorry!!) and he did the same. However, he had not finished his salad and sandwich that he ordered and proceeded to through away the remains--about 40% of his meal. Well, needless to say, I had a lot to say at that point (I never did learn to keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to my self...)
I realized as I started spewing about the Economist, starving children in Africa, and how could he throw away such good food? that this was exactly the problem. When people decide they are done eating, they just leave the rest--to be thrown away, to go bad in the fridge, to go back to kitchen...but ultimately, that food is wasted. And if everyone does that to their meals (or the majority of them) then it soon adds up, and we as Americans are wasting nearly half of our food.
This is not intentionally trying to attack the integrity of my friend here, he is just a textbook example of this issue. So, my friend, you have made the blog. Sorry that it's not the in the best light, next time hopefully you will have a more positive review!
13 April 2010
The Revolution will be Televised… And you will Probably See it in the Commercials First: The Unlimited Power of Food Advertising
As much as I hate to admit it, like most people, I find myself falling victim to advertisements and food commercials, in particular, tend to be my weakness. I recall one day, I was watching television in the mid-afternoon with some friends and a commercial for Olive Garden came on the screen. We all made the usual murmurings about how good the food looked and then—even through it was nowhere near mealtime nor were we hungry before the commercial—we proceeded to get in the car and drive to the nearest Olive Garden. This was about four years ago and moment stands out in my mind when I realized how much power a well-designed commercial has on me.
Food is often a central theme of advertisements. While food-like products tend to dominate the programming, other commercials incorporate food in them as well. It is a relatable subject and can draw in nearly everyone on some level; everyone relies on food, but for consumers who have the time to sit and watch television, it is often a matter of choosing what food to eat or in today’s world, what processed substance to consume. We are constantly inundated with advertisements and products that will offer us the access to the sought after life of luxury and ease. Why would we consider if we intake all our needed nutrients in our meals, when we can pop a supplemental pill or prepared boxes of food-like substances shipped to our doorstep that promises better results than real food. Commercials and advertisements tell us what we need, so we do not have to think for our selves.
The oxymoronic tendencies of some commercials can only be described as disgustingly clever. The message often portrayed is a misconception at best, if not a complete lie, that is presented to the public as absolute truth. It would be hysterical, if it were not such a serious matter that the majority does not realize the truth behind the advertisements. A recent commercial promoting the three top soft-drink companies: Coke, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper, announces the new movement to integrate soda with fewer calories in schools. The soda companies have found a way to weasel their way into schools to sell to children (who should not drink soda in the first place) with the message that it is now a healthier option. I can only speculate that they teamed up to enter the schools and will follow-this with campaigns against each other to show who is in fact the healthiest.
Other companies also follow in this path, wanting to prove that they too can follow the trend of healthy eating and living. McDonalds, for example, often in their commercials emphasize the need for fruits and vegetables to the point that sometimes it is unclear that it is even a McDonalds’ advertisement until the very end when the golden arches pop up. They portray themselves as a healthy restaurant, so consumers think they have healthy options when they go, however, once one enters the actual store, they will most likely feel themselves overwhelmed by the smell of fried food, the thought of the fresh salad from the commercial the day before has become a distant memory.
Very rarely does one see a public service announcement with an informational focus on eating with facts behind the message. Often dominating commercials focus on processed food with claims of health benefits. There are countless examples of this, but one that stands out in my mind is the commercial for Special K. The company now offers not only cereal, but also drinks, and snack bars. The advertisement claims that consumers will lose weight by eating Special K, though it is still unclear to me how this claim is supported. Does it mean that if you eat Special K as a snack you will lose weight? Or is the real message that if you only eat Special K you will lose weight (and probably become very ill)? Regardless of the truth behind the advertisement, it seems to work as I have had friends tell me they in the context of their diet they are eating Special K. The truth behind commercials is acknowledged to be a stretch and while it may be the case that the public will generally agree if pressed, often during the moment of viewing we do not question the validity of the subject.
Today, the professionals who design the advertisements are very good at what they do, but not only in the actual advertisements, but in the integration of the programming as well. Commercials also change depending on the targeted audience, the time of day and the program. During the day, commercials are longer and tend to be on the infomercial side. The focus of daytime television advertisements often is centered on supplements or weight-loss systems. In my experience, when I watch daytime television during the week it is because I am home sick and have nothing else to do, and therefore my focus is already on the show and the commercials, so the advertisements do not have to need to draw me in. The prime time television advertisements are shorter, catchier, and the item or subject is already popular, so the commercials are entertainment rather than informational. Usually the focus of food advertisements is on the convenience, the savings, and compares well-known brands. When I watch evening television, I am usually with my friends and more likely to talk during the commercials, therefore the advertisements need to be more appealing and distracting. The advertisements shown during late night television are always louder than the programming, so if the viewer has dozed off during the show, they are more likely to stir during the commercials. The food commercials show the appeal of food, often focused on fast food and take out restaurants. An audience watching television at night is more likely to fall victim to the commercials, succumb to the late night munchies and order that mouth-watering pizza shown on the screen.
I often get frustrated when I think about the influence commercials have on the purchasing decision of the general public. We are surrounded by advertisements nearly at all times and we come home and turn on the television to make it easier for the companies to get to us. It makes me cringe when I think about the amount time everyday we expose ourselves to capitalistic advertising, drenched in the same message of consumption. Even when we do not have a particular interest in the item, a good commercial is often a subject of conversation or discussion in a group of peers. How often do you hear, “Oh, I just watch it for the commercials” when referring to the Super-bowl? It is tradition to gather round the television, with obscene amounts of consumables and watch the commercials. Commercials are a seemingly non-controversial subject of conversation, and therefore they are “safe” to share and discuss. The most disturbing aspect of this is we all spend so much time watching, discussing, and thinking about commercials and we are either knowingly or unknowingly discussing the products that are advertised to us. Wendell Berry points out in his essay titled, “The Pleasures of Eating” in his collection, What Are People For? (1990), that responsible eating is freedom (147), but how free are we really when it comes to our choices if we are told what to consume on a regular basis? I do not have a scientific answer, but on a regular basis, I have to say that we are not always free when it comes to the decision of: “What’s for dinner?”
Food is often a central theme of advertisements. While food-like products tend to dominate the programming, other commercials incorporate food in them as well. It is a relatable subject and can draw in nearly everyone on some level; everyone relies on food, but for consumers who have the time to sit and watch television, it is often a matter of choosing what food to eat or in today’s world, what processed substance to consume. We are constantly inundated with advertisements and products that will offer us the access to the sought after life of luxury and ease. Why would we consider if we intake all our needed nutrients in our meals, when we can pop a supplemental pill or prepared boxes of food-like substances shipped to our doorstep that promises better results than real food. Commercials and advertisements tell us what we need, so we do not have to think for our selves.
The oxymoronic tendencies of some commercials can only be described as disgustingly clever. The message often portrayed is a misconception at best, if not a complete lie, that is presented to the public as absolute truth. It would be hysterical, if it were not such a serious matter that the majority does not realize the truth behind the advertisements. A recent commercial promoting the three top soft-drink companies: Coke, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper, announces the new movement to integrate soda with fewer calories in schools. The soda companies have found a way to weasel their way into schools to sell to children (who should not drink soda in the first place) with the message that it is now a healthier option. I can only speculate that they teamed up to enter the schools and will follow-this with campaigns against each other to show who is in fact the healthiest.
Other companies also follow in this path, wanting to prove that they too can follow the trend of healthy eating and living. McDonalds, for example, often in their commercials emphasize the need for fruits and vegetables to the point that sometimes it is unclear that it is even a McDonalds’ advertisement until the very end when the golden arches pop up. They portray themselves as a healthy restaurant, so consumers think they have healthy options when they go, however, once one enters the actual store, they will most likely feel themselves overwhelmed by the smell of fried food, the thought of the fresh salad from the commercial the day before has become a distant memory.
Very rarely does one see a public service announcement with an informational focus on eating with facts behind the message. Often dominating commercials focus on processed food with claims of health benefits. There are countless examples of this, but one that stands out in my mind is the commercial for Special K. The company now offers not only cereal, but also drinks, and snack bars. The advertisement claims that consumers will lose weight by eating Special K, though it is still unclear to me how this claim is supported. Does it mean that if you eat Special K as a snack you will lose weight? Or is the real message that if you only eat Special K you will lose weight (and probably become very ill)? Regardless of the truth behind the advertisement, it seems to work as I have had friends tell me they in the context of their diet they are eating Special K. The truth behind commercials is acknowledged to be a stretch and while it may be the case that the public will generally agree if pressed, often during the moment of viewing we do not question the validity of the subject.
Today, the professionals who design the advertisements are very good at what they do, but not only in the actual advertisements, but in the integration of the programming as well. Commercials also change depending on the targeted audience, the time of day and the program. During the day, commercials are longer and tend to be on the infomercial side. The focus of daytime television advertisements often is centered on supplements or weight-loss systems. In my experience, when I watch daytime television during the week it is because I am home sick and have nothing else to do, and therefore my focus is already on the show and the commercials, so the advertisements do not have to need to draw me in. The prime time television advertisements are shorter, catchier, and the item or subject is already popular, so the commercials are entertainment rather than informational. Usually the focus of food advertisements is on the convenience, the savings, and compares well-known brands. When I watch evening television, I am usually with my friends and more likely to talk during the commercials, therefore the advertisements need to be more appealing and distracting. The advertisements shown during late night television are always louder than the programming, so if the viewer has dozed off during the show, they are more likely to stir during the commercials. The food commercials show the appeal of food, often focused on fast food and take out restaurants. An audience watching television at night is more likely to fall victim to the commercials, succumb to the late night munchies and order that mouth-watering pizza shown on the screen.
I often get frustrated when I think about the influence commercials have on the purchasing decision of the general public. We are surrounded by advertisements nearly at all times and we come home and turn on the television to make it easier for the companies to get to us. It makes me cringe when I think about the amount time everyday we expose ourselves to capitalistic advertising, drenched in the same message of consumption. Even when we do not have a particular interest in the item, a good commercial is often a subject of conversation or discussion in a group of peers. How often do you hear, “Oh, I just watch it for the commercials” when referring to the Super-bowl? It is tradition to gather round the television, with obscene amounts of consumables and watch the commercials. Commercials are a seemingly non-controversial subject of conversation, and therefore they are “safe” to share and discuss. The most disturbing aspect of this is we all spend so much time watching, discussing, and thinking about commercials and we are either knowingly or unknowingly discussing the products that are advertised to us. Wendell Berry points out in his essay titled, “The Pleasures of Eating” in his collection, What Are People For? (1990), that responsible eating is freedom (147), but how free are we really when it comes to our choices if we are told what to consume on a regular basis? I do not have a scientific answer, but on a regular basis, I have to say that we are not always free when it comes to the decision of: “What’s for dinner?”
08 April 2010
Press.
Just a quick link to a story that was done for an event my Political Ecology of Food and Agriculture class held this week, displaying our creative projects.
Check it out:
http://www.american.edu/sis/news/20100407-Food-Ecology-Nicholson.cfm
Check it out:
http://www.american.edu/sis/news/20100407-Food-Ecology-Nicholson.cfm
01 April 2010
Bag It. Watch It.
Bag It is a documentary film by Reel Thing Productions, uncovers the story behind plastic and our nations obsession with using it for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
It begins with the notion that the first time see or hear something for the first time, you then continue to see or hear about that many times over and you wonder why you never realized it before. Plastic is one of those things. Think about it and you will begin to realize how much plastic is ALL OVER this planet. Not only just plastic, but throw-away-after-one-use plastic comprises most of the items you see. I would say that all plastic will be thrown away—sometimes you get more use out of some things than others—but, eventually our plastic items will break, and we will have to buy new ones. (Planned Obsolescence, People!) However, most plastic we use is not meant to be saved: bags, bottles, containers, packaging, etc…
In fact, I am told that I should not save and re-use plastic bottles and bags that are meant for one-time-use-only because the chemicals on them will get into my system. WAIT. The chemicals on them will get into my system? But only if I reuse it…So those chemicals know to stay out of my system the first time I use it?? Wow, smart chemicals. Or maybe there is some piece of information I am not being told. Hmm…
Bag It also discusses the classic 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. While these are great principles to live by, we seem to have forgotten the first two, throw everything in recycling and call it a day. It is a great thing, but our current system actually DOWNcycles items rather than REcycles them. The film mentions that we really need a fourth R, before any of the other three—and that is Redesign. Redesign the products, but mostly, redesign the system.
So, what does all this have to do with food? (It always does relate back to food!) Well, think about it next time we go to the grocery store. Nearly every product comes with some sort of plastic packaging—and if it doesn’t, then we put it in plastic!! Sometimes there are multiple layers of plastic, just to be safe that the germs do not get into the food. (What about those scary chemicals in the plastic though?)
I will part with a statistic of massive proportions: we use 40 times more plastics than food.
Just think about all of this next time you are…well anywhere!
And check out the film:
http://www.reelthing.us/
http://vimeo.com/5645718
It begins with the notion that the first time see or hear something for the first time, you then continue to see or hear about that many times over and you wonder why you never realized it before. Plastic is one of those things. Think about it and you will begin to realize how much plastic is ALL OVER this planet. Not only just plastic, but throw-away-after-one-use plastic comprises most of the items you see. I would say that all plastic will be thrown away—sometimes you get more use out of some things than others—but, eventually our plastic items will break, and we will have to buy new ones. (Planned Obsolescence, People!) However, most plastic we use is not meant to be saved: bags, bottles, containers, packaging, etc…
In fact, I am told that I should not save and re-use plastic bottles and bags that are meant for one-time-use-only because the chemicals on them will get into my system. WAIT. The chemicals on them will get into my system? But only if I reuse it…So those chemicals know to stay out of my system the first time I use it?? Wow, smart chemicals. Or maybe there is some piece of information I am not being told. Hmm…
Bag It also discusses the classic 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. While these are great principles to live by, we seem to have forgotten the first two, throw everything in recycling and call it a day. It is a great thing, but our current system actually DOWNcycles items rather than REcycles them. The film mentions that we really need a fourth R, before any of the other three—and that is Redesign. Redesign the products, but mostly, redesign the system.
So, what does all this have to do with food? (It always does relate back to food!) Well, think about it next time we go to the grocery store. Nearly every product comes with some sort of plastic packaging—and if it doesn’t, then we put it in plastic!! Sometimes there are multiple layers of plastic, just to be safe that the germs do not get into the food. (What about those scary chemicals in the plastic though?)
I will part with a statistic of massive proportions: we use 40 times more plastics than food.
Just think about all of this next time you are…well anywhere!
And check out the film:
http://www.reelthing.us/
http://vimeo.com/5645718
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