When it comes to what goes in our
food and eventually goes in us, people are concerned. That is a fact. Global
agriculture and food exports are a hot topic for politicians, scientists, and
more than ever, young citizens. Millenials and the environment are positively
correlated, with concern for the environment in general (including agricultural
techniques) steadily on the rise. Many young liberals and even some young
conservatives make the environment a priority in their political viewpoint.
From issues like the Keystone Pipeline to China and U.S. carbon emission
agreements, millennials are usually on the side of the action which will result
in better environmental health. The cultural phenomenon is widespread, and when
focused on the specific subjects within that field like the handling of today’s
agriculture, we see that millennials in California are especially proponents of
transparency in food production.
Everyday citizens around the country are
going to work, Oregon is even voting on a GMO labeling bill this week. As far
as states go though, California residents the cake for their actions towards
sustainable agriculture and rejection of forced GMO inconspicuousness. In
California there are many homegrown initiatives to keep food local and sustainably
grown. Such examples include the Local Food Policy Groups which attempt to monitor
their community’s food system so that it fits the needs of all its citizens. There
website states that, “The California Food Policy Council is an emerging voice
in California’s policy making process that strives to bring transparency to
food systems legislation, and to re-envision a political process that includes
a more diverse range of food and farming interests to the table.” While some
work to build up policies and knock others down, others are making a change in
the field. California has numerous community gardens which allow people to grow
their own food right in the city. This has provided low income families for
healthy nutritious food that would otherwise be out of reach among the cheaper
processed foods. It had kept the area’s air and water clean, and it has also
allowed the land to remain fertile since the soil is not deprived by aggressive
farming. On the state level, California began the push to label products containing genetically modified foods which has become widespread among many
states. Although the law was shut down repeatedly, the citizens have not given
up. Some stores have begun labeling foods on their own, and the initiative is
still being passed around in order to be presented again in the near future for
another round of consideration.
Still, California
is only one state in a country whose youth are overwhelmingly choosing to eat
locally, grow their own food, and boycott the current food production model
through their diets. Many have gone vegetarian, vegan, completely organic, or
any other special diet in order to boycott what they feel is not a fair or
healthy choice of food items they are exposed to on a daily basis.
*Links in Red Font
I definitely agree with you that there seems to be a new wave of consumers who are becoming increasingly concerned with where their food comes from. I am a bit older than a millennial but as more and more information comes out about the foods that we are ingesting the more concerned I become. I liked that you recognize that there is a balance that has to be met. We need to be sure that our food is safe and healthy but we also have to produce enough food to sustain our population and that can be difficult to do.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, if I could eat all of these healthy foods I would, but eating healthy is really expensive. The prices for food now-a-days can really break the bank. I spend over 80 dollars every time I go to the grocery store, and thats once a week! I love avocados as much as the next person but at 4 dollars a pound it can be hard to afford that and the other food for my salad. I wish I had the money to eat really good-for-you food every night but I am a broke college student. Maybe when I am older and can afford it I will eat really well and healthy.
ReplyDeleteI like the point of view of your post. And yes, we are in the middle of a transition from a generation of consumerism to a generation of environmentalism being the millennials a key factor in this transition. Your post clearly reflects my case. I am very concerned to what goes in my body, so I always try to stay away from foods that contained chemicals for growth. I have a balanced diet by drinking a lot of water, consuming organic products (can be more expensive sometimes) and exercising constantly. Your last paragraph reminded me of a story; my friend from California came to visit me in Virginia. So we threw BBQ party with lots of meat and beer. He told me BBQs in California are made of grilled vegetables, wine, and champagne. This is such a big difference just as you mention it.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite crazy to control and maintain a large populations food source. Its good to hear that there are initiatives being taken for local grown food. I personally believe using fresh grown products helps add better flavor to the food. Its good to hear that California can help lead the nation to a more sustainable food agriculture.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea agriculture played such a huge role in politics as you mentioned. It's nice to know that California is allowing people to grow their own products right in the city. I also like the fact that many of them not only grow their own products but boycott other products. I personally love organic home made products but it is just on ideal for me at this point in my life. If I had a job and a house, I would definitely like to grow my own fruits and vegetables. I wouldn't actually have a farm but I would get products from a farm. I used to live in PA, and growing up, my family always used to get local farm products, not only are they healthier, but they are also tastier. I remember hearing that in the 1800's it required 19 people to feed 20 people, and now it only requires about 3% of the population, so these mass agriculture companies are probably not producing their products naturally at all, so I hope these Californians make a difference and get more natural food in the states. I know it will be more expensive, but it's worth it.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting especially to learn about the initiative that California's residents have taken to take better care of their health and to be better aware of the food that they consume. I have to agree that I strongly admire those individuals who take such a strong initiative to live a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy and by being aware of the food that they eat including how it is grown and produced. Labeling the products is important too and the fact that some stores are taking the initiative to make their own labels to make customers aware is very comforting. This post has inspired me. This is a great post and very informative to learn about and catch up on what is being done to better the health through food.
ReplyDeleteI think the transition in youth and especially those on the west coast to environmentalism is a great initiative, but I do realize that these kinds of projects are not always practical on a college budget or in certain areas. I think what California shows us, is that involvement in our food sources and our communities is the most important aspect of effecting change.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting! I was just having a discussion with a family member the other day talking about eating only organic foods. She had mentioned it is impossible to know if everything is organic due to lack of regulations. Anyone can put an organic sticker on an item. But who really knows for sure? I think you wrote a great blog post. I hope that this influences others to go the same route. How great is it that businesses are taking it upon themselves to label their foods correctly!
ReplyDelete