Well, it’s been a while, but here’s an interesting read about something I shy away from… numbers! But this post uses them where they matter– in estimating growth and, ta da, the future (can’t use ethnography for that). It’s not exactly original material: basically, urban grown will outpace global growth, leading to food security crises ‘too.’
Now Available By Prescription (in New York): Fruits and Vegetables
In a new program to increase access to healthy foods and improve nutrition, doctors will be able to prescribe vouchers for fruits and vegetables to low-income, high-risk patients who need to change their diet for their health.
Restaurant Sustainability Corps’ New Survey
I’m really impressed by the work my sister’s been doing this summer for the Sustainable Restaurant Corps, a non-profit organization that helps restaurants lower their environmental impact. (Damn.)
Just last week, they announced that they’ll be asking restaurants about their current sustainability-related choices. The Restaurant Sustainability Survey will allow SRC to collect data that will not only help them work more efficiently with a greater understanding of the difficulties of owning a restaurant in New York City, but also will be used to create a ‘sustainability rating system.’ I love that idea. Imagine having the information to hold restaurants directly accountable for their environmental impact.
There are over 24,000 restaurants in New York, and they employ over 250,000 people– and as a huge industry, their choices add up.
If you’re from a restaurant, fill out the survey online! It’s easy and it’s green. But if you’re a diner like I am, make a point of asking when you go out! Tell the manager that you care about the choices restaurants make, and explain the survey to them.
This announcement comes in a wave of positive steps toward reducing food waste. From composting in high-rise apartment buildings to Bloomberg’s Food Waste Challenge to 100 restaurants, it’s refreshing to think about people caring about waste.
Check out SRC’s website! And here’s a link to the press release.
Seattle mayor wants to block Whole Foods because of its low wages
Love this, about as much as I love the Whole Foods salad bar. (That’s a lot.)
Gigantic Global Map of Food Consumption, Production, Hunger, Population Growth, and More
Really cool. In this interactive map by American Public Media’s Marketplace titled ‘Food for 9 Billion‘, you can view on a map the global disparities in hunger, food consumed, population growth, and many more. What’s more, clicking on each country lets you
Big problem with it, unfortunately: a portion of the data was recorded in 2003! A full decade ago, and a lot of things have changed since then. Still worth browsing through, though, as most of it comes from the last five years. Check it out.
I’m always intrigued by cool multimedia projects, and this is certainly cool. But I’m thinking about something that incorporated food-
Fighting for benefits and fair wages, right on campus
Inspiring video by Penn SLAP. (More about the campaign from Friday)
Mind Over Menu 