Local food and teaching the environment

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/06/30/418835394/communities-get-a-lift-as-local-food-sales-surge-to-11-billion-a-year

There’s a renaissance in local and regional food, and it’s not just farmers markets in urban areas that are driving it.

On this map, the U.S. Department of Agriculture pinpoints more than 4,000 local and regional food businesses and projects — from food hubs to farm-to-school programs to initiatives to expand healthy food access to low-income communities — in every state around the country.

BAR HARBOR, Me. — Like many residents of this picturesque island town on the edge of Acadia National Park, Zach Soares had trouble keeping his house warm, going through five cords of wood in the winter. So he jumped at an offer last year for free energy improvements through a class project at the College of the Atlantic, where he works.

factory farm drones

http://factoryfarmdrones.com/

Video clip gives a glimpse into the movie Speciesism that discusses issues with factory farms.

Food gentrification?

This article about “collards becoming the new kale” provokes thought about cultural appropriation.

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/foodgentrification-and-culinary-rebranding-of-traditional-foods

More importantly, it raises concern over the international effects of food trends.

http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2110890,00.html

Silenced By Status, Farm Workers Face Rape, Sexual Abuse

This is part one of a two-part report about sexual assault of agricultural workers in the U.S.

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/05/243219199/silenced-by-status-farm-workers-face-rape-sexual-abuse

Gentrification and food access, comedic take

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/michael-che-is-bummed-over-gentrified-new-york-city_n_3580344.html?utm_content=buffer042c8&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Michael Che, one of New York City’s funniest stand-up comics and a native of the Lower East Side, takes a look at how his neighborhood has changed over the years. For instance, back when he was growing up, no one had a brand preference for bottled water.

Water contamination

The Frontline episode “Poisoned Waters” covers a lot of information on how our water becomes contaminated and the measures we’ve taken or not taken to prevent and clean up contamination. Strong connection to our food system and would be a good complement to a Food Inc or any other environmentally-minded lesson.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/

Florida food workers pay increase

This article discusses the controversy over the pay increase and what a penny per pound adds up to in annual wages.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/us/19farm.html?_r=2

Poking fun at Portland

This clip offers a satiric look at all the talk about organic, local food and the industrial food system.

The meatrix

Award winning animation on the factory farms and their treatment of animals.
http://www.themeatrix.com/

It links you to http://www.sustainabletable.org/home.php

The ‘what you can do’ tab has helpful links as well.

The interactive 360 is a simple teaching tool that students can use. It would be good to assign a homework assignment for students to explore this and write about some facts they’ve learned from it.

Immokalee workers and birth defects from pesticides

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/special_reports/carlitos/
Immokalee workers and birth defects from pesticides. Local issue going on in FL. Compelling pictures. EJ issue, 2005 article.