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Food, Inc.: enough to make you re-think your food

Anna Shepard | 25.02.10

It’s an Academy Award nominated documentary, praised not only by sustainable and organic food fans, but also by American chat show diva Oprah Winfrey. “You have a right to know where you food is coming from,” she told millions of American viewers, encouraging everyone to watch the hard-hitting expose Food, Inc. After her endorsement, DVD sales rocketed to the top of Amazon’s charts. She’s right, of course, we should know more about our modern food industry, but once you’ve seen this film, you’d be forgiven for losing your appetite.

The truth does not make easy viewing. Directed by Robert Kenner - with contributions from Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation – the film looks at how a handful of large corporations has hijacked American food production, using increasingly suspect industrial techniques to serve up cheap ingredients, while also going to great lengths to maintain an illusion of wholesome diversity.

“Bigger, fatter, faster” is the industry’s approach, at the expense of human health as well as animal welfare. Although the film uses American examples, you can bet your last chicken nugget that the same industrialized systems are at work in the UK. In fact, in the director’s talk - following one of London early screenings - Keener told the audience how close he came to filming in Europe, after discovering it was home to one of the world’s largest abattoirs.

From a chicken shed where ‘redesigned’ chickens have been bred to be so fat, they can’t stand up, to exploited workers who live off fast-food because a portion of broccoli is more expensive than a cheeseburger, Kenner guides us through various disturbing scenarios. He tells the story of Barbara Kowalcyk, mother to Kevin, a two and a half year old boy who died from E.coli poisoning after eating a contaminated burger. Her efforts to tighten meat standards reveal the dark forces at work to protect food companies and to keep consumers in the dark. You learn that profit has been put above everything. America, as a result, is facing an obesity and Type 2 diabetes crisis, as well as a serious public health hazard.

The film changes tack towards the end, focusing as much on upbeat messages about the power of consumer action as the dismal state of our food affairs. He draws parallels with cigarettes and the tobacco industry, forced to change and tighten its regulations.

We can all do our bit, stresses Kenner. We can demand to know more about our food, become informed consumers, vote with our wallets, and – of course - as the Oprah-effect demonstrated, tell others to watch the film.
 

Editor's Note:

For more information and actions you can take related to Food Inc., see Hungry for Change.

We further invite you to see writer Julia Haile's excellent review of Food Inc.:

"To my mind the most significant point made by Kenner was that the food industry is focusing on technical solutions to solve problems that arise from the industrial food system we've created. His view was that they should be changing the system itself. Factory farms, mega industrial processing, animals designed to fit machines and crops that are far removed from nature may not actually be the best way of feeding the world's population." Click to read the entire article.

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organic, farming, eric schlosser, food inc, academy awards, local foods, robert kenner, kevin's law

Greenhouse Weekly Round-Up

Sally Hill | 13.08.10

Episode 1: Creamy Eggs With Thyme -- powered by eHow.com

eHow has launched a new series called 'Grow Cook Eat' which demonstrates organic garden-to-table cooking. The video above walks you through how to make creamy eggs with thyme. Mmmmmm.

Speaking of delicious, naturally-grown food, things are gearing up for the 2010 Bristol Organic Food Festival who launched their new website this week. The festival boasts cooking demos by a host of celebrity chefs, The Food Market, the Kids Taste Experience Tent, a Sheep Show, and lots of surprises to entertain families and food lovers.

A new initiative called 'Carbon Calculated' provides software solutions for carbon and greenhouse gas management. It's an independent, free, open platform that aggregates carbon and green house gas emissions for "everything in the world", including passenger transport, raw materials and consumer goods. Definitely worth a look.

Energy secretary Chris Huhne lifted the ban on the sale of surplus electricity, giving local councils the lead in 'green energy revolution'. 

Here are the links we loved this week:

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organic food festival, eco hero, organic, anna shepard, climate change, george monbiot, richard leyland, chris huhne, yurt, carbon calculated

Eco Hero: Arthur Potts Dawson

Sally Hill | 25.08.10

Arthur Potts Dawson has been a professional chef for twenty-three years.

In 2006, he designed and created two sustainably aware urban restaurants, Acorn House and Water House in London.

Arthur’s latest project is The Peoples Supermarket, a not for profit, co-operative and social enterprise. Its members work voluntarily, helping to reduce business costs and keep the food cheap as well as good. The idea of the supermarket is to create an urban community business that supports British rural farming.

Arthur is also supporting One Pot Pledge and its attempt to get everyone recognizing the superior flavour of homegrown food.

Read more

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one pot pledge, organic, arthur potts dawson, water house, acorn house, home grown, people's supermarket

Greenhouse Weekly Roundup

Sally Hill | 27.08.10

As organic fortnight and the 2010 Bristol Organic Food Festival approach, there has been a flurry of discussion around organic issues.

While I'm sure the festival, 11th - 12th September, will already be highlighted on many people's calendars, it is interesting to take a deeper look at some of the reasons why it's important to support organic industries, and push organic food and products further into the mainstream.

Our Eco Hero this week was Arthur Potts Dawson, a champion of the organic issue as well as other related campaigns such as food waste. He has opened two sustainably-aware restaurants, Acorn House and Water House in London, and created the The People's Supermarket, a not-for-profit co-operative aiming to share cheap and good food.

Here are the food stories on our radar this week:

'Food Figures Need a Pinch of Salt'
An interesting article pointing out that the framing of global food shortages could fuel, rather than tame, harmful industrial agriculture
(BBC)

'Organic Food Comes of Age At Bristol's Organic Food Festival'
Held at Bristol Harbourside and celebrating its 10th anniversary, Europe's largest organic festival is a feast of food, drink and fabric that doesn't cost the earth
(The Ecologist)

'Great British Waste Menu'
New program on BBC bringing the issue of food waste, at every link in the food chain, to our attention
(BBC)

'Mediterranean Diet to be Awarded UNESCO Status'
The Mediterranean diet of olive oil, pasta, tomatoes and fish is to be awarded Unesco World Heritage status to safeguard it from the onslaught of junk food and foreign impostors, Italy's agriculture minister said.
(Telegraph)

And the other green stories we loved this week:

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organic food festival, organic, arthur potts dawson, soil assocation, the people's supermarket

Why (and how) to choose organic

Sally Hill | 31.08.10

You're in the market and two baskets of strawberries are on the shelf. One is organic, the other is not. What makes you choose one over the other?

Today, organic food is more present in the public consciousness than ever before. Most people get the general idea that food free from chemicals and pesticides is a good thing - for humans and the environment - but a lot of people still struggle with going organic.

Why? Aside from the issues of cost and availability, not to mention the rush of life that impacts our diet (ergo the success of fast-food), choosing organic means navigating an overload of facts, health advice and environmental and ethical concerns. That can be a bit daunting.

Read more

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organic food festival, organic, soil association, food, bristol

Greenhouse Weekly Roundup

Sally Hill | 03.09.10

This week saw a number of stories about energy companies investing in projects driven by the new feed-in tariff. We heard that Eaga is looking for 250,000 sunny roofs to power profit and Centrosolar joined the UK feed-in tariff gold rush.

At the same time, an open letter to Chris Huhne from a coalition of green groups urged the Energy secretary was not to cut the feed-in tariff subsidies, after suggestions they may be slashed. 

The exciting announcements from the Bristol Organic Food Festival continue with star chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to appear at the festival and present the Soil Association's organic food awards.

If you want to be there, you can still win one of 20 pairs of tickets by entering Yeo Valley's competition.

Another story looking at the mainstreaming of organic asked 'Why is Organic Food More Expensive, and When Will it Change?', and Greenhouse put together a quick guide to 'Why (and how) to Choose Organic'.

Here are the links we loved this week:

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organic food festival, organic, yeo valley, solar, chris huhne, feed-in tariff, eaga, andrew simms, oil, bjorn lomborg

I ♥ THE ORGANIC FOOD FESTIVAL

Anna Guyer | 15.09.10

Not sure why I love the Festival so much every year. But I do – what a wonderful year it was again in 2010. Total sunshine, wonderful smells, tastes and flavours, the most passionate of producers, lots of people to see and hear about where their food comes from, and a real sense of being in all this together. For sharing, encouragement, good conversations, delicious food and an ambience that is almost impossible to beat.

Highlights of my show this year ...

Meeting the lovely Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who gave his time for free to show his support for organic

Eating a Brown Cow burger on the steps watching the Sheep Show

Sampling the award winning wine from Vintage Roots – Crazy By Nature Red

Finding the gorgeous Spiezia body oil and bath oil – my favourite pampering product

Buying and sampling Green People’s Anti-Ageing Facial Oil – smells heavenly and great for my ageing skin already! 

Eating the award winning Bertinet Bakery bread with friends – it was defo the most delicious bread I have ever had

Organix winning award for Best Baby Food (Organic Banana Porridge – yum!)

So – thanks to all the wonderful producers and the organisers – it was a great Festival again this year.

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organic food festival, organic, soil association, hugh fearnley-whittingstall, organix, green people, bertinet bakery, spiezia, vintage roots ltd

Eco Hero: Geetie Singh

Sally Hill | 31.01.11

Geetie Singh was a champion of sustainable and organic food years before others knew it was an issue. After a decade working in the restaurant industry, Geetie opened the Duke of Cambridge in 1998 the first pub to be certified organic. She takes a strong stand on sustainability issues and has led the way in sourcing, provenance and standards. She is now training others to give something back to the community. She is a great host to the Organic Food Awards and is generally a champion of all things organic. She juggles family life and work life, has young children, and is always smiling, approachable and helpful, giving up her time to chat.  The Duke of Cambridge created a successful business model that combined delicious food with high environmental and ethical standards. Today it continues to lead the green restaurant business, proving that you can still turn a profit when you commit to sustainability.

www.dukeorganic.co.uk

Read more

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organic, soil association, duke of cambridge, geetie singh, pub

ECO HERO: LINDA MOSS

Greta Jonyniate | 07.09.11

Linda Moss - author of Organic Places to Stay. The reason why we love Linda is that she has been passionate about organic holidays for the last 12 years - working her socks off to produce a wonderful guide and website and never giving up - despite difficulties along the way. The outcome is a wonderful guide with truly wonderful organic places to stay. Check out her website.

1. What inspires you?

What inspires me is the dedication that drives some people to act on their own initiative and who have the courage to support something they believe in. The hard working people who run the businesses I promote on my website are all examples of this.

2. What makes you angry?

What makes me angry is the way we’ve been duped into thinking it’s okay to go into the supermarket to fill our trolleys with processed foodstuffs rather than to eat real natural food.

3. If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you'd change?

If I were Prime Minister, the first thing I would change is the way our food is produced and promoted. I would make a stand against the big food companies, ban all additives and promote the idea that food should be wholesome and unadulterated.

4. Can individuals really make a difference?

Throughout history, there are examples of how an idea that starts with an individual quickly spreads to other individuals and generates a process of change. Today, we have the power of the internet so it’s much easier for individuals to communicate with each other about the differences they would like to see.

5. What is your personal mission?

My personal mission is to try to raise awareness about the importance of organic food. It is a fundamental notion that healthy food equals healthy people. It has become my life’s work to promote the principles of eating organically, not as a lifestyle choice for the few but as a basic right of access to nutritious food for all of us.

6. What’s more urgent: changing things from the inside or starting a revolution on the outside?

What is most urgent today is the need for change from the inside – a renaissance in the way each and every one of us thinks that will allow us to see our way out of our current problems

7. What is the best meal you’ve had in your life? Cooked by whom? Eaten with whom?

 Many years ago in northern Tenerife with my husband and three young children, we were driving through Teide National Park looking for somewhere to eat when we came across a little place miles from anywhere. Not being able to speak the language, we were taken into the kitchen by the friendly owners and shown what was cooking in a huge pan. Minutes later, hunks of freshly baked bread in hand, we were served generous bowls of this traditional local stew. Made with pumpkin, cabbage, sweet potatoes, pork and beef, it was delicious. The hospitality and the simple rustic food left an impression that remains to this day.

8. Can you describe a typical work day? (ie. what you do within that day and who you have potential to influence etc.

Like most self employed people, my business is my life and a twelve hour day is normal. My day is spent is doing all the things that need to be done to keep the business going – answering emails, keeping the website up to date, marketing the site, arranging the advertising, doing the accounts, finding new listings, planning for the future, etc. In promoting the ethos of my business I have the potential to influence every person I talk to, because the subject of food and what we eat affects us all.

9. How do you define success?

While it’s important to be able to generate sufficient income to cover basic needs, true success is internal and comes from being the sort of person who can positively influence others or make a positive difference to someone else’s life.

10. What’s the best advice anyone’s ever given you?

I think the best advice came from my husband on the day he told me not to ‘work for my business’ but to ‘let it work for me’. It is all too easy to take a passionate idea, use it as the basis for setting up a business and then dedicate your life to it, lavishing it with time and effort and forgiving it for not giving the kind of returns any normal business would be expected to deliver. I now understand that it’s important when running a business to treat it as a business, without letting go of the motivation that set it up in the first place.

11. What’s your favourite book or film of late?

My favourite book is How To Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow, by Robert Elliott. Rob runs a real food B&B in Herefordshire with his partner Sally. Together they’ve created an ethos based on forsaking modern processed foods in favour of the real thing - in other words all the nutritious foods that sustained us up to the time that industry took over and processed our food into something that’s good for company profits but bad for human health. The book has been described as part memoir, part manual and part manifesto. Rob sets out a persuasive argument which suggests that changing the way we eat leads on to other changes - the changes we need to put into place to ensure humanity has a future on this planet.

12. What would you most like to happen to protect the planet?

There are many ideas about what we can do to protect the planet, but the truth is that to protect the planet from now on we have to rethink how we live our lives. What I’d like to see is a new understanding of the importance of food to our human culture, because if we can change the way we see our food, and if we can once again be connected to how it is produced, we will reconnect ourselves with the planet that supports us.

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eco hero, organic, eco-holidays

A short guide to Organic, and why it is important to the planet

Greta Jonyniate | 12.09.11

September marks the annual celebration of all things organic and here at Greenhouse PR we are very passionate about it. We would like to encourage everyone over the course of this month to ‘give organic a go’ and learn more about the benefits that organic offers us, our soil, our animals and wildlife -promising a healthier planet for all of us.

Organic farming does not use synthetic pesticides and is good for the soil

Organic farming works in harmony with nature rather than against it. This involves using techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the natural environment or the people who live and work in it. Over the last thirty years, intensive farming in the UK has led to dramatic erosion of the soil, a fall of up to 70% of wild birds in some areas, the destruction of ancient hedgerows, and the near extinction of some of the most beautiful species of butterflies, frogs, grass-snakes and wild mammals. Organic farming releases less greenhouse gases than non-organic farming - choosing organic, local and seasonal food can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

Organic foods are healthy, GM free & taste better!

You may be surprised to know that over a million tonnes of GM crops are imported each year to feed the majority of non-organic livestock which produce pork, bacon, milk, cheese and other dairy products. Going organic is the only practical way to avoid eating genetically modified (GM) food. Fresh organic produce contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micro-nutrients than intensively farmed produce. When you buy organic food you know that it’s not covered in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. The average conventionally-grown apple has 20-30 artificial poisons on its skin, even after rinsing. Trust your instincts, and go organic!

Organically raised animals are more ethical

Organic standards insist that animals are given plenty of space and fresh air to thrive and grow - guaranteeing a truly free-range life. Organically raised animals are not given antibiotics; the overuse of antibiotics in factory farms has contributed to pollution problems and outbreaks of many deadly diseases. Organic farms are havens for wildlife and provide homes for bees, birds and butterflies. In fact, the UK Government’s own advisors found that plant, insect and bird life is up to 50% greater on organic farms.

Organic clothing is one way to live a "greener" lifestyle that supports the environment

Organic materials are grown toxin-free, reducing the amount of toxic chemicals we ingest and release into the earth. If you have skin sensitivities, the pesticides, herbicides, chemicals and artificial dyes present in regular cotton can aggravate dermatological conditions.

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organic, organic veg, organic fruit, organic food, organic farming, organic clothes