Here are some questions I've been asking myself about food. I'd encourage you to consider them for you and your family as well. I still don't know the answers to most of these questions--they will require a lot of research for me when i get home. But i think they're important questions to ask!
1. Where does my food come from?
-if I get it at the grocery store, it's likely being imported to the store--meaning that there are severe environmental impacts when they ship it here--SO
2. What can I get locally? And what would be the benefits of getting my food locally?
-i've realized that it supports local, small-scale farmers; AND it has less of an environmental impact (not as much transportation, meaning less fuel used, etc.)
-if i get my food locally, it's building community--a relationship with the farmer and perhaps other regulars at a farmer's market
-as a believer, i think those relationships could lead to sweet friendships and GREAT opportunity for the gospel--that's something i couldn't get if i'm getting my vegetables from a farmer in Chile!
3. When asking WHERE food is grown, you also have to ask HOW is my food grown?? (This obviously relates primarily to fruits and veggies)
-is my food being sprayed with pesticides? Are farmers using chemical fertilizer?
-if you eat locally, it's easier to figure out what your farmer is using on his crops.
4. What are the benefits/harms of pesticides and chemical fertilizers?
-do the benefits (more food and faster) outweigh the damage it could/does do to my body?
5. Where does my meat come from/how is it fed?
-is it grass-fed? (did you know that the majority of US cows are fed corn--cows don't even naturally eat corn)
-are the animals given hormones to make them grow faster?
-is my meat being treated humanely?
okay, with this one, you may be saying, "I don't care how it's treated, I just want meat." BUT in my readings here, it's generally shown that places where the animals are grass-fed/free range and are treated better produce better meat. Also, you have to ask:
-as a part of God's creation, don't animals deserve a little better? And as stewards and caretakers of God's creation, shouldn't we be ensuring that we treat God's creatures well--without giving them things that aren't natural and that could potentially bring harm to OUR bodies?
6. What is my responsibility as a Christian to ensure that I am being a good steward of God's creation? And what does that mean for my life with regard to food?
7. What is my aversion to eating organically grown or prepared food? Is it because I'm uncomfortable with the changes it would make to my lifestyle? Or is it because I consider organic food to be the realm of "hippy liberals?"
8. HOW can I become a responsible steward of the creation around me? and how can I change my lifestyle to support more sustainable practices of growing/producing food?
**The title of this post is a shoutout to the TAR class of 2010. Don't you miss Mrs. Cox?? :D
1. Where does my food come from?
-if I get it at the grocery store, it's likely being imported to the store--meaning that there are severe environmental impacts when they ship it here--SO
2. What can I get locally? And what would be the benefits of getting my food locally?
-i've realized that it supports local, small-scale farmers; AND it has less of an environmental impact (not as much transportation, meaning less fuel used, etc.)
-if i get my food locally, it's building community--a relationship with the farmer and perhaps other regulars at a farmer's market
-as a believer, i think those relationships could lead to sweet friendships and GREAT opportunity for the gospel--that's something i couldn't get if i'm getting my vegetables from a farmer in Chile!
3. When asking WHERE food is grown, you also have to ask HOW is my food grown?? (This obviously relates primarily to fruits and veggies)
-is my food being sprayed with pesticides? Are farmers using chemical fertilizer?
-if you eat locally, it's easier to figure out what your farmer is using on his crops.
4. What are the benefits/harms of pesticides and chemical fertilizers?
-do the benefits (more food and faster) outweigh the damage it could/does do to my body?
5. Where does my meat come from/how is it fed?
-is it grass-fed? (did you know that the majority of US cows are fed corn--cows don't even naturally eat corn)
-are the animals given hormones to make them grow faster?
-is my meat being treated humanely?
okay, with this one, you may be saying, "I don't care how it's treated, I just want meat." BUT in my readings here, it's generally shown that places where the animals are grass-fed/free range and are treated better produce better meat. Also, you have to ask:
-as a part of God's creation, don't animals deserve a little better? And as stewards and caretakers of God's creation, shouldn't we be ensuring that we treat God's creatures well--without giving them things that aren't natural and that could potentially bring harm to OUR bodies?
6. What is my responsibility as a Christian to ensure that I am being a good steward of God's creation? And what does that mean for my life with regard to food?
7. What is my aversion to eating organically grown or prepared food? Is it because I'm uncomfortable with the changes it would make to my lifestyle? Or is it because I consider organic food to be the realm of "hippy liberals?"
8. HOW can I become a responsible steward of the creation around me? and how can I change my lifestyle to support more sustainable practices of growing/producing food?
**The title of this post is a shoutout to the TAR class of 2010. Don't you miss Mrs. Cox?? :D
I loved this post, Hannah! The questions are great, but they really hit home with me in terms of bringing in the issues of the environment, personal health, the well-being of animals, and how it is (and should be) tied into our spirituality. Brilliant!
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ReplyDelete" . . . green . . . "
thinking about "don't animals deserve better?" I think we should ask ourselves "what do humans deserve?" I think you know the right answer to that so that might clear up what anything else in God's creation deserves. BUT other than that i like this post-- local food tastes better and is better for you, most people just can't afford it.
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