Yesterday I saw FOOD, INC., a film that begins to uncover the truth about the nation’s food and agriculture industry. I am going to highly suggest that you all see it as well. It’s only playing at two cinemas in San Francisco, down at the Embarcadero cinema and at The Bridge on Geary. I shouldn’t complain because two theatres are more than most cities right now. And lucky for me, I only have a two minute walk which doesn’t usually happen very often over in the Richmond area. Check out show times for this fantastically captivating and eye opening documentary featuring many leading advocates including our hometown spokesperson, Michael Pollan.
FOOD, INC doesn’t leave you, the concerned movie-going-meat-eater, wanting to give up eating meat for life, but it does encourage you to take a political stance on the food in your shopping cart or reusable bag. Much is said and seen in the 1 hour and 90 minute film directed by Robert Kenner. Kenner claims not to be so much of a foodie as a filmmaker, but advocates for conscious decisions about the businesses we choose to support.
I read an interview published by Jane Black of The Washington Post's Food section with Robert Kenner and would like to share his response that resonated the most with me and for our community:
What action do you want people to take?
One thing is that people say to me, "I'll never eat chicken again." And that's not what I intended. What I intend is that there's a [food] system that's bad. Your tomatoes are as bad as your chicken. The whole system is industrialized. You don't need to tell them the dark side of every item. And you don't have to stop eating foods you love. You can eat chicken, but try not to eat industrial food.
Many vegetarians make a stand by omitting meat from their diets because of the generally awful conditions animals undergo to become food on our plates. But I will go as far to say that many of these same vegetarians opt to purchase, cook, and nosh on vegetables that have undergone their fair share of poor treatment. Together we need to make choices that will create a demand for the fair treatment of workers, animals, and the consumers as well. Demand will make waves for change.
Hungry for Change is the movie’s official website and I urge you to check it out as well as more information on issues which can also be found there. Key topics range from genetic engineering, cloning, environmental impact, and farm worker protection, to food borne illness, factory, farming, healthy eating nutritional labeling on restaurant foods, and pesticides.
Another do-good option is to support local farms. We have a direct connection with three right now in the form of Community Support Agriculture programs, Frog Hollow, Eating with the Seasons, and Terra Firma. Weekly, they have drivers come up from the farms with boxes of their goods- this week members are picking up delicious peaches, apricots, and PLUMS from Frog Hollow. Tomorrow we’ll see what we get from the others two drop offs! You can join us too, check out our website link above.
