Une nourriture de qualité Vs nourriture en quantité

The rising cost of everything is, ironically, not related to quality, or scarcity. In these hard times, it is very easy, if not necessary, to compromise on quality food. As things get tougher economically, as the belt tightens around the wallet, in the bigger picture, what are you really trading off when you reach for frozen lasagna instead of (organic) fresh vegetables, hormone free chicken (or grass-fed organic beef) and brown rice? What are the repercussions short-term? Not just for your body, but also for the planet?

One thing that shows up a lot is that you may believe that you cannot afford organic. Or you do not see the value of organic products? A few thoughts to consider in a wider spectrum of creating a new relationship with food:

When you select over-produced, heavily sprayed foods from another country that are substantially cheaper, you do a major disservice to the environment and your own body when you choose less nutrient rich food that has traveled thousands of miles;
Transportation costs are never appropriately calculated into the costs of foods. But the carbon footprint carries a price tag, and sooner or later you will have to pick up the expense;
Most foreign countries have NO control of pesticide use. This is harmful to the underpaid farmers and their pickers, their soil, their water and their air resources;
Then, the USA government and consumers allow these fruits and vegetables to clear customs without adequate FDA inspection, This allows for these goods to easily land on your table in massive quantities, without a thought about what chemicals you may put into your own bodies, or your own landfills;
On top of the already huge distances covered, additional transportation of overseas foods even further across the USA contaminates our own air, soil and water.
Simply stated: the massive carbon footprint alone stands in the way of any kind of fresh quality from foods this country imports. How many of you remember to consider that US pesticides are often created in the laboratories of many petroleum companies? How many of you realize that US made pesticides NOT FDA-approved can land on oversea soils, where zero regulation is the norm? Then the USA ushers them back to its own overfed, under nourished massive consumer base. Hmmm...it seems like a quandary worth paying attention to.

Americans have long been the biggest pig at the food, petroleum, dairy, meat or the fast food trough. We are a nation of massive consumption on all levels. The more we consume, in turn, the more we waste. However, when we consume high-grade, quality fruits and vegetables of the season, we no longer need huge voluminous bins at the grocery stores, or on our tables. From a broader view, we could positively benefit from the bounty of the season, rather than settle for the cheapest price tag.

While some might say I'm being overly critical or reactionary, I would ask: as a nation, do we really need to maintain the status quo of mass consumption? Who really benefits from our mass consumption? Our eating less and less nutritious foods in higher volumes? With food borne illnesses increasing more than ever, with countless health conditions tied to overeating, with overeating leading to less exercise this leads to increased medical costs on every level...the cycle quickly becomes endless. Again, I ask you to consider: Who really benefits from our mass consumption of low quality food? It certainly cannot be the consumers!

Pretty heavy stuff to sink your teeth into, or perhaps it is a question whose time has come. If you begin to step up to the proverbial plate more consistently to demand more organic, and safely produced quality foods, ultimately you move to increase your health. The power to receive quality begins with the first asking for it. Your kids deserve it, you deserve, and so does the global community we all share: the Mother Earth.