In response to concerns over healthy eating and food desserts

[prolesunited]

We don't have to wait for Washington to act. We can take matters into our own hands in our own lives, our own neighborhoods, our own schools and our own communities.

Quit quibbling if Washington is taking the right action to curb our problems with obesity, healthy eating and quality of our food supply. Be the solution.

Here's some resources to get you thinking and the wheels spinning

Urban Gardening: You Can Grow Food, No Matter Where You Live
http://earthfirst.com/urban-gardening-you-can-grow-food-no-matter-where-you-live/

Farming the Concrete Jungle
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3297/

Starting a Community Garden
(This is an excellent overall site with lots of practical tips)
http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-community-garden.php

How to Turn Your Lawn Into a Garden
http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/02/how-to-turn-your-lawn-into-a-garden/

Grow $700 of Food in 100 Square Feet!
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Square-Foot-Gardening-Food.aspx

Turn Your Yard Into a Luscious Landscape
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Edible-Landscaping-Fruit-Plants.aspx

Create an Edible Schoolyard
http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/links
http://www.gardenabcs.com/

There is tons of great information out there on the Internet. So now is the time to plan some container gardens for your window or balcony, consider dedicating more of your lawn to productive uses, initiate a gardening project at your child's school or get together with your neighbors or city leaders to create community gardens.

And to improve the quality of food at food banks, why not dedicate a row or plot to donate to your local pantry.

Get growing, DU!

[tonysam]

1. "Healthy" eating = health quackery

I wish people would get a clue that food does not make you "healthier" or make you live longer.

[prolesunited]

2. What are you talking about?

Food choices definitely impact your health.

[conscious evolution]

9. You have gotta be kidding

Try going without food and see how healthy you stay or how long you live.
If you can't do that try the McDonalds diet for six months.

[hlthe2b]

10. If you really believe that, you might want to take out a large

life insurance policy for your beneficiaries.

[flvegan]

11. :facepalm:

[cali]

12. this may be the most idiotic post you've penned- and that's saying something

Of course what you eat or don't eat can make you healthier or it can make you ill. to say the science on that is well established is an understatement.

[Dora]

14. Your opinion sounds particularly uninformed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition_disorder

Wake up.

[City of Mills]

15. I agree, food is overrated anyway

I've taken to eating plastic shards and mothballs. My monthly 'food' bill is $10 and my poop don't stink!

[asdjrocky]

17. That's not true.

But I don't expect you to defend your position because all you do is hit and run in these threads.

Pity.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. Yes, deep-fried lard is as healthy as fruits and vegetables.

:rofl:

[Blue-Jay]

30. Yeah, go eat some more cheese doodles.

[LeftyMom]

34. Bullshit.

PS Aren't you a teacher? If you tell kids that, you ought to be canned.

[veganlush]

37. the top killers, heart disease, stroke cancer ...

..all have links to diet and lifestyle. And the earth is round btw.

[TwilightGardener]

40. You are probably regretting this statement by now. I hope. But allow me to pile on and

point out that populations who have adequate nutrition grow taller than those who don't. And being properly nourished certainly boosts the immune system and helps stave off disease and improves healing after injury and illness. You really didn't think this through, did ya?

[frazzled]

3. A good start, but hardly sufficient to address the problem of food deserts

First of all, except for those in mild or warm climates, food gardens are seasonal. (In some parts of the US, the growing season is 3 months or less.) Yes, you can learn to can or preserve in other ways, but let's be realistic. A working-poor family living in an urban area in an apartment building with little to no space and/or potentially toxic soil, 3 jobs and 6 kids, doesn't have the time or resources to garden in this way. Not even 100 square feet. We have community gardens here in Chicago, but they are hardly sufficient.

Second, vegetables alone are not the problem. A good diet needs some grains and proteins, fruits, etc. When you have no store in your neighborhood besides a 7/11, this is an issue.

We need to find ways to incentivize responsible supermarkets to move into poor urban neighborhoods. If it means government subsidies to allow them to build and operate there, I think that's a good idea. These people need aluminum foil and boxes of whole grain rice, and bread and milk and dairy products to feed their families. Bring it and they will come. As much as I have boycotted Whole Foods over these last months, I must say that in Chicago they did a big service by building a store on the edge of the South Side (on Roosevelt Road). This store attracts a large African American clientele from neighborhoods to the south and west, as well as yuppier people from the South Loop. And everyone's carts are filled with fresh vegetables. I don't know how they afford to shop there regularly, because I can't, but they do. There are also food coops and other types of community groceries that could arise, if we tried.

Lastly, there's education, education, education.

[prolesunited]

6. I never claimed that this was the entire answer

All I am saying is that there are concrete things we can do in our own lives to help improve the situation. You are grouping it into this huge, nearly unsolvable problem and then it's too big to tackle. Why not break it down on the local level?

AND, why can't we take some steps at the same time as we work on policy changes?

As for your poor working family with toxic soil, perhaps they could do container gardening on the balcony and the children might enjoy tending to the plants while the parents are working. (Not that you won't find many reasons this idea won't work.)

As for education, education, education, how do you think this happens? People see their neighbors growing food in their yards instead of grass or setting out containers on the balcony. Community gardens provide workshops on composting, organic pest control, etc. Schools put in gardens and use it as a teaching tool and then send the kids home with seeds.

But, hey, thanks for beating me down for taking the time to post some links that some people might find useful.

[frazzled]

26. I wasn't in the least trying to beat you down

The term "food deserts" refers specifically to "large and isolated geographic areas where mainstream grocery stores are absent or distant," but where plenty of fast-food restaurants prevail.

I was pointing out that if we want to attack the existence of food deserts, we need to look at a lot of things. I specifically said your community and personal garden thing was a "good start," so I don't see where you think I was trying to beat you down at all. I was taking your idea and expanding on it.

Happy Valentine's Day.
This place is mighty inhospitable lately.

[-wulf-]

4. off the mark

if you think telling people here not to wait on the Government to come in a save the day is going to do any good.


The concept of "personal responsibility" is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

[SalviaBlue]

7. We need to acknowledge the power of advertising.

Corporations advertise their unhealthy offerings and portray them as good choices.

Advertising works.

As a society we need to counter their lies through the same media. This would be a good thing for our government to do... to help promote the general welfare.....

I would approve of government doing this.

[prolesunited]

8. There is definitely a role the government can play in food policy

from more subsidies for small farms, not corporate conglomerates, stricter standards with hormones and antibiotics in the meat supply, assistance for opening quality grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods, etc.

In the meantime, there are steps that individuals can and should taken.

I'm advocating a balance, not an either or situation.

[-wulf-]

13. I know

I fully support the idea that personal health and well-being is ultimately up to the individual, as your original post points out.

[prolesunited]

19. See, I think you're way more libertarian than I am

It really isn't entirely up to the individual. For example, I have asthma. I don't smoke. I try to avoid triggers, but I still need to take multiple medications. Tell me how I can resolve this through "personal responsibility."

And what about all of the actions that government can take? How do you feel about those?

[-wulf-]

22. Don't misunderstand me

even if it is my fault.

I don't oppose government regulations of food safety at all. I think that USDA certifications and such are a great benefit and provide comfort and security.

I'm speaking more towards eating habits. We grown much of our own basic vegatables in two little above ground gardens that we maintain, and maintain sensible diets.

Many around here would prefer the Government to dive in and tax foods on sugar content and take other like actions in the name of keeping us healthy.

Keep us safe sure (i.e. no rat meat in the hamburger), but it is my responsibility to be healthy.

[lukasahero]

5. "dedicate a row or plot to donate to your local pantry"

Excellent post! And excellent advice!

Already I see folks are here to tell you it'll never work, that if we can't address the whole problem then we shouldn't even discuss taking the first steps, but I think this is a great idea. And I think DU and other progressive forums are where this information should be posted and taken to heart.

No, not everyone can do this. But those of us who can, MUST.

Thanks for the links - I'll be bookmarking them for information as I plan this year's garden (which, ftr, is done all in containers...)

[prolesunited]

18. Thank you

I get so discouraged sometimes here. I really put some time into assembling the links and to be met with such hostility for it makes me wonder why I even bothered. I appreciate the encouragement.

If you're doing containers, here's some ideas for you:
Self-Watering Fire Escape Garden in NYC
http://earthfirst.com/urban-organic-gardener-self-watering-fire-escape-garden-in-nyc/

Turn an Old Shoe Organizer into a Vertical Garden
http://earthfirst.com/turn-an-old-shoe-organizer-into-a-vertical-garden/

Container Cultivation
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2008-04-01/Container-Gardening.aspx

[asdjrocky]

16. Some great sights there.

Everyone that wants fresh veggies in my neighborhood gets them from my huge garden in my urban back yard. Actually, I'm slowing turning both the front and the back yard into food gardens.

Lawns are so 20th century.

[prolesunited]

23. I've been expanding my garden as well

Newspaper and weed cloth barriers have proven excellent in reducing labor for weeding and also helps preserve soil moisture. I also interplanted more flowers, vegetables and herbs. It was more interesting and really attracted a lot of bees.

Check out what this family has been able to do with their urban plot
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/Amazing-Urban-Homestead-Dervaes.aspx

[asdjrocky]

25. Oh yeah.

My favorite site. I find it very inspiring and slowly but surely, I will one day be there.

http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/

[spinbaby]

20. I'm in favor of having food for dessert.

Much healthier than the alternative.:eyes:

[prolesunited]

21. Well, thanks for pointing my stupidity out

The eyeroll is a nice touch.

No comment on the content or the links, but just a really stupid spelling error. If only I were as smart (and nice) as you.

[dustbunnie]

24. Lovely post. You found some great links, thank-you!

For people who have the space, home gardening is great for the tummy, and the soul too I think. We're going into our second year, and the tomatoes we got on the first try were incredible.

If only we could have chickens, I'd be there too. :) My sister both raises and slaughters them herself. I couldn't do that, but would love them for the eggs.

[prolesunited]

28. You're welcome

I wish I could have chickens as well for the eggs.

[EstimatedProphet]

29. Illegitimi non carborundum est.

What you're doing is called lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. Unfortunately some people are blind, and can't tell the difference.

[conscious evolution]

32. +1

[flvegan]

31. I thought that this was an excellent post.

I don't understand the negativity of some of the responders. I had hoped when I checked in earlier that it would go better over the course of the day.

I, for one, have this bookmarked so I can fully investigate some of those links this weekend when I have more time to dedicate to doing so.

Thank you for posting.

[K8-EEE]

38. I agree!! Some people will get pissed off at anything

Lots of great info on the post

[happy_liberal]

33. K&R

nice post!

[K8-EEE]

35. I think it's a great idea to get urban kids gardening -- mine do!

We have a square foot garden, not even going to pretend that it grows even half of our food but got the kids into veggies & herbs!

Thanks for the community garden idea. I'm probably getting laid off in about a month and def have a site in mind for it.

[veganlush]

36. excellent info. thanks for posting....

..if everybody ate healthier, the health care issue would correct itself due to the fact that so many health problems are preventable with a better diet. That would free up the system to handle those problems that are genetic and not linked to lifestyle.

[EFerrari]

39. The Healthy Corner Store Network

http://healthycornerstores.org/

:hi: