My FutureLearn 'Our Hungry Planet' course is very interesting, I've fallen a bit behind even though I have now quit WoW, but due to trying to sort the house out, and it takes aggggggges (grrr) at least there are no dreaded essays or TMAs so it is not a big deal if I fall a bit behind I can catch up.
For the last couple of days I have been reading and learning about the history of food (for a history buff and a foodie this is like heaven). I've found it really fascinating learning about early agriculture and how hunter-gatherers became farmers and landowners during the 'Neolithic Revolution' around 10,000 years ago. It makes me wonder how they became land owners though, how did the hierarchy start? Who or what decided who was a landowner and who was a worker? How did they even get workers in the first place? So many questions. The course has lead me through the ages, from the earliest forms of agriculture and how culture and technology has changed up to the 21st century. From the buffalo pulling the plough in 100 BC in China to the explorers in the 1800's bringing home food from other parts of the world. The industrial revolution saw regional markets open up to the world through road rail and sea. Now we have tractors working the land we use fertilizers and pesticides and animals are artificially inseminated so supermarkets can make more money but at what cost?
This article makes a really interesting and persuasive argument that I am inclined to agree with The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race the title is rather emotive but it's a fascinating read touching on many of the questions I have asked above.
My opinion on the global food system is full of pros and cons. It's wonderful we can have anything we want from anywhere in the world whenever we want it. However, it takes its toll on the land, and the people growing the food. Poorer people are forced to eat less nutritious food and lack of food education does little to help. Pesticides are killing off the honey bee, travel miles mean that transporting the food 1000s of miles is not good for the planet. Food is processed and added too to make it go further and animals are farmed in horrific ways to make more money for the supermarkets. To alleviate the negative effects I think governments and local farmers should work together to encourage people to eat food grown locally and in season to reduce the carbon footprint of our food. I think more research should be put into finding more natural pesticides that won't kill off 'pests' and bees, merely deter them away from crops. I also think people should be encouraged to grow their own food and herbs in gardens and homes.
In other news I'm really looking forward to the weekend and the Birmingham Wildlife Festival and Badger March there will be lots of vegan food and stalls. There will also be loads of people uniting for a wonderful cause which can only be a good thing.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Starting the New Course
I'm really impressed with FutureLearn, it's actually a lot better than I thought it would be. There are a lot of discussions and debates on the course forum and so many different interesting ideas, as people from all over the world are both tutoring and learning on this course you get a really diverse range of ideas. The very first thing on the course is a really hard 'no real answer' question which has been left up for debate.
'Whose responsibility is it to ensure that everyone in the world has access to enough nutritious food?'
The majority of people seem to be saying either the government or us. I don't think it's that simple, there are so many layers to this. Morally I think we all have a responsibility to make sure people are fed, it is a basic human right. Practically there isn't much an individual can do. In a ideal world cities and communities would look after each other and make sure their neighbours are fed, with city councils making sure there is enough for all with each town/city being self sustaining, but the world is anything but ideal.
There is enough food grown and produced in the world to feed everyone, yet there are still people who go hungry, why? Where has it all gone wrong? I sure do not have the answer, and I'm not well up on the subject to even give a definitive answer, but I'm pretty certain greed and capitalism has something to do with it. I get that farmers do have to make a living, they sell to the supermarkets, the supermarkets sell as high as they can to us, we are slaves to the best before dates and perfect produce - what happens to the wonky veg? Most of the time they are discarded although perfectly fine. But there is no way the supermarkets will give this food away, and if they did, who could or would decide who gets the 'free food'? And then how would we get the food to the people who need it, remember we are talking globally here.
I don't think any one organization could or should be in control of feeding the world, if it was that perfect ideal world it would work, but the world is corrupt, politics would come in to play, and where would the line be drawn, or how would hunger be measured? Who decides what counts as nutritious?
I do not know the answer, but I think there are things we can do to help, food banks are a start but they're not enough, volunteer groups like Food Not Bombs are an amazing source of food for the homeless and the poor, but they do not have the means to provide food daily. I believe that we should start with education, teaching children (and in many cases adults too) where their food comes from, how and where it is grown and how to grow it for themselves along with how precious it is would be a good place to start for a long term plan.
I could write my uninformed opinion for hours and hours on this subject, so for the time being I will leave it here. I am interested to see if or how my opinion will change as the course progresses.
'Whose responsibility is it to ensure that everyone in the world has access to enough nutritious food?'
The majority of people seem to be saying either the government or us. I don't think it's that simple, there are so many layers to this. Morally I think we all have a responsibility to make sure people are fed, it is a basic human right. Practically there isn't much an individual can do. In a ideal world cities and communities would look after each other and make sure their neighbours are fed, with city councils making sure there is enough for all with each town/city being self sustaining, but the world is anything but ideal.
There is enough food grown and produced in the world to feed everyone, yet there are still people who go hungry, why? Where has it all gone wrong? I sure do not have the answer, and I'm not well up on the subject to even give a definitive answer, but I'm pretty certain greed and capitalism has something to do with it. I get that farmers do have to make a living, they sell to the supermarkets, the supermarkets sell as high as they can to us, we are slaves to the best before dates and perfect produce - what happens to the wonky veg? Most of the time they are discarded although perfectly fine. But there is no way the supermarkets will give this food away, and if they did, who could or would decide who gets the 'free food'? And then how would we get the food to the people who need it, remember we are talking globally here.
I don't think any one organization could or should be in control of feeding the world, if it was that perfect ideal world it would work, but the world is corrupt, politics would come in to play, and where would the line be drawn, or how would hunger be measured? Who decides what counts as nutritious?
I do not know the answer, but I think there are things we can do to help, food banks are a start but they're not enough, volunteer groups like Food Not Bombs are an amazing source of food for the homeless and the poor, but they do not have the means to provide food daily. I believe that we should start with education, teaching children (and in many cases adults too) where their food comes from, how and where it is grown and how to grow it for themselves along with how precious it is would be a good place to start for a long term plan.
I could write my uninformed opinion for hours and hours on this subject, so for the time being I will leave it here. I am interested to see if or how my opinion will change as the course progresses.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Oh, It Has Been Too Long.
I had almost given up on writing here, my initial creative spark had fizzled out and I have not been on any adventures in these cold winter months so felt there was nothing really worth writing or sharing. But now this is all about to change as I have signed up and am starting two FutureLearn Online Courses. They have some really interesting courses from universities all over the world, and they're free, bonus! I think everyone should go and have a look. https://www.futurelearn.com
The first course I signed up for Our Hungry Planet: Agriculture, People and Food Security (from the University of Reading) lasts six weeks and looks at how the food we grow, eat, buy and throw away relates to the global issue of food security.
The second, from the Open University which starts next week, called: Introduction to Ecosystems. This one is basically what it says on the tin, a look at the natural world and how the 'web of life' works, it is also a six week course.
I'm really looking forward to starting these courses and seeing how my opinion changes as I learn
The first course I signed up for Our Hungry Planet: Agriculture, People and Food Security (from the University of Reading) lasts six weeks and looks at how the food we grow, eat, buy and throw away relates to the global issue of food security.
The second, from the Open University which starts next week, called: Introduction to Ecosystems. This one is basically what it says on the tin, a look at the natural world and how the 'web of life' works, it is also a six week course.
I'm really looking forward to starting these courses and seeing how my opinion changes as I learn
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