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Thursday, February 14, 2008 |
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SOCIAL JUSTICE: The Importance of Food
By St Mary Administrator @ 4:08 PM :: 269 Views ::  :: Human Concerns
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According to a proverb, “You are what you eat.” Our relationship to food is a sacred one; however, we often fail to appreciate this fact. Much of our food system today is industrialized, producing larger portions for larger profits. And so we lose an important part of who we are: people dependent on the bounty of the Earth, and in relationship to all living creatures. Caring for creation (not exploiting it) is part of our stewardship responsibility as Christians. When we pray before meals, we are not only thanking God but honoring food as God’s gracious gift.
Making food choices, whether for health, ecological or spiritual reasons, is a complicated process. Here are some simple guidelines which could help:
· When possible, purchase organic food, as well as humanely raised eggs, meat and poultry (ask your butcher or meat department manager about his choices!)
· Buy certified fair trade foods, such as coffee and chocolate. (Shade grown coffee is songbird friendly; their habitats are not destroyed for coffee crops.)
· Build a relationship with local farmers, keeping money circulating in our community and reducing the carbon imprint needed to transport food to other localities. If possible, join a CSA (community supported agriculture).
· Donate surplus food to food pantries or shelters serving the needy.
· Build relationships with farmers around the world.
· Lent, for most people, means fasting, which is not only healthy, but can give us a new perspective on eating!
Be an informed, not a passive consumer! For more information, contact www.equalexchange.com or www.heifer.org (Heifer International).
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