I don’t know if it’s the spring weather, or the fact that Earth Day is coming up, or my new part-time writing gig at a social issue non-profit (www.MeaningfulMedia.org!), but lately I have been thinking quite a bit about what it means to live – and in particular, to eat – consciously and sustainably.
It probably started a few weeks ago when I finally got around to watching Food, Inc., the Academy Award nominated documentary about our industrialized food system. For anyone who has read Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, the film explores similar issues – mainly, the monopolization of our food system by a handful of large corporations whose efforts to increase efficiency have led to a corn-based, pesticide rich, unhealthy diet for most Americans. The film also highlights how politicians and policymakers exacerbate the problem by acquiescing to the demands of big business lobbyists in exchange for political support.
What struck me about the film (besides the horrifying facts and images) was its overall hopeful message: that we as consumers have the power to change things through our choices and lifestyles. This got me thinking about my community, my family, and my peers. And I also got hopeful. Here are a few things I thought of:
- Many of my social activities in San Francisco often center on visits to Farmer’s Market, craft beer festivals, organic cuisine, etc.
- Several of my friends are vegetarians (or pescatarians, or flexatarians…)
- My brothers are both Environmental Sciences majors. My dad composts. My mom is supportive.
- I have friends who have spent summers working on sustainable farms
- The other night I had dinner with my brother’s twenty-three year-old girlfriend and her roommate, who cooked me a delicious dinner from mostly organic ingredients and showed me how they are making homemade Kombucha.
- Next week Google is taking employees to a local urban farm to help plant.
I could continue with this list – and when I think about it, its pretty incredible. Many people in my social and community network seem not only conscious of what they eat, but also committed to making social, consumer, and career choices that are healthy and responsible. This consciousness seems to spill over into other areas of life, from fitness to community involvement to emotional mindfulness. This collective energy and resolution motivates me every day, and is a big part of what I love about my community in San Francisco.
Now, before I seem too hippie dippy or Bay Area Elitist to you, let me recognize a few things. First, that the Bay Area is a pretty unique microcosm. Second, living here makes it much easier to consume responsibly – we have access, we have collective support, and we have money (relatively). However, I don’t think that lack of access or funds necessarily limits others from making lifestyle changes. For example, not drinking sugary sodas, eating only seasonal fruits and vegetables, and cutting out meat once a week are three very simple, cheap changes that would amount to a huge difference. Ultimately, most of us probably have something we could give-up, it’s just a matter of making the choice.
To me, the next question is how we can spread and adapt some of these cultural values to the rest of the country, and eventually the world, and what economic and policy changes need to happen first to allow those values to take root. I’m very confident in my generation of industrious leaders and social entrepreneurs, and I think we will make it happen in large part through technology, design innovation, and media. I’m still figuring out what form my own contributions will take, but I know that conscious and sustainable living will certainly be a large influencing factor.
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