Organics and a Slower Society
Friday, March 27th, 2009
Alice Waters serving up fresh and healthy organic food for some lucky new friends.
The idea behind slow food is that it is healthier to eat locally grown organic fresh foods that are grown and raised nearby. A side benefit of this is that the reduced transportation requirements should lead to reduced environmental impact of getting the food to your table.
In this “on demand” world we live in, the good folks on Madison Avenue have trained Americans to expect everything and right now. Want some popcorn, nuke it in the microwave instead of popping it on the stove (BTW, watch out for that popcorn lung disease if you eat 2 bags of microwave popcorn daily). Want dinner, pop by the drive through for something fast and easy. For that matter, instead of taking the time to write a thoughtful blog, use Twitter to dash of a 140 character micro-blog that will be forgotten by all that read it within 48 hours.
While fast food was once considered a bit of a treat or a luxury it has devolved into a staple of the American diet. The societal costs of fast food are significant as the obesity rate in America climbs and with it heart disease, diabetes and other health problems that rob American’s of their quality of life.
In life, the things that are most worth while often require some effort.
Alice Waters wants us to revert back to a more simple time when people took more pride in their cooking, when people shopped at markets to buy local fresh produce and when meals were more of a celebration of spending time with loved ones or new friends. Using organic food purchased from local merchants will help those hard working organic farmers and ranchers survive and even thrive.
By the way, slow food doesn’t always mean that it takes forever to cook. It is really all about quality wholesome food that you relish and celebrate instead of inhale. While healthy orgainic food does cost more than industrial food, that is a because industrial food is subsidized by the government polcies.
Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Alice Waters:
By the way, within a week of when this was aired Michelle Obama announced her new vegetable garden at the White House. It’s Spring so go get your own garden started or check out your local farmer’s market. Support organics and let’s make America a Slow Food Nation!
Your comments are always welcome!
