Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Forage Voyage

It doesn't quite rhyme... but this is my next project and I'm eager to share it.

The purpose of the Forage Voyage is to collect information for and make substantial progress towards the completion of a book. Recently, a flurry of books (e.g., Omnivore’s Dilemma, Food Fight) and films (e.g., Food Inc., Fresh) have emerged. These works have attempted to link together problems in our modern-day food system with their associated consequences on human life. In some ways, the problems defined by previous works have been narrow in scope, focusing on specific ways that our food system affects health, the climate, or the relationship between politics and agribusiness. However, what we choose to eat has widespread implications, and previous works have failed to demonstrate the interconnected nature of food and the consequences that consumption has on global health. So, I will venture into the wild, foraging meals along the way, to write a book in hopes of making those connections more clear. In the book, I plan to frame our food system in its historical and psychological context. Specifically, I will discuss events that helped shape our modern-day food system, from evolutionary adaptations psychological preferences to public policies that have both worked and failed.

Food is essential for human life, and the progress we have made in designing a food system aimed at reducing hunger and malnutrition has been successful in some key ways, but limited in others. At the same time, modern-day agriculture has adverse impacts on health and the environment. Perhaps the most obvious impact of our food choices is on physical health. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) claims that obesity has been steadily increasing since 1985, when rates were less than 10% in most states. By 1997, most states had obesity rates between 15-19%. As of 2010, obesity rates were greater than 20% in every single state, and in 13 states, were greater than 30%. Only 20% of Americans get enough exercise, however, that figure has not changed since 1986, suggesting that our food environment is the cause of increased obesity. As a result, 4 out of the 6 leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes) in this country are diet-related. This is not an American problem, the consequences of obesity are spreading; diabetes is projected to increase by 75% in China and 135% in India by 2030.

Obesity has been attributed to the consumption of highly processed foods, which are calorically dense and nutritionally poor. According to the USDA guidelines, only 5% of our daily calories should come from fat and sugar. However, the average 10-year old reports consuming 46% of their daily calories from added sugars and fats. Processed foods are more convenient than fresh fruits and vegetables, and appear more affordable at the register. However, the true cost of food is not reflected in its price tag because some crops are subsidized by tax dollars, such as corn, which is used to make unhealthy foods like corn syrup, rather than to fresh vegetables. In fact, in 2007, 74% of our government-sponsored farm subsides were allocated to meat and dairy, which should comprise only 20% of our diet.Whereas, 35% of our diet should be based on fruits and vegetables, but less than 1% of the farm subsides went towards those crops. Hence, a salad costs more than a McDonald’s Big Mac. Moreover, chronic diseases account for 75% of U.S. healthcare costs, another cost that is not reflected in the price tag.

Beyond the health of our bodies, food choices are environmentally costly in other ways. For example, agriculture is responsible for nearly 70% of all water usage. It takes a lot of water to grow and produce the food that we consume, with some foods, such as meat and dairy, being thirstier than others, such as vegetables. The type of agricultural system we have perfected in this country is also polluting water essential for life. In fact, agriculture is responsible for 70% of all water pollution, and 97% of all rivers and streams in this country tested positive for agricultural pesticides, 20% contained 10 or more different pesticide compounds, and 95% of edible fish, mollusks, and freshwater aquatic life test positive. Some individuals are affected by pollution more than others, contributing to social injustices. For example, farm workers exposed to occupational chemicals, often poor minorities, have high rates of prostate cancer.

These statistics are not new, but the analysis will be. As a Psychologist, I have a unique perspective on and understanding of our food choices. If the demand for real food, over food-like (highly processed) products, were to increase, then we could eliminate many of the problems associated with our food system. So, why do individuals choose to consume certain foods over others? This is the story of my book, and has been the aim of my research and the foundation for the classes that I have developed over the past 4 years. My research has been funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), and I have been privileged to work directly with some of the leading food researchers in the world. In my book, I plan to discuss evolutionary preferences for salt, sugar, and fat; food addiction; how packaging, labels, and facts affect our choices; and, very importantly, how disconnected we have become from our food and the land on which it is grown (topics grounded in the field of Ecopsychology). I will propose a number of solutions, something that the previous works have largely failed to do, which involve reconnecting with the land—putting a new twist on an old ideal. I will draw from research examining how natural experiences impact psychological wellbeing and consciousness. In addition, I will use my experience as a forager and urban gardener to tell the history of food, and to describe how being disconnected from the land on which our food grown results in a devaluation of our bodies (leading to obesity and health issues), a devaluation of each other (leading to social injustices and greed), and a devaluation of this planet (leading to pollution and a loss of biodiversity).

I'm heading out of LA on a diesel powered bus, which I'll live in for 6 months. I'll forage all my meals (hopefully), and trade what I can't find for goodies like red wine. I made my first batch of mugwort beer this week, but I can't go without the red wine... it's healthy, after all. My boyfriend, Andre, will be joining me, filming, collecting, setting up meals and events, and helping me write field guides and contributing to this book in various ways. The Forage Voyage departs at the end of May, and will follow the rain that feeds the mushrooms. This is just the start of many more posts to follow... stay tuned and spread the word. If you're interested in helping, please contact me!