Welcome to Our Blog!

In conjunction with the Center for Environment, Economy and Society of Columbia University and Ms. Kim Baker we are studying issues regarding our contemporary food culture. We are particularly focused on food justice, food deserts and the fast food industry.We will be blogging to report our learning and observations. Keep an eye on our blog as we examine critical issues regarding our societal relationship to food and nutrition.

Blog Entry #5 - A Summary

Blog entry #5- In Class 812 at the Secondary School for Journalism (SSJ) we have spent the last two months examining issues around food. We have been doing this in conjunction with the Center for Economy, Environment, and Society (CEES) of Columbia University and Ms. Kim Baker. We were concerned with studying food deserts, and the growth and prevalence of the fast food industry, and the effects both of these problems have on the health of Americans. We also looked at the possibilities for a healthier lifestyle and how we might change our diets and also how we might encourage healthier alternatives for those around us.

As part of our study we watched “Super Size Me”, which is about a film maker who spent a month eating McDonald’s food exclusively. We read Chew On This, which details the rise and practices of the American fast food industry. We read a variety of articles which described the relationship we have with food as a society and the way government wants us to live one way but then promotes food which is bad for us.

We did most of our work in Room 300 at SSJ, but we had an opportunity to take our work out of the classroom. We looked at our neighborhoods to determine whether or not we lived in food deserts ourselves. Many of us live in neighborhoods where it is hard to get fresh real food. We took a trip to the Union Square Greenmarket where we had an opportunity to try fresh local food and learn about the benefits of buying food from neighboring farms. We kept food journals to make us more mindful of where and how we eat. And yet we still have a taste and desire for fast food. Hopefully we will use what we have learned to change our behavior…

GREENMARKET TRIP!

The trip to the greenmarket was fun. There was cookies that were really big.And the brownies were small but good.The trip was very informational but okay.We got to ask the farmers questions about their farms. We got to try different foods and fruits, learn about the different types of potatoes.