 |
| Nutritional food that's easily prepared when the store is just down the street! |
But in a country where obesity is epidemic, the urgent need for healthy foods falls into the heading of "Food Justice" according to the Community Food Advocates. They are currently working to get grocery stores into communities that do not currently have them so that people can walk or easily drive to get healthier foods on the table for dinner. It's also important for all us to be aware that we live in a country where poor city planning has created Food Deserts that are encouraging children to be fat while also starving them of nutrition. It's a local issue with local implications. Speak up and know what's going on in you community! YOu can also help by going to the Community Food advocates website and seeing what they are doing to help communities. But more than that, you can stop voting for politicians who are going to reward grocery store chains that move out of urban areas into suburban areas simply because they perceive there is more money to be made there. Or, ask your politicians to give the same tax breaks to local, family owned grocers that big corporations get so that they can stay in business!
I am participating in Blog Action Day 2011. This year's subject: FOOD
#BAD11
Thanks to Rayna of Coffee Rings Everywhere for drawing this to my attention!
This is so true! Food deserts. Oasis filled with fats and stuffed with empty calories!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog.
I saw a post similar to this over at Golden Eagle's blog. The simple truth is that with a growing population, the world has an unsustainable model to be able to adequately feed everyone. Yet, people continue to reproduce. I agree with you though that America needs to pick up the slack and provide healthy foods to everyone (not just the rich and privileged). But my comments will fall on deaf ears as the rich don't care
ReplyDeleteHi Bish! Glad you dropped by! IT's pretty sad situation.
ReplyDeleteMichael: What's crazy about the "food deserts" that I am talking about is that this is just in the US. Not even talking about Somalia or parts of India or anything where they go without food (which is another horrible situation)- just the US. For instance, in the inner city of Denver, you have to get in your car (if you have one) and drive quite a ways to find a grocery store because Krogers doesn't want to build in those communities. But I don't really care if Krogers or Safeway will build there-- I really think that cities should make it sustainable for mom and pop shops to be able to operate. I hate that cities are so unfriendly and overtax small businessmen while giving so many tax breaks to the big corporations. And on top of that, I hate the power that corporations have to drive little businesses out of business. Do you know how many family owned companies that Walmart has put out of business making the "food Deserts" worse? It's a crime!
So true about making our kids fats without actually being of any value!
ReplyDeleteI agree, there should definitely be resources that people can easily access by walking or driving. Food deserts are a big issue.
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming by my BAD11 post. :)