"Chemicals in Food May Harm Children, Pediatricians' Group Says"
By Roni Caryn Rabin
9/16/2018
In her article “Chemicals in Food May Harm Children, Pediatricians’ Group Says,” New York Times author, Roni Caryn Rabin, explains a recent report that came out from the American Academy of Pediatrics and how they are urging parents to cut back on the chemicals that their children are exposed to. The chemicals in question are chemicals used in meat preservatives, plastic packaging, and the lining in metal cans. The doctors are suggesting that parents avoid canned, packaged and processed foods, as well as replacing plastic wrap with wax paper. The studies discussed showed that infants and children are “particularly vulnerable to the effects of chemicals in food in part because they eat more food per pound of body weight than adults” and even more importantly “children’s metabolic systems and key organ systems are still developing and maturing, so hormone disruptions can potentially cause lasting changes,” says Rabin. In Pandora's Lunchbox, author Melanie Warner states that the FDA is overwhelmed with "reigning in" in the food industry's "blistering pace of innovation," (p. 104,105). This statement is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics as shown in their report, stating that "the FDA is not able to ensure the safety of existing or new additives through this approval mechanism." The FDA has many critics and rightfully so, it seems as if they do not have much control over what chemicals and additives are being added into the food Americans consume.
It is promising that large and widely trusted organizations are coming out with studies that show the lasting effects of processed foods and food additives, especially on America’s youth. The number one priority of all parents is to protect their children. Having this information available to them, as well as simple ways to limit the chemical exposure, could help educate parents and assist them in taking steps forward in improving the health and development of their children as well as themselves.
It is promising that large and widely trusted organizations are coming out with studies that show the lasting effects of processed foods and food additives, especially on America’s youth. The number one priority of all parents is to protect their children. Having this information available to them, as well as simple ways to limit the chemical exposure, could help educate parents and assist them in taking steps forward in improving the health and development of their children as well as themselves.
"Arizona Farm Accused of Abusing Mexican Migrant Workers"
by Natalie Kitroeff
9/26/18
In the article, “Arizona Farm Accused of Abusing Mexican Migrant Workers”, LA Times writer, Natalie Kitroeff, discusses a farm in Arizona that had been accused of illegally underpaying migrant farmers from Mexico. Along with being underpaid, workers lived in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Owner Santiago Gonzalez brought these workers in via the federal H-2A program. Under this program farmers are required to pay migrant workers a minimum of $10.95 an hour, Gonzalez paid his workers only “$0.13 to $0.70 per bag” of potatoes, watermelons, and onions.
Along with incredibly low wages, Gonzalez made his workers sleep in school buses and trailers without any windows where the workers had “less than a foot of space” in between the beds says Kitroeff, as well as nowhere to put their belongings making the buses quickly fill with garbage. This farm violated multiple Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, being described as a “makeshift labor camp” that was unsafe and unclean.
Migrant farmers are so incredibly important in United States agriculture. They do the jobs that Americans see themselves as “too good for” and without them farms across America would suffer drastically. Kitroeff states that "investigators have uncovered cases of employers shorting wages, soliciting kickbacks, illegally deducting rent and holding workers hostage to their visas." The jobs that migrant workers perform are exhausting and demanding and the farmers who hire them are aware of this. They way migrant farmers are treated must change but its not as easy as it sounds. In the novel The American Way of Eating by Tracie McMillan, while talking about legal farm workers possibly making a fuss she states "growers might do what they've always done in the threat of higher wages loom: use machines instead," (McMillan). This could be a possible explanation as to why migrant farmers are treated so poorly, because both they and the farmers know that there is another option for harvesting crops and that option is machines. Either way, no human deserves to be treated so poorly.
Along with incredibly low wages, Gonzalez made his workers sleep in school buses and trailers without any windows where the workers had “less than a foot of space” in between the beds says Kitroeff, as well as nowhere to put their belongings making the buses quickly fill with garbage. This farm violated multiple Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, being described as a “makeshift labor camp” that was unsafe and unclean.
Migrant farmers are so incredibly important in United States agriculture. They do the jobs that Americans see themselves as “too good for” and without them farms across America would suffer drastically. Kitroeff states that "investigators have uncovered cases of employers shorting wages, soliciting kickbacks, illegally deducting rent and holding workers hostage to their visas." The jobs that migrant workers perform are exhausting and demanding and the farmers who hire them are aware of this. They way migrant farmers are treated must change but its not as easy as it sounds. In the novel The American Way of Eating by Tracie McMillan, while talking about legal farm workers possibly making a fuss she states "growers might do what they've always done in the threat of higher wages loom: use machines instead," (McMillan). This could be a possible explanation as to why migrant farmers are treated so poorly, because both they and the farmers know that there is another option for harvesting crops and that option is machines. Either way, no human deserves to be treated so poorly.
"Hospital Fights Food Insecurity"
by Gabby Galvin
10/08/18
In the article, “Hospital Fights Food Insecurity”, Gabby Galvin explains how Arkansas Children’s Hospital has worked tirelessly since 2016 to help food insecure families in Pulaski County, Arkansas. The hospital has integrated social needs screenings to help identify families as food insecure and then helping those families get in contact with food pantries and other resources throughout the community. The hospital also offers free meals through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, classes that teach how to shop and eat healthier, an on-campus vegetable garden to supplement food donations, and more.
According to Galvin, 1 in 6 people and 1 in 4 children struggled with food insecurity in 2016. Many parents make too much money to qualify for food stamps and SNAP benefits, but not enough money to ensure a healthy meal for their children each night. In “From Junk Food to Treats” by Wei-ting Chen, Chen states that “when mothers are short on funds, they often use cheaper and less healthful foods to substitute for those they cannot afford” (p.121). This trend is also shown throughout Pulaski County. Sandra Reed, a single mother of two teenagers featured in the article, received help from the hospital because her children were both struggling with obesity as well as cardiovascular problems due to poor nutrition. Reed comments that “people talk about, ‘you want your kids to eat healthy’… but it’s hard for a single parent to maintain.” By implementing all of these resources for food insecure families, Arkansas Children’s Hospital has served more than 27,000 meals, has taught over 3,000 students about nutrition, and has distributed 1,486 bags of healthy groceries to the clinic’s visitors. This hospital cannot defeat food insecurity on their own, but they are most definitely making strides in their community. If large organizations in other states would do the same, the battle with U.S. food insecurity could possibly be won.
According to Galvin, 1 in 6 people and 1 in 4 children struggled with food insecurity in 2016. Many parents make too much money to qualify for food stamps and SNAP benefits, but not enough money to ensure a healthy meal for their children each night. In “From Junk Food to Treats” by Wei-ting Chen, Chen states that “when mothers are short on funds, they often use cheaper and less healthful foods to substitute for those they cannot afford” (p.121). This trend is also shown throughout Pulaski County. Sandra Reed, a single mother of two teenagers featured in the article, received help from the hospital because her children were both struggling with obesity as well as cardiovascular problems due to poor nutrition. Reed comments that “people talk about, ‘you want your kids to eat healthy’… but it’s hard for a single parent to maintain.” By implementing all of these resources for food insecure families, Arkansas Children’s Hospital has served more than 27,000 meals, has taught over 3,000 students about nutrition, and has distributed 1,486 bags of healthy groceries to the clinic’s visitors. This hospital cannot defeat food insecurity on their own, but they are most definitely making strides in their community. If large organizations in other states would do the same, the battle with U.S. food insecurity could possibly be won.
"Why In-N-Out Burger Won't Expand to the East Coast"
by Hayley Peterson
10/24/18
Writer for Business Insider, Hayley Peterson, lists the reasons why the infamous west coast fast food chain, In-N-Out, won’t be heading east anytime soon in her article “Why In-n-Out Won’t Expand to the East Coast”. Peterson discusses the restaurant’s four main reasons for not expanding. These are quality control, exclusivity, competition, and no franchising. In-N-Out’s president, Lynsi Snyder, states that “my heart is totally connected to this company because of my family… I have a strong tie to keep this the way they would want it” when describing why she refuses to franchise the chain of restaurants. Peterson states that “the exclusivity of In-N-Out has helped the restaurant gain such a rabid following of fans”, so expanding the restaurant even more would cause that exclusivity to disappear.
In The McDonaldization of Society, author George Ritzer discusses how In-N-Out is sometimes argued to be the “antithesis of McDonald’s” and “the fast-food chain that breaks all the rules”. Hayley Peterson’s article makes it seem as if those statements are true, but Ritzer has another opinion. The dimensions of McDonaldization, according to Ritzer, are efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. He argues that In-N-Out has “emphasized” efficiency by mainly serving customers through it’s drive-through, is “highly” predictable by only have a few selections on the menu, costs of meal are easily calculated by customers due to those few items, and has even more control than McDonald’s due to not franchising its restaurants, therefore making is McDonaldized. Although In-N-Out does fall under Ritzer’s dimensions of McDonaldization, their will to stay “small” and stick to their original values is something other restaurant chains should admire.
In The McDonaldization of Society, author George Ritzer discusses how In-N-Out is sometimes argued to be the “antithesis of McDonald’s” and “the fast-food chain that breaks all the rules”. Hayley Peterson’s article makes it seem as if those statements are true, but Ritzer has another opinion. The dimensions of McDonaldization, according to Ritzer, are efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. He argues that In-N-Out has “emphasized” efficiency by mainly serving customers through it’s drive-through, is “highly” predictable by only have a few selections on the menu, costs of meal are easily calculated by customers due to those few items, and has even more control than McDonald’s due to not franchising its restaurants, therefore making is McDonaldized. Although In-N-Out does fall under Ritzer’s dimensions of McDonaldization, their will to stay “small” and stick to their original values is something other restaurant chains should admire.
"The Most Effective Way to Save the Planet"
by Michael Rowland
10/31/18
In his article, “The Most Effective Way to Save the Planet”, Forbes author Michael Rowland summarizes a recent study by Oxford University that focused on how the shift away from meat and dairy is the most effective way to help the Earth. Rowland simply summarizes the study by stating that meat and dairy provide only a small amount of our calories and protein (18% and 37%) but use up 83% of our farmland and that without consuming meat and dairy, the use of global farmland could be reduced by more than 75%. Rowland also mentions the consumers fear of plant-based diets raising their grocery bill and says that this is where the government must step in. He states a few suggestions of how the government could do so for example, shifting subsidies to sustainable food producers, taxing meat and dairy products to encourage sustainable food consumption, and to clearly label the products so consumers know the impact of the food that they are purchasing. Rowland addresses the reader by saying “you first reaction might be to say that there is no way the world is going to shift to a plant-based diet” and then gives statistics that show how the world is already moving in the right direction. Rowland states that the number of people going vegan in the U.K. “has increased 360% in the last 10 years”. Rowland also addresses some critics who say that the production of plant products also creates greenhouse emissions just like meat production does by saying “even the lowest impact beef is responsible for six times more greenhouse gases and 36 times more farmland” than plant proteins. Finally, to end the article Rowland brings it full circle by stating that going plant-based not only saves the planet but can drastically improve the person's health as well by solving health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
This relates to Annick de Witt’s article “People Still Don’t Understand the Link Between Meat Consumption and Climate Change”. De Witt states that “adoption of a healthy diet would generate over a quarter of the emission reductions needed by 2050” (pg. 2). People transitioning to plant-based diets not only can drastically affect our planet’s changing climate but can also drastically improve the health of those who adopt it. A plant-based diet is a double-edged sword that has the power to slash through America’s major problems.
This relates to Annick de Witt’s article “People Still Don’t Understand the Link Between Meat Consumption and Climate Change”. De Witt states that “adoption of a healthy diet would generate over a quarter of the emission reductions needed by 2050” (pg. 2). People transitioning to plant-based diets not only can drastically affect our planet’s changing climate but can also drastically improve the health of those who adopt it. A plant-based diet is a double-edged sword that has the power to slash through America’s major problems.
"Big Data Suggests Big Potential for Urban Farming"
by Amy Crawford
11/26/18
In her article, "Big Data Suggests Big Potential for Urban Farming", author Amy Crawford discusses new research that has been released on the potential of urban farming. It has been found that urban farming can provide many benefits for not only cities but the world. Since the topic of this futuristic way of farming is relatively new, not much research has been conducted on its benefits, making some people skeptical. A new study published in the scientific journal, Earth's Future, determined that urban agriculture could "produce as much as 180 million metric tons of food a year—perhaps 10 percent of the global output of legumes, roots and tubers, and vegetable crops". These findings are huge for the urban agriculture community and researchers are hoping that they will convince local leaders to take urban farming more seriously. Along with producing large amounts of produce, urban farms can also help reduce pollution. According to Crawford, urban agriculture could "provide as much as 15 billion kilowatt hours of annual energy savings worldwide... It could also sequester up to 170,000 tons of nitrogen and prevent as much as 57 billion cubic meters of stormwater runoff, a major source of pollution in rivers and streams". Even though urban farming cannot feed the world, it still contributes more benefits than drawbacks.
While bringing a new way to grow food and reduce pollution to the table, urban agriculture can also help solve social problems within our society. Aerofarms, a vertical farming company, has a goal of eliminating food deserts by bringing vertical farming to "undeserved neighborhoods" ("How Does this Garden Grow? To the Ceiling?"). Food desserts are extremely prominent throughout U.S. cities and by growing fresh produce in the heart of these cities, it could potentially knock out the devastating effects that food deserts have on low-income Americans (poor nutrition, starvation and obesity to name a few). Urban farming may seem like a futuristic way of life, but it is happening all over the U.S., and it's working to bring positive change into American cities.
While bringing a new way to grow food and reduce pollution to the table, urban agriculture can also help solve social problems within our society. Aerofarms, a vertical farming company, has a goal of eliminating food deserts by bringing vertical farming to "undeserved neighborhoods" ("How Does this Garden Grow? To the Ceiling?"). Food desserts are extremely prominent throughout U.S. cities and by growing fresh produce in the heart of these cities, it could potentially knock out the devastating effects that food deserts have on low-income Americans (poor nutrition, starvation and obesity to name a few). Urban farming may seem like a futuristic way of life, but it is happening all over the U.S., and it's working to bring positive change into American cities.