Thinking Sustainably

In a dream last night Alice Waters cooked me a fresh meal in her California home (my unconscious is connected to some pretty impressive people). As I feasted upon pappardelle in a fresh tomato ragu, prepared in her trademark "California cuisine" style I asked chef,

"Alice, how do you really expect everyone to eat organically and sustainably?"


My bff Alice. Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

People either love or hate Alice Waters. She's infamous in the food world as the advocate for eating locally, sustainably, and organically. Logically it makes sense--foods produced close by are processed less since they aren't shipped across countries in freezer trucks, have a much lower carbon foot print, and support the local economy. Organically means a more controlled environment with (ideally) no pesticide and herbicide use and no antibiotics/growth hormones for livestock. It's healthier. And tastier. The only bitter melon I can tolerate is the one from my mom's garden.

Obviously there are some fallbacks. Eating locally means no tomatoes or strawberries in the dead of winter for most people. Also from anyone who has been grocery shopping knows that with the organic label comes a pretty painful markup, around 10-40%. As a poor and struggling college student, I can't afford that. $4 for a pint of blueberries at the Wooster Square farmer's market is a luxury. The option to eat locally and sustainably may not be available for those who rely on large supermarket chains, or worse small corner marts.

If we're so focused on restoring the health of America, reducing obesity and diabetes rates, then we need to target those most susceptible--the socioeconomically disadvantaged. Really, eating sustainably isn't a viable option or a concern for those making $17k a year.

I come from a fairly gritty town (Bridgeport, CT) where for 16 years I had never heard the words organic uttered outside of chemistry class. These concerns were relegated to fussy middle class housewives who were merely jumping on the latest culinary craze. Good marketing I thought.

Feasible? No. When one gallon of milk costs $3 while another costs $5 and minimizing costs is the highest priority when you're feeding a large family, it's a no-brainer.

In many ways that's why people hate Alice Waters. She's an idealist (after Obama's election she tried contacting him to push for a healthier food policy and sustainable gardens all over the country) but she's a little out of touch with reality. Not everyone can or wants to eat through farmer's markets or in season. When there's a strong correlation between poverty and obesity, these people are also the ones suffering because of it.

Alice is trying to change the way we see foods. She brought the sustainability focus here to Yale, establishing the Yale Sustainable Food Project to represent the university's stake in our health and wellbeing. Every day there's at least one dish that's made entirely of sustainable and local ingredients. When in season, almost 50% of the produce is locally sourced (because really you can't find bananas in New England). It's a nice change of pace from the regular burger and fries. But we again run into the problem of healthy foods being only accessible to the privileged.
















Yale's farm. That's right, we have our own sustainable farm.

So what do we do to make people want good food? Some people claim reduce government subsidies for major farms, or educate the kids regarding respect for food (read more about the Edible Schoolyard), or even punish those who buy the bad stuff with higher prices but these are still ideas, not policies.

I woke up before I could get the answer from Alice. When I fell back asleep, I was off killing zombies with my Blastoise.

For more info on Alice Waters, sustainability, or Yale's practices, use Google.

Go Watch Dollhouse!

I have a new obsession.

In the lethargy and carefree of Winter break I caught up all the television and pop culture that couldn't fit between classes and socialization. I watched Chuck (what I deem Seth Cohen as a secret agent). Sang along with the New Directions Glee Club. My friends tried to get me into Rome and the rise of Caesar.

But it was on a trip to California that I watched a couple episodes of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse that I became hooked.

The premise is pretty straightforward: a secret organization possesses the technology to erase and upload whole personalities into people, called actives. These agents provide clients with whatever service necessary because of their malleability and adaptability-- need a safe breaker just imprint an active with the skills and the mind of a thief. Outside of jobs they're wiped clean and reduced to childlike states with no recollection of their actions.


These dolls can become anything the clients want from psychological profilers to lovers. They're all very attractive. It's creepy and raises a lot of ethical questions, but that's what Whedon wants. For example, the actives themselves are incapable of consenting to any of their actions since they're imprinted to want it and don't make the decision themselves. Is that rape or coercion? Since all of the actives were volunteers in the first place and it is a job, does their initial agreement encompass consent to all subsequent behavior? How are we supposed to feel about the man who imprints a stranger with his dead wife's mind every anniversary so they can spend at least one day together? Wrong? Endearing? Morals aren't force feed and there are no real lessons to take away at the end of every episode, just topics and questions to mull over should you please.

Obviously the television show delves into the possibility of a core consciousness--if we peel away memories and personality traits is there something that's so sticky and personal that we can call it ourselves? Whedon's decided that there is something fundamental with the main character, Echo, who is deemed "special" since she can ::spoilers:: remember personas and keep a consistent consciousness even when she's wiped clean.

There are some stretches however. It's not possible to healthily "wipe" someone's mind Eternal Sunshine style--that's called brain damage. Memories are a network of neurons that rely on billions of connections. It's not like a series of pegs where one can isolate and remove a memory--it's more like a house of cards and all the diamonds used are one memory--you can't change one cluster without affecting others. It's a complaint that my friend and I (both psychology majors, she a proper neuroscience major) raise all the time. It's just a TV show we're constantly reminded.

The series is winding down soon because of low ratings (it's on Fridays)and I expect Joss Whedon will kill off all the characters because that's what he always does with his canceled series but if you're a Whedon fan, want to check out his current work (many of the actors were in his other work), and have some time to kill check out Dollhouse on Fox or on Hulu.

Also the actor who plays Topher is a recent Yale grad. Go alums!