The Intern Blogging Block
Maisha Uddin
~ Sustainability in Food Politics
In recent years, discussions of climate change have come into the mainstream of political discourse. While most people are aware of how fossil fuels and deforestation are endangering our planet’s future, an often overlooked contributor to climate change is food waste.
According to a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, an estimated one-third of the food produced globally is wasted. As a result, the emissions released by decomposing food comprise 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The seemingly contrasting issue of food insecurity is also on the rise globally. With nearly a quarter of the world struggling to be food secure, despite there being enough food to feed them, the inequalities present in the distribution of food and resources are evident. The impact of global warming will only serve to exacerbate this problem, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that by 2050, up to an additional 183 million people will be under the risk of experiencing food insecurity if carbon dioxide levels continue increasing.
While the future appears dire, there are a few solutions that, if implemented and utilized, could address the issues of food insecurity and food waste in a sustainable manner.
To combat the prevalence of food waste, there have been efforts to utilize technology to connect people with businesses trying to get rid of excess food:
The app Too Good to Go, which allows for food businesses to curate mystery bags containing excess food that can be reserved for low prices through the app.
Companies like Hungry Harvest, Imperfect Foods, and Misfits Market have focused on buying undesirable produce – that is still consumable – and delivering it to people.
Other companies such as FoodMaven and Full Harvest seek out surplus and blemished food from farmers and distribution centers to sell or donate to other businesses.
In regards to addressing food insecurity, the rise of vertical farming could serve as an efficient method of local food production. Vertical farming is a controlled-environment agriculture technique of producing crops in vertically stacked layers. It can utilize multi-story buildings for agricultural purposes instead of traditional farms, thereby increasing access to more locally produced crops in many regions – especially in urban areas.
In comparison to traditional agriculture and greenhouses, vertical farms consume a lot less water and produce a higher crop yield. They can also be located anywhere, since climate can’t influence the crops being grown, which allows for local production and consumption.
This greatly reduces carbon emissions from food transportation methods, while also stimulating the local economy and reducing agricultural waste. However, a significant drawback is the large amount of energy that is required for the vertical farms to function. This issue could be mitigated through an increased utilization of clean energy systems, which could allow vertical farms to reduce their carbon footprint.
Actively implementing more sustainable solutions is of the utmost importance for the future of our planet. Oftentimes this is not the focus of many industries and governments, but through awareness and advocacy for these solutions, there is hope for systematic changes regarding how we produce and distribute food.
Ana Wibisono
~ On Vertical Farming
The concept of vertical farming is steadily gaining recognition as it provides quality produce through meticulous engineering and careful monitoring. Because this method strays from the traditional form of farming we’ve been habituated to, many wonder how efficient vertical farming is as well as the quality of the products that result from it.
The behind the scenes of vertical farming is shown through a tour of Oishii Berry Farm, an indoor vertical farm that specializes in growing high quality strawberries. With the goal of bringing the acclaimed Japanese strawberry to America, founder Hiroki Koga utilized the cultivation techniques used in Japan as well as his twist on vertical farming. We see how much care and research is put into the production of these “perfect” strawberries, as each berry is measured for any inconsistencies in glucose levels as well as physical imperfections.
Although this short video portrays vertical farming as a revolutionary practice in the world of producing and selling fresh produce, at home vertical farming kits are also gaining popularity.
The concept of having a farm in the convenience of your home is heavily weighed on by the companies selling these kits. The opportunity to take part in this growing practice is very appealing to many since it allows them to see first hand how the entire process works.
Companies such as Lettuce Grow give consumers the option to choose what produce they’d like to grow at home as well as step by step instructions.
One major factor to consider, however, is cost. The produce that comes out of vertical farms is more expensive than the produce we’d typically go for in our local supermarkets. Additionally, because vertical farms usually require more electricity to run, they are more difficult to manage and tend to be extremely costly.
Therefore, although vertical farming is considered to be “a new frontier in agriculture” and has proven itself to be so, there are still ways to go in order to make it more accessible and affordable.
Ways to Consider Sustainable Urban Farming
Support CSAs - What’s a CSA?, Learn More Here
Find a nearby NYC Greenmarket, Farmstand, Fresh Food Box - GrowNYC Map Here
Shirvan Persad
An End of Year Reflection
May 24th, 2021
Hi everyone, my name is Shirvan Persad and I am an intern at the Urban Outreach Center. I am a student attending Hunter College, following the pre-med track. I enjoy exercising and listening to music, whenever I have leisure time. I love science and helping others. Being a pre-health student, you need to accumulate a certain amount of volunteer hours, which is fulfilled by UOC. Also, it is always good to give back to the community and assist those who are less fortunate. The world can be a cruel place, but the Urban Outreach Center gives hope for the future happiness of mankind.
I have been working with the crew since February 2021 and they are all amazing. The main leaders, other interns, extra volunteers, and donors all collaborate with each other in a positive way.
I have learned so much about food insecurity and other related issues that surround the neighborhood. I have interacted with multiple guests who come to the food pantry. It warms my heart to see a smile on their faces.
The community consists of older folks and some non English speakers, which can make communication difficult at times.
Recently, we had new members join to translate and break the language barrier.
The center has really expanded with people since I first started.
I have learned that it is always best to do your tasks with a positive attitude, especially when serving the community.
Cindy Qiu
An End of Year Reflection
June 10th, 2021
It has been a pleasure being part of UOC’s Spring 2021 cohort of interns. Although my internship was remote due to COVID, I thoroughly enjoyed my time working at UOC. UOC operates as a bridge connecting guests with accessible services as well as a safe space for the guests. UOC's approach to ending the hunger gap in New York City is to emphasize the focus on our guests. My time at UOC has inspired me to research more about food insecurity in the city as well as globally. Outside of UOC, I discovered ways to fight against food waste such as using apps like Too Good to Go or fighting against global hunger through apps like ShareTheMeal.
UOC has also taught me the importance of flexibility and independence. UOC allowed me to make my own schedule and deadlines. As an intern, we are given the flexibility to work on our work ethic. This makes us more independent as interns in creating our own standards and expectations while working as a team! There is an emphasis on time management and I will continue to work on this skill in my future endeavors. I would like to extend my thanks to Angelo and Shaun for providing a warm environment for the interns. The people at UOC are what made my experience enjoyable.
Food Security Blog Series
I want to welcome you all to the wide world of Food Security! Don't know what that is? Here is a great article on the spectrum of Food Security (ranging from high to very low F.S.) put together by the folks at Feeding America, a fellow non-profit and the first food bank in the United States (then called St. Mary's Food Bank founded in 1967.). According to sociology professor Janet Poppendieck, hunger within the US was widely considered to be a solved problem until the mid-1960s...Please watch this video here to learn more about food insecurity and how we need to change how we think and act with regards to global food systems.
Below you will find a series of blog entries made by our very own Hunter College Summer 2021 Internship Cohort based upon the article and video regarding food security found above.
Abidur Rafi ~ Thoughts on Food Security Blog #1
There are no boundaries within Food Insecurity and the article for this week clearly outlines this fact.
Food insecurity “does not exist in isolation” meaning as much as low-income families are impacted, families that may be considered above a certain poverty line may also experience Food Insecurity.
The article presents a video of Brittany and her family, as homeowners, her family may be above the poverty line, however, they are still unable to purchase nutritional food on a regular basis. The Utah Food Bank mentioned is an amazing opportunity to provide resources to families like Brittany.
I believe the issues we face in the U.S and around the world that affect families like Brittany’s is one that has to do with food distribution, as discussed within the weeks video.
We already have some methods in place to re-direct the distribution so that more people are provided with food, however, we can take another step further:
lobby for funding that can be directly introduced in communities to develop large sustainable community gardens and programs that work alongside food distributors around the U.S to get food on the plates of hundreds and thousands of families.
Devoy Ellis ~ Thoughts on Food Security Blog #2
Jennifer Palinski was just 16 years old when she found out she will be migrating to the United States of America. A childhood dreams finally coming to fruition and a hope for a far better life than what she had in Guyana. Jennifer arrived in New York City where she found herself now homeless and hopping from houses to shelters with her mother because they were not financially stable, after a year of struggles Jennifer finally found a job at her local Deli where she would work full-time to help with rent, yes!
Rent was the only thing she could afford other than meals that she would eat intermittently because she couldn’t afford a secure diet. Just like Jennifer, 1 in 9 Americans suffer too from food insecurity equating to 37 million Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Who does food insecurity affect? Although food insecurity is closely related to poverty, not all people living below the poverty line experience it and people living above the poverty line can also experience food insecurity.
What are some of the things we can do to decrease the prevalence of food insecurity in our communities?
We can advocate to our local representative to develop laws that would stop the excess food waste
we should also try to implement urban agriculture by educating our communities on the importance of fixing these problems which can be done through different social media forums and adding it to our school curriculum.
By practicing healthy lifestyles and advocating for change we can help families like Jennifer Palinski’s.
Eli Feldman ~ Thoughts on Food Security Blog #3
Food insecurity affects far more people than mainstream media seems to portray. A study from 2018 concluded that about 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure: this includes individuals who were unable to achieve optimal quantity and/or quality of food consumed due to limited financial resources.
Food insecurity impacts people across different spectrums of social and ethnic backgrounds, but disproportionately affects low-income households. This problem does not exist because there is not enough food produced to account for population growth: it exists because the food that is produced isn’t properly distributed to those who need it most.
Technological advances, thanks to scientific research, have manifested as significant improvements in both the quality and quantity of food produced. However, despite these developments, millions around the world still die from severe malnourishment and about one-third of all food produced goes to waste.
So what’s driving this problem?
Greedy corporations that want to secure immediate profits by capitalizing on a food chain that doesn’t serve the less fortunate. Rather than transforming food distribution, lobbyists for these corporations ensure that unsustainable practices are legally upheld for their own short-term financial interests.
Perhaps if the money spent on lobbying was redirected to initiatives involving regenerative farming and nutrition science, we can ensure that everyone has secure access to nutritional and affordable food.
Until we end corporate control of the production and distribution of food, millions more around the world will continue to die from hunger.
Abir Sarker ~ Thoughts on Food Security Blog #4
Often times, people associate hunger with food insecurity, but the two concepts despite being related are quite different.
While hunger refers to the “physical sensation of discomfort when the body is not being properly fed, food insecurity refers to the lack of resources from a financial standpoint to acquire food at the household level such that normal eating patterns are not disrupted. So, someone who is not experiencing hunger could still experience food insecurity and remains an issue that should not be tied solely to poverty. As we understand, people living above the poverty line can experience food insecurity and similarly, not all those living below the poverty line in a given area experience food insecurity though most do end up facing it.
In consequence, families who do not have the proper financial resources often end up settling for lower priced foods on a regular basis which for the most part are not healthy or of adequate nutritional value to begin with. The detrimental effects that such cases of poor nutrition can have on overall health especially among kids cannot be ignored. For the future of our youth, nutrition is found at the intersection of basic measures such as cognitive development, academic performance, growth, etc.
Food security is also not just a black and white issue as many would expect; households experience varying degrees of food security from high, marginal, low, to very low which makes it very evident that the experiences in accessing enough food are all over the scale.
While the effort by nonprofits such as food pantries and banks help to alleviate such stress, there must be changes brought forth so that healthy food can be made more accessible and affordable for all at a much larger scale.
Farming industries need to look into more eco friendly practices that can maximize output without affecting the environment around for the sole purpose of fiscal output
examples of measures/ changes that would improve yield safely include:
vertical farming
redistribution of current food supplies
subsidization of regenerative farming techniques
banning of destructive methods which are not environmentally friendly such as overgrazing.
The goal in the end should be to provide fresh food and produce for the sole purpose of making sure no one goes hungry rather than for its economic value.
Though such changes would indeed take some time…
Supermarkets can start placing more emphasis ensuring unnecessary food waste gets properly donated and better manage stock because quite frequently, shelves are kept full so they do not “run out” because it is more profitable simply put than letting a few customers come back for those desired items at a later time.
While many supermarkets turn to compost to control food waste, to ensure that those who are food insecure are getting it. Instead they need to implement better software or analytical services to ensure that no more than the required amount of ready-to-eat meals are prepared. Also consider produce, which fails to sell due to minor physical changes after a certain amount of days are instead properly reallocated in a more timely manner to food banks and nonprofit organizations.
There is more than enough food for all to be fed so that food insecurity is no longer a prevalent issue, but it would need collective lobbying, political pressure, planning, and organization which is much easier said than done, but not impossible!