By Mary Ellen Ternes
Have you wondered about the term "slow food?" To my kids, slow food is anything that isn't ready after about two minutes in the microwave. But slow food, along with local food, sustainable food and green dining, are the edible elements of sustainable thinking these days.
Slow food appears to be an anti-fast-food movement, promoted by the nonprofit entity Slow Food International to protect "taste, culture, and the environment as universal social values." The thinking includes the admirable goal of trying to get us to slow down and enjoy real food - that is, food without "Mc" or other prefixes, various super sizes, and heart-stopping amounts of fat, sugar and sodium.
Local food movements have a slightly different goal: to get you to buy fresh and buy local. Pomegranates in June, for instance, may be wonderful, but they aren't really "in season" in June, particularly in Oklahoma. To get to your table, this fruit was likely picked a long way away or in a hothouse. That sounds like lots of fuel and water en route, and they are probably not "just picked" when they get here. While I like fruit as much as the next person, there is something attractive about enjoying fruit in season, "just picked" by local growers when the fruit is naturally ripe and driven relatively short distances.
Local food movements want to recognize certain goals and values in supporting our diets. Some goals may generally reflect sustainability ideals of economic viability, social justice and environmental protection; other goals of any particular local food-oriented organization may include healthier and more wholesome choices (low-fat, made daily from scratch), use of organic farming methods, more nutrient-dense foods and foods that have been allowed to ripen longer and transported fewer miles. Some of the goals, however, are value-driven, including the concept that eating locally preserves family farms and local growers, in an attempt to avoid some of the issues that have been raised in the context of really large commercial operations. Other value-driven goals include dolphin-safe tuna and wild-caught salmon, as well as eggs produced from cage-free and certified humane chicken producers.
Oklahoma has its own local food organization: the
Oklahoma Food Cooperative, or "Coop." With the price of membership, the Coop allows you to buy locally grown food from certified organic growers, directly from local farmers and ranchers identified in online customer handbooks, with recipes incorporating seasonal products. And, you can meet the people who produce your food at Oklahoma food events.
In addition to promoting the economic viability of the local food approach and social justice by arranging for easy donations to low-income neighbors, the Coop also promotes "Table Fellowship." Members can get together to host an Oklahoma food dinner - the Coop can help with specific menus and recipes - for churches, schools, organizations or workplaces. The Coop is owned by its members, and all are encouraged to get involved. What fun!
Nonprofit environmental groups have contributed to the sustainable table as well by working with corporations to better manage the food they serve and the restaurants they operate. For example, the Environmental Defense Fund has partnered with Restaurant Associates (including McDonalds!) to create "Green Dining Best Practices." These practices comprehensively address issues arising from conventional production, transportation and preparation approaches that can result in wasting materials and energy, and require an unhealthy reliance on chemicals.
Green Dining Best Practices include guidelines for food purchasing, such as meat, dairy and eggs produced without antibiotics designed for humans, organic produce grown in season, seafood from eco-friendly fisheries, purchasing frm local farms to prevent unnecessary generation of emissions from transportation, coffee and tea from organic growing methods, and beverages that do not require single-size bottles, known as the "bottleless beverage option." All of this "green food" would then be served in a sustainable dining establishment, which would use green cleaning supplies, Energy Star appliances in an appliance scheduling program to minimize power use, conserve water with low-flow faucets and toilets, adhere to energy-and-water-efficient building construction, utilize washable and reusable serviceware and more recyclable to-go containers, focus waste minimization efforts to emphasize waste avoidance or reduction first, then reuse and then recycle, EDF has issued the "No Net Cost Challenge" to elicit demonstrations by participating in Organizations that Green Dining Best Practices results in no net additional cost.
BE INFORMEDMary Ellen Ternes, Esq. is a former chemical engineer from both the EPA and industry. She is currently a shareholder with McAfee & Taft and co-chair of its Renewable and Sustainable Energy Industry Group, and is serving a three-year term as City of Nichols Hills Environment, Health and Sustainability Commissioner.
This article was published in the November 2010 issue of OKC Downtown Monthly, Edmond Monthly, Norman Living, Nichols Hills News and Northwest Style. It is reproduced with permission from the publisher. © 2010 Southwestern Publishing