Supporting local food systems by
c
onnecting community, food & place
Thirty Ways
WE
Can Be Food System Changemakers!
click on each bubble to learn more.
Protect pollinators;
create a pollinator pathway,
leave the leaves and
raise the blade
Learn the ways in which the industrialized food system is founded on and perpetuates exploitative, extractive and harmful practices
Solutions are nuanced, understand
the complexities as there is not
one silver bullet
Consider True Cost Accounting when
you ask; why is local, artisanal
produced food so expensive
Learn about the
CT Farm to School Collaborative and bring
Put Local On Your Tray to your public school
Protect the integrity of taste and
flavor by seeking out heritage breeds, heirloom varieties + artisanal foodways,
the Slow Food Ark of Taste
is an excellent resource
Let your legislators know that farmland, woodland, waterways and open space are important to you as they protect our
regional foodshed
Start a school garden, where all children can learn how to grow and celebrate food
Understand how and why food apartheid is real, learn its origin story and how it impacts communities today, and then be proactive in supporting BIPOC farmers, initiatives and businesses that foster a just and equitable food system
Donate to your municipal and state land trust; protected land and waterways protect our foodshed and support resilience
Engage and support your municipal food policy council and if you don’t have one --
start one
Source food as if the health and
well being of your life, that of your family, your community and of future generations depends on it;
because it does
Access to fresh nutrient dense food is a human right, all recipients of SNAP, WIC and low income seniors should have access to fresh produce at their local Farmers' Market, check out National Farmers Market Coalition and learn more about activating these programs in your community, and if your Farmers Market is already on board --help spread the word
Ask your local grocery stores, restaurants, and caterers to put seasonal, regional and sustainability produced food on the menu
Support bans on toxic pesticides, chemicals and gas-powered equipment that harm ecosystem services
Eat intuitively, resist diets, fads and habits that disconnect you from your body and culture; honor what feels good for your body's constitution; enjoy, take pleasure in eating, nurture yourself with the life force produced from the earth provides naturally
Check out the
CT Food System Alliance
and the
CT Food Policy Council
and learn about the CT Food Action Plan - share your thoughts and ideas
Bring a nutritious meal to
an elder
Show up for BIPOC farmers -- purchase food at the markets that convene BIPOC producers
Divert organics out of the waste stream; set up a compost in your yard, or food scrap recycling drop off in your community
Shop mindfully + thoughtfully -- consider the seasons, where you make your food purchases
and the quantity;
conscious consumerism works
Acknowledge the Indigenous people who
were the first stewards of this land, the
forests and waterways and who continue to
cultivate foodways that are in balance
with natural cycles
NEVER
underestimate
the POWER of gathering
Learn the barriers and challenges that
new, beginning and BIPOC farmers face in CT, then reach out and ask how you can best support and help them to succeed
Support your local food economy -- shop at
the farmers’ market, independently owned
food market, or join a
CT CSA
and get to know
who produces your food
In addition to donating to food security organizations, invest in the economic empowerment of low wealth communities through food entrepreneurship,
land ownership and a seat at the
decision making tables
Familiarize yourself with the
food system lexicon
Host a dinner party and serve food that you cooked from your kitchen
Become a food rescuer
Cook - with raw, seasonal ingredients that grow in your region, its fun and nourishing
RESOURCES
CONTACT
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES
WE
HAVE THE POWER TO BE FOOD SYSTEM CHANGEMAKERS
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Mission
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
DEDICATION
Founder
FOUR NODES
THEORY OF CHANGE
PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT
Greenwich food AlliANCE
The Foodshed Forum
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