2023 Life Logs, Day 07: In Defense of Food
Date: Saturday, January 7, 2023
Weather: More Clouds & Drizzle, One Hour of Sunshine; High 42, Low 25 degrees F
Sunrise and Sunset: 7:09 am & 4:29 pm
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Hurray for daylight. We gained one minute of daylight this morning and another one this afternoon. That’s the first time I have a minute added on both ends since December 14 when I started noting the time of sunrise and sunset. I used those two extra minutes to have a longer walk than normal with Shadow, enjoying the nature in my neighborhood, and to make chicken bone broth today. Life is good.
I am STILL working on that PowerPoint presentation for my Public Policy group on Wednesday. It is taking me forever to just say that the EAT-Lancet Commission Report says we need a global agricultural revolution and a new planetary health diet. Simple, but weighty words that are not easy to achieve. However, all of the evidence points in that direction. In our country the problem is that our current diet is literally killing us. In other parts of the world, not having enough food of any kind is killing them. And all the while, food production contributes about 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The authors of the EAT-Lancet report outline specific steps for achieving this ‘food revolution’, but it is going to be a very hard sell in this country due to the power of the meat and dairy lobbies. I will continue to work on this presentation tomorrow morning and hope to have something to show for my hours of work by early afternoon. I know I said this in another log, but I keep coming back to Michael Pollan’s words in his 2008 book, In Defense of Food: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Seven words of wisdom. If you have 2 minutes and 10 seconds, you can go to YouTube and watch an animated video summarizing the EAT-Lancet report. I watched and transcribed the whole thing because it was full of more words of wisdom.
Here’s the link and the transcription.
Video Animation on YouTube, “Can healthy food save the planet?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIc42oIU0Ik
You know the saying, “You are what you eat.”
But the way we currently eat is, in fact, ruining our health, the health of others, and that of the planet.
Unhealthy food is now deadlier than alcohol, drug, and tobacco use combined.
2.1 billion people are overweight, yet we eat sugar, fat, and red meat more than ever. (Note: Red meat consumption is down in the US.)
Still 821 million go to bed hungry every night.
On top of that, our food is the main cause behind species extinction and 1/3 of all global greenhouse gas emissions.
So, “Can we feed a growing population without destroying the planet and ourselves?”
Science had no clear answer.
That is why EAT gathered 37 of the world’s best scientists to determine what a healthy and sustainable diet is and how to get there.
The result is the EAT-Lancet Commission report—a scientific blueprint and answer for a healthy and sustainable future.
If we change the way we produce, consume, transport, and waste food, we can feed everyone a healthy diet while improving the health of our planet.
What does this look like?
Meat can stay on our plate, but it can’t remain to be the new main course.
We should eat a huge amount variety of fruits and vegetables and a low amount of meat, dairy, and seafood.
We should choose unsaturated fats and stay away from refined grains, highly processed food, and added sugars.
And we have no food to waste.
It will take huge changes but following this plan will lower our risk of cancer, strokes, and diabetes.
It could help avoid 11 million adult deaths per year.
In fact, consuming and producing food more efficiently and mindfully will help to keep our planet flourishing.
We have an answer now.
We know the right course for a better future.
It’s on us to actually take that step.
Our food can be the key to solving the biggest challenges we face.
Food really can fix it.
