Students promote local, sustainable foods
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By: MaryAnn Barone, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: University
UNC took the phrase "grown in your own backyard" quite literally Tuesday when the campus hosted its first Fair Food Fair in Polk Place.
The vegetables offered at the fair - which encouraged students to buy local and organic foods at a fair price - came from an organic food garden on campus behind Kenan Residence Hall.
"It is fair, as in fair trade, locally grown and organic, as in it is environmentally sound," said senior Salem Neff, who helped host the event.
In between classes, groups of students stopped to sample sustainable food and entertainment from student bluegrass musicians.
"Sustainable food is important because food affects all aspects of society," said Sally Lee, a senior anthropology major. The farmer, the farm workers, the manufacturers and the buyers are all part of the process.
Alena Steen, a sophomore environmental studies major who helped organize the event, said sustainable food benefits the economy, the environment and the people.
The local economy benefits from the use of local farms for food, rather than mass-produced products, she said. The environment is not harmed because there are no chemicals used to grow the food.
Steen said community members also are part of this process because of the need to fill these farm-related jobs.
"Local farmers are becoming a thing of the past," Steen said.
At the fair, students could sign a petition that requests that Carolina Dining Services start buying local organic food.
By noon the petition had at least 15 signatures.
Eventually the petition will be presented to CDS, though organizers haven't decided when.
"We buy meal plans," Steen said. "We should be able to demand sustainable food. It's something everyone can get behind."
David Hamilton, a senior Spanish and political science double major, is part of Carolina Garden Co-Op, which tends to the garden behind Kenan Hall.
Next semester Hamilton will teach a class at the University titled "Sustainable Agriculture in N.C."
More people are joining together to raise awareness about sustainable food.
Alianza, a student organization that supports farm workers, and Carolina Garden Co-Op advocate for FLO foods. At the fair, FLO foods shirts were available for purchase.
"It's not just a hippie cause anymore," Salem said. "We hope to break away from some of the stereotypes."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
The vegetables offered at the fair - which encouraged students to buy local and organic foods at a fair price - came from an organic food garden on campus behind Kenan Residence Hall.
"It is fair, as in fair trade, locally grown and organic, as in it is environmentally sound," said senior Salem Neff, who helped host the event.
In between classes, groups of students stopped to sample sustainable food and entertainment from student bluegrass musicians.
"Sustainable food is important because food affects all aspects of society," said Sally Lee, a senior anthropology major. The farmer, the farm workers, the manufacturers and the buyers are all part of the process.
Alena Steen, a sophomore environmental studies major who helped organize the event, said sustainable food benefits the economy, the environment and the people.
The local economy benefits from the use of local farms for food, rather than mass-produced products, she said. The environment is not harmed because there are no chemicals used to grow the food.
Steen said community members also are part of this process because of the need to fill these farm-related jobs.
"Local farmers are becoming a thing of the past," Steen said.
At the fair, students could sign a petition that requests that Carolina Dining Services start buying local organic food.
By noon the petition had at least 15 signatures.
Eventually the petition will be presented to CDS, though organizers haven't decided when.
"We buy meal plans," Steen said. "We should be able to demand sustainable food. It's something everyone can get behind."
David Hamilton, a senior Spanish and political science double major, is part of Carolina Garden Co-Op, which tends to the garden behind Kenan Hall.
Next semester Hamilton will teach a class at the University titled "Sustainable Agriculture in N.C."
More people are joining together to raise awareness about sustainable food.
Alianza, a student organization that supports farm workers, and Carolina Garden Co-Op advocate for FLO foods. At the fair, FLO foods shirts were available for purchase.
"It's not just a hippie cause anymore," Salem said. "We hope to break away from some of the stereotypes."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
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