|
|
|
|
|
Ottawa
GOOD FOOD
BOX CLUB
|
|
|
|
Next Delivery:
Wednesday
May 21st
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
420 Cooper St.,
Ottawa, ON,
K2P 2N6
(613) 233-4443
ext 2203
|
|
goodfoodbox@
centretownchc.org
|
|
Hello!
Here are a couple of nutritional snippets for you to read over. Let us
know if you have any suggestions for articles or topics you'd like to see
covered in the Good Food News.
Thanks!
- Natasha
Crops, Cars and the Climate Crisis, by Kate Green
The supporters of "biofuels" say they will save our
environment, support farmers, boost the economy, and end poverty. The
idea is to grow plants that are processed into fuels. But far from being
a quick fix to stop climate change, biofuels are hurting the environment,
pushing people off their land, and taking food away from the poor. That's
why more and more people are questioning the push to use food to fuel
cars. And it's why they're being called "agrofuels" since they
help agri business more than the environment.
In a world where 900 million live in hunger, and 18,000 children die
from hunger-related causes, using food for fuel is unethical, especially
when there are less expensive, better options. Some three out of every
four poor people in developing countries live in rural areas, and depend
on agriculture to make a living. Instead of growing food to feed
themselves, however, they are being told to grow food to send to
developed countries, so it can be processed into agrofuels.
The push to adopt agrofuels is yet another example of a quick fix
being proposed to solve environmental problems. It hasn't been thought
through, and doesn't make environmental, economic or social sense. It is
not the way to deal with climate change in fact, many agrofuels would make
it worse. But it is being pushed by governments and corporations who need
to pay more attention to the consequences.
Public forums being held across Canada this month are arguing
otherwise. On Wednesday, April 30th, a forum being held at
7:00pm at Ottawa's Bronson Centre at 211 Bronson Ave. Crops, Cars and
The Climate Crisis: The Global Impacts of Growing Biofuels on Food,
Farmers and Human Rights will feature speakers from the South and
North. It is being organized by a coalition of organizations including
USC Canada, among others.
With crops being sent to factories to make fuel, grain shortages for
eating has doubled prices for basic foods, like bread, rice, and corn, in
the last year. The victims are consumers around the world, who can't
afford the food on grocery shelves. As governments in Canada
and countries around the world adopt rules forcing firms to buy into
agrofuels, food is being taken away from people who can't afford the
higher food prices that result. The corn required to fill the 25-gallon
tank of an SUV with pure ethanol is enough to feed one person for an
entire year. Is that really the best way to address climate change?
The "agrofuels" gold-rush has ignited global conflict.
Producing crops for fuel is changing world agriculture, with major
consequences for people, ecosystems and the planet. The panel at the
public forum will take up these issues,and will feature agricultural
organizers and researchers from Mexico,
Paraguay, the Philippines and Canada.
Farmers are losing their land in the scramble to plant more agrofuels,
which could claim as much as 12 percent of arable land in coming years.
From Colombia to Indonesia,
there are forced evictions of farmers from their land by huge
agribusiness companies who want their land to grow soy, palm oil, or corn
for fuel. The removal families from their homes, land or neighbourhoods,
against their will is against international human rights standards. And
trees are being cut down in record numbers by governments and
corporations eager to cash in on the agrofuels gold rush, with
devastating effects on our climate. Find out more about the issues, and
what you can do, on April 30th at the Bronson Centre!
Featured This Month: Celery
The celery that we know today was derived from wild celery. While
thought to have its origins in the Mediterranean regions of northern
Africa and southern Europe, it was also native to areas extending east to
the Himalayas. Wild celery differed a
bit from its modern day counterpart in that it featured less stalks and
more leaves. It is a biennial vegetable plant that belongs to the
Umbelliferae family whose other members include carrots, fennel, parsley
and dill.
Celery
is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary
fibre, potassium, folate, molybdenum, manganese and vitamin B6. Celery is
also a good source of calcium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, magnesium, vitamin
A, phosphorous and iron.
Choose celery that looks crisp and snaps easily when pulled apart. It
should be relatively tight and compact and not have stalks that splay
out. The leaves should be pale to bright green in colour and free from
yellow or brown patches.
To store celery, place it in a sealed container or wrap it in a plastic
bag or damp cloth and store it in the refrigerator. If you are storing
cut or peeled celery, ensure that it is dry and free from water residue,
as this can drain some of its nutrients. Freezing will make celery wilt
and should be avoided unless you will be using it in a future cooked
recipe. Be sure to use the leaves they contain the most vitamin C,
calcium and potassium but use them within a day or two as they do not
store very well.
|
