Page 14 - The Celestia Project

Chapter 1: Food Security

The Food Co-op Resurgence
F OOD CO OPERATIVES LOCALGROCERIES OWNED and run
by local employees—were a major force in American culture Changing the Rules. The Wedge food co-op in Minnesota did $49 million
prior to being sidelined by World War II. In the Minneapolis in retail sales in 2012, up 11 percent above 2011. They have about
region, for example, co-ops once accounted for 30 percent 16,000 members.
of food sales, according to Food for Change, a new
documentary film. The rapid rise of industrialized farming,
along with communist paranoia, drove co-ops out of business after
the war, as bomb makers converted their factors into fertilizer and
pesticide production—using hefty government subsidies to pay for
advertising about the perils of profit sharing and collaboration.
But now, co-ops are back, and they’ve become a symbol of
resistance to the kind of food future biotech firms would like to see
for us. While they still represent just half a percent of the nation’s
food retailing business, many co-ops report swelling memberships
and sales growth of 10 percent or more each year.
Co-ops have a long list of sustainability advantages over big
retailers. They support local agriculture, resulting in a reduced
food transportation footprint, put money and jobs back into local
economies, encourage organic farming methods and can provide
food security to almost any demographic group.

Pre-Emptive Change Total Acreage of GMO Crops

How to Avoid a Food Breakdown Brazil

We’ve featured and interviewed Lester Brown a few times in Green Builder 8.4South Africa China
magazine. An author and futurist, he recently set his sights on what many see as 0.4 (1%) 6.9
an approaching food crisis, as climate change throws production out of balance,
Canada
and land becomes more scarce. In his new book, Full 10.9
Planet, Empty Plates, he maps out three steps that need Other 4% 6% Argentina
to be taken worldwide to prevent massive starvation 4%
and related strife in coming years. Read the book if you 0.5 (1%) 34.4
want to know more. 21%

■ Stabilize World Population. Family planning and United States
reproductive health care have been shown to
dramatically reduce runaway populations in poorly 105.7
educated regions. Kids need to be encouraged to 63%
attend school, perhaps by o ering school lunches in
the poorest regions. Blind Ambition? Even as
■ Reduce Animal Product Consumption. Excessive consumption of meat,
milk and eggs, Brown says, is contributing to heart disease and obesity. “Moving Italy, France and Germany ban
down the food chain also lessens pressure on Earth’s land and water resources.” many genetically modified
■ Cancel Biofuel Mandates. “There is no social justification for the massive crops, the United States
conversion of food into fuel for cars. With plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars com- continues to flood markets
ing to market that can run on local wind-generated electricity at a gasoline-equiva- with biotech foodstu s.
lent cost of 80¢ per gallon, why keep burning costly fuel at four times the price?”
His supply side solutions include reducing carbon emissions to lessen the Source: Issues Surrounding Genetically Modified (GM)
e ects of climate change, removing subsidies to big oil, using fresh water more Products, by Subhuti Dharmananda
e ciently, and changing from agri-farms to “no-till” farming methods such as
permaculture, which leave soil structure intact year after year.

The book is available for purchase here: http://astore.amazon.com/grebuimed-20/detail/0393344150