7: Food Systems I

Regenerative Agriculture

Module Overview

The practice of high-efficiency and high-yield farming is known as industrialized agriculture. This type of agriculture, which relies on machinery and accelerants such as fertilizers, is the world's dominant mode of food production. Industrialized agriculture depends on a handful of plants and animals, placing high stress and stakes on an oversimplified food network. Agroecology and local food systems are amongst the solutions to renew and replenish our agricultural landscapes.

"Here's How America Uses Its Land"

Homework

Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries Around the World (Published 2008)Never has food moved around the world at the speed or in the amounts it has over the last few years. Now, many say it is time to make shippers and shoppers pay for the resulting pollution.

Food Sovereignty in Latin America: Confronting the ‘New’ Crisis

Land degradation threatens human wellbeing, major report warnsMore than 3.2bn people are already affected and the problem will worsen without rapid action, driving migration and conflict

Four Ways Mexico’s Indigenous Farmers Are Practicing the Agriculture of the Future - YES! MagazineHow can we get the most out of our farmland without harming the planet? I traveled to rural Mexico to learn from indigenous farmers.

This week is supplemented by...

This High-Tech Vertical Farm Promises Whole Foods Quality at Walmart PricesSoftBank-backed Plenty is out to build massive indoor farms on the outskirts of every major city on Earth.

Documentary: Food Beware - The French Organic Revolution

Berkeley Spotlight

Please visit our Resources & Basic Needs tab labeled "Food" if you are experiencing food insecurity.

UC Gill Tract

UC Gill Tract is a community farm located adjacent to UC Village. Community workdays are every Wednesday 11:00am-Sundown. They are open weekly Sunday-Thursday and are always in need of volunteers. They host a variety of research and intern opportunities for UC Berkeley students.

SOGA

The Student Organic Gardening Association is a student group dedicated to sustainable agriculture and food justice. Join the SOGA team during the semesterly DeCal or sign-up to be a weekly volunteer on Sunday afternoons.

HADSA Gardens

Housing and Dining Sustainability Advocates has the Clark Kerr Garden which contains a culinary garden, an orchard, and edible landscape. They also have Brown’s Herbal Garden which has raised beds and in-ground planting of herbs.

Herbicide Free Campus

Herbicide Free Campus is an organization founded and directed by UC Berkeley alumni Mackenzie Feldman to change the culture around landscape management. It is a movement to eliminate the use of harmful herbicides on college campuses while working closely with the ground keepers to fight for health equity. Get involved by checking out volunteering or even joining the Herbicide Free Cal Campaign team. Facebook and Instagram

Uprooted and Rising

Uprooted and Rising is a movement fighting for a future that will sustain and nourish generations to come, led by people who have been historically marginalized in our food system. They share a stake in building a food system rooted in food sovereignty and are committed to ending higher education’s support for Big Food corporations and white supremacy in the food system.

PepsiCo imports palm oil from plantations in Indonesia that are detrimental to the ecosystems that surround them and the young children that are underpaid to harvest said oil. They target their investment of sales in low-income communities and communities of color, contributing to increasing rates of food insecurity. Their Pouring Rights contract monopolizes UC Berkeley's public education system by requiring 80% of shelf space to be PepsiCo products.

UC Berkeley cannot support an unethical company that values money over public health and food sovereignty and security.

Sign this petition to #pouroutpepsi at Cal and end the university’s partnership with PepsiCo.

Guerilla Gardening DeCal

The Guerilla Gardening DeCal is a student-run course on sustainable campus landscaping and ecological design. Consider joining the DeCal if you are interested in learning about growing food/plants, agroecology, or the interconnections of food sovereignty and social justice.

Municipal Composting Requirement in Berkeley

If you live in an apartment or house that does not offer composting services, the city of Berkeley has you covered. As of 2014, Berkeley requires all residential properties of 5 units or more to provide recycling and compost collections. Show your landlord the official City of Berkeley requirements for composting if they do not offer it.

Environmental Justice

Who profits from industrialized agriculture?

A handful of financial investors who lease land to large industrial farmers and meat producers
Chemical industries that make pesticides and GMOs with disregard to human and ecosystem health
International farm owners who are seldom held accountable for violating environmental law

What Life Is Like When Corn Is off the TableCorn lurks in so many surprising places, from table salt to apples to IV bags.

Who is hurt by industrialized agriculture?

Businesses and livelihoods of small farmers and their families
Documented and undocumented farm workers paid unfair wages, exposed to pesticides, and framed for failure to comply with environmental regulations
Low-income individuals economically cornered into primarily eating packaged "junk-foods"
Communities of color whose water supply is affected by pesticide run-off
Taxpayer wallets funding agricultural subsidies

Page updated

Report abuse