What can we do to change the minds of decision makers and people in general to actually do something about preparing for the forthcoming economic/energy crises (the ones after this one!)?
Tarrel wrote:Sounds like a lot of stereotyping going on in this thread. I'm sure there are many "poor" people who cook imaginatively with fresh ingredients. Equally, I know there are plenty of "rich" people who buy and serve c**p to their kids
Im sure there are many mate but i come from a poorer part of society and id say atleast 7 out of every 10 people eat as i mentioned avove. But yes you are correct many poor people do cook and eat healthy but i did say most meaning not every one just most!!
Must agree with you though about the education system your spot on. Kids need teaching this stuff so they dont think like my mate i mentioned avove.
"Unfortunately, the Fed can't print oil"
---Ben Bernake (2011)
Tarrel wrote:Sounds like a lot of stereotyping going on in this thread. I'm sure there are many "poor" people who cook imaginatively with fresh ingredients. Equally, I know there are plenty of "rich" people who buy and serve c**p to their kids.
I know this isn't the whole solution, but education in the schools would help. Start by getting rid of "Food Technology" off the curriculum and replace it with "Cookery". I know from my own children's experience that Food Technology is essentially a vocational subject, geared to sparking an interest in the food industry. This is reflected in the types of meals they prepare during practicals; chicken nuggets, pizza, etc. One thing we've done on Scout camp is give the kids a cookery challenge; here's a couple of potatoes, some carrots, an onion and some chicken. See what you can make of it. We have a central pool of spices, etc that they can play around with.
Also insist, as a planning condition, that supermarkets engage in making it easy for local families to cook fresh. This could be in the form of demonstrations in the car park, or out at local community centres, and a local "shop in a van" (remember those?) selling only fresh ingredients. Store has to submit its planned programme as part of the planning application. Execution is monitored. Lack of follow through = "3 strikes and you're out". Store shuts down. No messing.
Until/unless we get to a situation where a couple can afford for one of them to have enough spare time to be able to shop and prepare fresh food (in other words, be a home maker) all of the measures will be pissing in the wind.
We buy much of the groceries we don't grow ourselves from Suma. Organic food, delivered to your door and a lot cheaper than ready made stuff from the big supermarkets and McCafes.
hodson2k9 wrote:
Something i hear alot when talking about the dangers of cola and processed meat etc is "if it was that bad for you it would be banned by the government! Shocked
Forgive me if I come accross as pro-establishment, because I'm not, but I don't think it's the governments place to go around banning things, unless of course those activities have a very direct victim.
They do have a place encouraging things, so education, taxing bad things and perhaps even shock horror subsidising good things with the revenue from the highly taxed bad things.
hodson2k9 wrote:
Something i hear alot when talking about the dangers of cola and processed meat etc is "if it was that bad for you it would be banned by the government! Shocked
Forgive me if I come accross as pro-establishment, because I'm not, but I don't think it's the governments place to go around banning things, unless of course those activities have a very direct victim.
They do have a place encouraging things, so education, taxing bad things and perhaps even shock horror subsidising good things with the revenue from the highly taxed bad things.
Nor do i mate i agree with what your saying.
But i do hear that alot from people concerning all sorts of different reasons not just specifically food. That and ... "it would of been on the tele!".
It seems to me that most of the masses have a blind faith in the government and media.
"Unfortunately, the Fed can't print oil"
---Ben Bernake (2011)
hodson2k9 wrote:
Nor do i mate i agree with what your saying.
But i do hear that alot from people concerning all sorts of different reasons not just specifically food. That and ... "it would of been on the tele!".
It seems to me that most of the masses have a blind faith in the government and media.
Yes I was also agreeing with you, I get people saying exactly the same thing, my comment was to them. In fact I also get people saying: "You must be wrong because they would do something about it"; and I always reply: "Who are they?"
To quote Marx, it's means of production. Including sufficient time, a functioning kitchen, a garden and/or supply of raw materials, and the know-how to use it all.
I suppose this is what I've tried to do here at Chateau Renewable. We "produce" water, power, heat, food and wine. By giving up my job I have also "produced" time and (a tiny bit of) know-how. Fille and Fils produce music. And so on.
hodson2k9 wrote:
Nor do i mate i agree with what your saying.
But i do hear that alot from people concerning all sorts of different reasons not just specifically food. That and ... "it would of been on the tele!".
It seems to me that most of the masses have a blind faith in the government and media.
Yes I was also agreeing with you, I get people saying exactly the same thing, my comment was to them. In fact I also get people saying: "You must be wrong because they would do something about it"; and I always reply: "Who are they?"
"Unfortunately, the Fed can't print oil"
---Ben Bernake (2011)
