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EIGHTH EDITION
our Times Food and Hunger in the World
A PUBLICATION OF THE SHARONZ ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Natural Flavors: Are They Natural?
Elsa Skarsten
Did you know that a slightly sweet chemical government. “Government regulations define thoroughly.
derived from the anal secretion glands of bea- natural flavors as those that derive their aroma Even though there are certain restrictions
vers has been used in vanilla-flavored products or flavor chemicals from plant or animal for natural flavor ingredients, flavor com-
(Spritzler)? Luckily, this flavoring (called cas- sources, including fruit, meat, fish, spices, panies do not get required to disclose the
toreum) is not commonly used due to its high herbs, roots, leaves, buds, or bark that are dis- ingredients used in their flavoring. This could
cost and rare extrication, though other flavors tilled, fermented, or otherwise manipulated in result in some potentially harmful chemicals
are. Castoreum, along with many other chem- a lab. This distinguishes them from artificial being able to squeeze their way into the long
icals, can be found in “natural flavors”. People flavors, which use man-made chemicals to list of flavor ingredients. A flavor historian
often look on the back of their seltzer can and give a product its particular flavor or aroma” Berenstein said the ingredients in flavors
find only two ingredients: carbonated water (Rabin). In order for a flavor to be classified don’t need to be specified partially because
and natural flavors. But what exactly does the as natural, it has to pass these regulations the names of compounds might only confuse
” term “natural flavor” mean? It is unclear what along with a few other measures for safety people. She also stressed how the flavors are
can be defined as natural according to the (i.e. sterile facility). The FDA oversees the used in infinitesimal quantities (Choi). Some
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), versus production of said flavors to determine of the compounds that the FDA allows have
the actual flavor manufacturers? Are natural whether or not it passes safety requirements. even been shown to be semi-toxic in larger
flavors healthy to consume? This can help to make natural flavors have quantities (Choi). Not having full disclosure
Natural flavors should be healthy for slightly safer or possibly healthier ingredients of the ingredients could be potentially
consumers because they are regulated by the than artificial flavors, which are regulated less continued on page 21
About This Newsletter
The students at The Sharon Academy Middle School have spent the last several months study- This newsletter
ing food and hunger on a local, national, and global level as a part of the school’s Integrated is dedicated
Curriculum. Each student researched specific issues relating to food and hunger that interested in memory of
them individually and compiled what they learned in this newsletter. This collection of articles is Linda Blakeman,
intended to educate our community about the intricacies of this important topic from different friend and parent of
perspectives. Just as researching these articles has informed our students about food and hunger, The Sharon Academy
and encouraged them to examine more deeply the choices they make about food, we hope this Middle School, and
newsletter will help you to do the same.
is produced with
To learn more about The Sharon Academy Middle School and its innovative Integrated generous support
Curriculum, please see the back cover. by Dartmouth Printing.
OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth Edition 1• EDITOR’S REFLECTION • Where Did Your
The Sharon Academy’s Food and Hunger Unit Burger Come From?
Joseph Thibodeau
With food and hunger being a large issue in this modern age, The
Sharon Academy Middle School’s unit teaches its students to make Did you know that the U.S. alone consumed 24.8 billion
decisions about their food choices, and how to educate their friends, pounds of beef in 2019 (Shahbandeh)? This much beef
family and those around them. Through discussions, documentaries weighs the same as almost 7000 cars. The beef industry has
and the occasional lecture, students are encouraged to rethink their several issues and concerns involving the workers and cattle.
food choices and realize the impact food and hunger makes on their The cattle are fed a corn diet and are kept in cramped con-
own lives, as well as those around them. ditions. The workers aren’t paid well and work in unhealthy
Of the six total units I’ve experienced in my two years at the conditions. Most consumers who eat beef from factory farms
Middle School, this one was easily the most impactful. Hunger, even don’t know where it comes from. How is beef produced, and
here in our small, rural Vermont town of Sharon, is a large issue. One what are some of the issues with the beef industry?
in seven children goes to bed hungry each night, and more and more One issue in the beef industry is that many cattle are
people are relying on Vermont food shelves. The Sharon Academy raised in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
teaches this unit because it is a topic very close to us, and an issue in which can have a negative impact on cattle. There are 500
our society that we will need to find a cure to, whatever it may be. cattle per acre in a CAFO (Lynch). Cattle raised on CA-
While we may be only young teenagers, in this unit we were informed FOs are sometimes denied access to outdoor vegetation or
that even the smallest voices can make a difference. Just by choosing shelter. The cattle are fed corn because it is cheaper and it
free-range chicken instead of factory farm makes a change in the way fattens them up faster, but it can also cause digestive prob-
we eat our food. We’ve created this newsletter to spread the word, and lems. Cattle are not evolved to eat corn, and when they do,
inspire you to change your eating habits and think of what you can do it creates digestive problems. The rumen is designed to eat
to help solve the seemingly endless issue of world hunger. grass. As author Michael Pollan explains, “You start giving
While writing this reflection, I thought a lot about what it would them antibiotics, because as soon as you give them corn,
be like to work or live in a city experiencing starvation, such as Mum- you’ve disturbed their digestion, and they’re apt to get sick, so
bai, India. Learning about this topic really helped me create an idea you then have to give them drugs” (Interviews). This is how
for what I want to do once I graduate from high school and beyond, antibiotics get into the meat. Digestive troubles from eating
and it motivated me to look into what would need to be done to end corn make the cattle stressed and more vulnerable to all types
world hunger. We have enough food on this planet; we’ve got plenty. of diseases. They suffer from bloating and stop ruminating
It’s just an issue of wasting good food. Thanks to this unit and this (Interviews). Cattle are fed corn because it makes them grow
newsletter, I’ve began to track the amount of food I waste, and I’ve faster and quickly fattens them. This diet of corn and the use
attempted to bring down that amount drastically. of antibiotics are significant problems because they create a
In science, I learned how to take advantage of the abundant lot of stress for the cattle and negatively affect the nutritional
sources of fresh fruits and vegetables in Vermont and lead a heavily quality of the meat.
plant-based diet, which is not only better for me, but the planet as CAFOs also impact the environment because they pro-
well. In Language Arts, I began to understand the Irish potato famine duce a significant amount of waste and pollution. CAFOs
much better when we read The Irish Dresser, a book about an Irish produce 42% of agricultural emissions from the cattle
family experiencing starvation and emigrating to America in hopes passing gas and burping (Friedman). CAFOs can produce
of leading a better life. Finally, in Social Studies, the class where we 2,800 to 16 million tons of manure a year. “Large farms can
worked on and created our articles, I learned more and more about produce more waste than some U.S. cities—a feeding opera-
factory farming, and what really goes on inside the windowless walls tion with 800,000 pigs could produce over 1.6 million tons
of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation processing factory. of waste a year. That amount is one and a half times more
This newsletter opened my eyes to the real issues going on in the than the annual sanitary waste produced by the city of Phila-
world around me. Being the editor-in-chief, I not only enjoyed read- delphia, Pennsylvania” (Hribar). On traditional farms, cattle
ing the other articles my peers had written, but also being able to learn manure fertilizes the soil, but at CAFOs, there is too much
about other topics besides my one article. This food and hunger unit manure in a small area, it doesn’t fertilize the soil; it just turns
has inspired me, and I’m sure it has done the same for many of my into sludge. When it rains the sludge runs off into waterways
peers. I hope our work can inspire you as well. and contaminates surrounding soil.
– Lowry Newswanger Another issue with the beef industry is that the condi-
tions on CAFOs are not safe for workers. Workers can be
2 OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth EditionCAFOs’ Impact on the Environment, Animals, and Communities
Arya Flanders
Did you know that on any one individual on). When antibiotics are put into food, the can sometimes start to be abusive towards the
CAFO farm there can be from 2,800 tons to livestock develops antibiotic-resistant bacteria. animals.. Animal rights activists think that
1.6 million tons of manure a year (Hribar)? That bacteria pass through their meat and the animals in CAFOs need rights to protect
A CAFO is a Concentrated Animal Feeding manure into the environment. Neighbors can them.
Operation, otherwise known as a factory become sick due to the antibiotic-resistant Proponents of CAFOs argue that consum-
farm. CAFOs and AFOs (Animal Feeding bacteria in the animals’ meat and in the water ers shouldn’t be concerned because CAFOs
Operations) became one of American’s main surrounding the manure piles. are regulated, however, these regulations are
sources of meat in the mid-1970s due to the CAFOs are also a concern because they limited. The National Pollution Discharge
rising demand for meat and poultry (Hribar). have been linked to animal abuse. Most of Elimination System (NPDES) permit regu-
Right now, there are roughly 15,500 CAFOs the animals in a CAFO never see sunlight lates CAFOs (Animal Feeding). The NPDES
in the US (Gurian-Sherman). The practices of or breathe fresh air. All of the animals live “limits the amount and types of pollutants
CAFOs are controversial because Americans with fumes that are dangerous and could kill that can be released” (Farquhar). It mostly
eat, on average, “222.2 pounds of red meat them. The breeding animals are kept in small limits what large companies can put into the
and poultry a year” (Durisin) and 99% of pens while they’re pregnant and then they United States water (Animal Feeding). The
that meat comes from a factory farm (Skow- give birth in equally small spaces. They are permit requires CAFOs to make a Compre-
ron). What are the concerns about CAFOs artificially inseminated and then go back in hensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP)
and how are they linked to animal abuse? the tiny pen (Animals on). Breeding animals (Unified). “A CNMP contains records of the
One issue with CAFOs is that they aren’t spend most of their lives pregnant. Animals in current activities on a livestock operation, and
environmentally friendly. The smallest CAFO CAFOs also get parts of them cut off without evaluation of the existing environmental risks,
can produce waste equivalent to what 16,000 painkillers, such as tails, horns, and beaks, and proposals to reduce the risk of negative
humans can produce (Why). CAFOs apply etc. because they can get cannibalistic due to impacts on the environment” (Conservation).
the waste to a small area of land so often that stress. Chickens raised on CAFOs live in large In 1993 CAFOs were subjected to random
it eventually stops decomposing. CAFOs sheds with at least 20,000 animals packed tests for E-coli in their meat, however, this
make too much waste for the land to absorb. together (Animals on). The animals are also practice doesn’t happen anymore due to all
When it rains all of the manure on the top of slaughtered very inhumanely. For example, of the opposition against it from the meat
the pile runs off into the surrounding water. some of CAFOs methods such as being industry. In 1996, CAFOs and meatpacking
Animal waste can carry diseases such as sal- frozen, beaten, or bled to death (Animals companies were tested for salmonella, and if
monella, E.coli, and cryptosporidium, which on). Humane slaughter is when you stun the they failed the USDA had the power to shut
can spread into the water (Why). animal so that it is unconscious and then its them down. However, in 1999 the Supreme
In addition to polluting the water, CAFO throat is slit (Humane). Many activists think Beef Processors sued the USDA and by 2001
manure emits dangerous gasses like ammonia, that CAFOs should be regarded as animal the Supreme Beef Processors overturned the
hydrogen sulfide, and methane (Why). Before abuse because of how they treat their animals USDA’s power to test for salmonella. Now
being put on the fields, manure is stored in and slaughter them. the USDA’s power is very limited (Imhoff
pits underneath the floor of the barn, where it Another concern is that the working con- 119-120). CAFOs are regulated under the
cannot be exposed to oxygen. These manure ditions inside the CAFOs have been known NPDES permit which requires them to make
gasses rise through the floor, causing air pollu- to prompt the workers to abuse animals. The a CNMP so that the government can keep an
tion that could kill the animals and the work- workers suffer from many medical problems eye on their environmental impact.
ers inside CAFOs if the fans ever stopped “including repetitive motion injuries and While alternatives to CAFOs cost more,
working. Even when properly ventilated, respiratory illness” (Imhoff ). The workers they could solve some of the aforementioned
the fumes still contaminate the surrounding have to work with all of the fumes that the problems. Pigs could be raised in hoop barns
communities. “Some people develop breath- animals have to live with, such as ammonia (barns with a curved roof and open ends).
ing problems, coughs, headaches, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide gases (Factory). Most With this barn, pigs are able to root. “In one
sulfide poisoning, and ammonia poisoning” of the time workers aren’t allowed to go to test, hogs raised in hoop barns in North Da-
(Why). the bathroom, so they just go where they kota provided 6.63% higher net income per
In addition to giving off poisonous fumes, stand (Lowe). Many of the workers also work pig than conventional confinement” (Guri-
all of the animal’s food has antibiotics in it 12-hour shifts (Lowe). Since the working an-Sherman). This shows that more money
to make sure they don’t get diseases (Animals conditions in CAFOs are so poor, workers continued on page 23
OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth Edition 3Food Insecurity and its Root Causes
Farren Stainton
For 59,000 Vermonters, where their next meal whole life. of their living expenses and buy food.
is coming from is an uncertainty. Food insecu- Lack of education can lead to food insecu- Many people in Vermont grapple with
rity is an issue globally, but often people fail to rity. People who do not attain an education are food insecurity because they live in food des-
realize that it’s also affecting many people here more likely to be food insecure because they erts and may lack reliable or affordable trans-
in Vermont. Food insecurity is when some- do not possess the expertise or credentials to portation. The definition of a food desert is
one is unable to consistently access or afford obtain a well-paying job. According to the So- “an area where little fresh produce is available
adequate food (Food Insecure). Being food in- cial Security Admission in 2015, “men with a for sale” (Food Desert). Living in a food desert
secure can be hard to overcome and can cause graduate degree earned more than $1.5 million also means someone is ten or more miles away
life-threatening diseases, like heart disease in lifetime earnings more than those with just from food. In this situation, if a person lacks
(Health). In Vermont, 10% of people expe- a high school diploma...Women earned $1.1 transportation it can be almost impossible to
rience food insecurity, and 15% of children million more” (Longley). Obtaining higher access fresh produce. Vermont is especially a
suffer from food insecurity (Hunger). The education makes a person more likely to com- food desert during the winter months because
majority of people in America (51.4%) who pete for a higher paying job and therefore earn there is little in-season produce. Icy winter
experience food insecurity experience it before more money. Lower-income individuals who road conditions in Vermont can make it hard
the age of 60 (Who). In addition, the percent lack education can have a harder time making to access food, especially when many individu-
of food insecurity in Vermont has increased the money needed to buy nutritious food. als have to go ten or more miles away to access
by 6.1% in the last 10 years (Schattman). In Not only are many people without an fresh food. Furthermore, transportation is ex-
order for Vermont to end food insecurity, is it education affected by food insecurity but, pensive so, it can be hard to afford if residents
important to understand who is impacted by people in poverty and low-income families are cannot access a job. In Vermont, many more
food insecurity in Vermont and why? also affected. People in poverty and low-in- people live in food deserts because of the rural
Children in Vermont are at a higher risk come families are affected by food insecurity nature of the state. According to the State of
of food insecurity. They are dependent on because they do not make enough money to Vermont Agency of Transportation in 2019 gas
other people to care for them and provide buy healthy and sufficient food. A common in Vermont had an average cost of $2.56 a gal-
them food. Their bodies are in a demanding misconception is that the issue of food insecu- lon (Fuel). Considering how much gas is used
stage of life where they need a lot of food to rity exists because our country is not produc- in cars, it can be difficult to afford gas and
help their bodies and brains grow (Who). If ing enough food (Who). However, the reality food. For a single person “In rural Vermont
their parents don’t have enough money to is that people in poverty or those who classify transportation costs about $516 a month or
buy food for them, they will not eat well or as low income can have trouble affording the $6192 a year” (Vermont Legislative). For a 45
know where their next meal will come from. daily cost of living while still paying for food. hour workweek at a minimum wage of $10.97
According to Hunger Free Vermont’s statistics, It costs 16% more to live in Vermont than an hour (Press), the individual would earn
“17,726 Vermont children under the age of the national average (Woods). In addition, $493.63 which wouldn’t be enough to pay for
18 live in food-insecure households (15%). “groceries are 11% higher, health costs are… their transportation costs alone. Finally, few
Children living in food-insecure households 5% higher, housing is 27% higher, utilities regions possess public transport, which means
are at a greater risk for poor health, nutritional are 29% higher, and transportation is 7% that if food insecure people do not live in one
deficiencies, and obesity/overweight, as well as higher” (Woods). This shows that Vermont of these places, there’s no way for them to
developmental delays, poor academic achieve- is more expensive to live in than most of the access a store for food.
ment, depression and increased aggressive or country, and with all of these extra costs, it can The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
hyperactive behavior” (Hunger). Children become even harder for people to find enough Program (SNAP) is a program to help people
need nutritious food most because without it money for food. The Vermont minimum who are food insecure. However, users often
they can experience lifelong developmental wage is $10.97 an hour as of the start of 2020 have trouble affording healthy food. The “aver-
delays. These childhood delays can impact (Press). However, according to a study done age monthly SNAP benefits for October 2018
them as adults since not being able to focus by the Vermont legislature, “the living wage in through July 2019 [were] $262 per house-
on school and other consequences of improp- Vermont is for a single adult living in a rural hold and $132 per person” (A). However, the
er nutrition can impact the kind of job they area is $13.34 an hour” (Vermont Legislative). Vermont Legislature estimates, the total cost
can get when they grow up. This may send If people are only being paid minimum wage, of food for one person a month as being $312
them down a spiral of food insecurity for their they will likely find it challenging to pay for all (Vermont Legislative). If someone relies
4 OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth EditionColony Collapse Disorder: Why Honey Bee Death Affects Us
Amara Fuchs
Imagine your shopping list. Does it include Honeybees in the U.S pollinate over 90 crop chemical pesticides, because pesticide use
almonds? Blueberries? Tomatoes? Apples? All types, including many fruits and vegetables on farm crops negatively impacts honey bee
of these, along with hundreds of other fruits (Hood). On average, a third of the foods health. Even so, there are many pros and cons
and vegetables, rely heavily on honey bees for consumers eat are affected in some way by to eliminating pesticides. For one, if farmers
pollination. And according to an article for honeybees. “Colony Collapse Disorder also follow this method to save honey bees, they
The Balance, honey bees will be extinct by affects the beef and dairy industries. Bees would also help other animals who are also
2035. pollinate clover, hay, and other forage crops. threatened by pesticide use. Amadeo explains
The reason for this decline in honey bees As they die off, it raises the cost of feedstock. that, “. . . pesticides are responsible for bee
is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), an issue That increases the beef and milk prices at the colony collapse. They also negatively impact
that has been plaguing honey bee hives and grocery store,” Amadeo adds. Since honey many birds and other wildlife.” However, the
beekeepers all over the world for the past 15 bee pollination plays such a significant role in pesticides that are the most dangerous to bees,
years. CCD occurs when worker bees leave agriculture, local farms are losing money as neonicotinoids, are common because they
the hive and can’t find their way back, leaving bees become rarer and more expensive. If this work well, so farmers might not be willing
the queen, some younger bees, and stored process continues, it could increase food im- to give them up. Almost 4 million pounds
pollen behind. Though the remaining bees are ports from countries that are CCD free, which of these pesticides are used on less than 200
fine at first, eventually they run out of food, would raise the U.S. trade deficit and the price million acres of land a year (Amadeo).
and that’s when the colony collapses. Though of food for American consumers. Some crops Another potential solution for CCD is
its effects are widespread, CCD only affects might even disappear, like almonds, which rely using prevention materials like antibiotics to
the European honey bee, Apis Mellifera (also 90% on honey bees for pollination (Amadeo). protect bees against the causes of the disorder.
called the Western honey bee), which has All of this will affect the economy and con- Entomology professor Mike Hood explains
become naturalized all over the world. sumers around the country. that some beekeepers have recommended
Though no one is entirely sure what Colony Collapse Disorder affects the using antibiotics to prevent infections from
causes CCD, it is generally agreed that it is a environment because honey bees are one of Nosema fungi and using fumigants to stop var-
combination of factors, including pesticides, the most important pollinators in ecosys- roa mites. Though these materials cost money,
parasites, pathogens, lack of pollen, and stress- tems around the globe. In an experiment to replacing lost hives costs beekeepers too.
ful beekeeping practices. Studies show that see whether other species of bees would take Amadeo reports that “Over the last six years,
chemicals used in crop fields can significantly over pollination if one species disappeared, the bee industry spent $2 billion to replace
and negatively impact bees’ immune systems, scientists found that some plants suffered from 10 million hives.” To compare, bee antibiotics
and do nothing to stop the parasites and other other bees picking up the slack. Because bees for a colony cost under $25 per year, and are
problems that cause CCD. According to eco- that used to pollinate only one species now very effective on the fungi that cause CCD
nomic analyst Kimberly Amadeo, “Bees pick visited several, plants that required their own (The ‘Nosema Twins’). However, some of these
up the chemicals through dust and residue on pollen to reproduce got pollen they couldn’t substances are dangerous for people and can’t
nectar and pollen . . . As a result, they are more use. Author James Gorman states that plants be used on bees that make honey for human
susceptible to the parasites.” These parasites made 30% less seed than usual as a result of consumption without risks of disease and birth
are Nosema ceranae, Nosema Apis, and Varroa this dilemma. Also, according to researcher defects.
destructor (Hood). Varroa destructor (also Kathleen Wong, “Honey bees are the world’s Some ways the public can help prevent
called the varroa mite) is capable of carrying most important single species of pollinator CCD include lobbying the government for
several deadly diseases, which also contributes in natural ecosystems . . . One out of eight stricter pesticide laws and growing pollina-
to the collapse of bee colonies. But how does interactions between a non-agricultural plant tor-friendly gardens. According to the U.S.
this issue affect the economy and environment, and a pollinator is carried out by the honey Department of Agriculture, “Insufficient or
and what is the best solution for stopping it? bee.” Since bees are a major natural pollinator incomplete nutrition has come to be recog-
Colony collapse disorder affects the econ- and the loss of one can severely impact plants’ nized as an essential factor that weakens the
omy because a lot of U.S. agriculture depends ability to reproduce, CCD and honey bee honey bee’s immune systems and is likely to
on honey bees for pollination. According loss could have a devastating effect on natural make bees more susceptible to all of the other
to Amadeo, “The Western honey bee is the ecosystems around the country. problems troubling them today” (ARS). The
world’s premier managed pollinator species.” One potential solution for CCD is banning department also says that a solution to this
OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth Edition 5Good Morning! Who’s Really Paying for That Coffee?
Esme Krauthamer
Do you know where that frappuccino really culture. If farmers only grow coffee, they are environmentally sustainable, and it can harm
came from? Most Americans couldn’t live at risk of losing their income if the market nearby ecosystems. Most farms do not have
without their morning coffee, but how does crashes or the crop fails. For example, in the financial incentive to deal with the waste,
a little red berry in Peru get to a Starbucks in 2007 coffee prices dropped, and more than and the dry method, the only other way of
New York? And why are Americans paying 125 million people fell into poverty. Fami- processing coffee, is not a workable alterna-
$4.45 for a drink while farmers only make 1 lies couldn’t afford food or cover the cost of tive. Using the dry method involves leaving
or 2 cents from it (Maasho)? living, and millions of children dropped out the beans out to dry in the sun, which leaves
Millions of people drink coffee in Ameri- of school (Macksoud). In Ethiopia, research- them vulnerable to weather conditions and is
ca. However, that coffee didn’t just appear on ers estimate that there are more than 320,000 too much of a risk for farmers.
store shelves. The US buys over 3,351,379 hectares (790,737 acres) of coffee trees (Mu- Shipping coffee can also be detrimental
pounds of coffee per year (World), most of tua). Most of that land produces only coffee, to the environment. Transporting it by boat
which comes from Brazil, Honduras, and so no other crops are grown nearby and the or plane creates a lot of carbon emissions,
Columbia (Coffee). Eighty percent of the plants are more susceptible to disease because which are not environmentally sustainable.
world’s coffee comes from smallholder farms, they spread more easily in a monoculture. Americans buy coffee mostly from countries
and more than 125 million people worldwide Producing coffee can also drastically im- like Brazil, almost 5,000 miles from the US.
depend on coffee for their livelihoods (Mack- pact the environment, and coffee farmers are Transporting food across continents takes a
soud). These people could lose their income often hit hardest by climate change. Coffee is lot of fuel and creates a lot of emissions, but
if market prices for coffee fall, while large grown and processed using different meth- fuel for carrying goods internationally is not
corporations like Nestlé still profit. There is ods, some of which can be very detrimental taxed (Rosenthal). This tax loophole creates
also the planet to consider. Growing, produc- to the environment. For example, the wet an incentive to ship goods over long distanc-
ing, and shipping coffee can be very detri- method is the most popular and effective way es, which harms the environment. As Paul
mental to the environment, and farmers in of processing coffee. Using this method, the Watkiss, an economist at Oxford University
developing countries are often hit hardest by pulp is separated from the cherries as soon as explains, “We’re shifting goods around the
the effects of climate change. Coffee may be they are harvested, and the beans then pass world in a way that looks really bizarre…[W]
essential to Americans’ mornings, but is the through metal drums where they are sepa- e are not paying the environmental cost of
coffee industry sustainable for the producers rated by weight, and then fermented in steel all that travel” (Rosenthal). The lack of taxes
and the environment? drums for 12 to 48 hours. Before the process on international fuel means that companies
Many farmers have a hard time breaking is complete, the beans have to pass through are shipping coffee internationally more than
even, and coffee growing is not a very sustain- more water channels to be rinsed, and then ever, and the emissions that are created are
able income, especially in a bad year. Corpo- dried (National). The downside of using the terrible for the environment.
rations often exploit coffee growers and pay wet method is that it produces a lot of waste, However, this is not to say that there is no
much less than retail value for the coffee they which is expensive to dispose of after produc- sustainable way to produce coffee. For exam-
produce. Corporations such as Nestlé want to tion. Moreover, if it isn’t properly dealt with it ple, the traditional way of growing coffee in
buy coffee as cheaply as they can, in order to can be very harmful to the people and the en- full sun is not sustainable, but many farmers
sell it at market value in the United States and vironment. Around 40 percent of the cherry are switching to the more environmentally
make the highest profit. Retail price for coffee is pulp, which has to be removed before the friendly shade-grown coffee. Coffee grown
in the US is $5.45 a pound (Retail), but some coffee is dried and roasted. Farmers often just in full sun is unhealthy for the land because
years the actual producers have been paid as dump this waste in nearby waterways, and as nothing else is growing there. It also requires
little as 7 cents a pound (Macksoud). Small the biomatter decomposes, it sucks oxygen more fertilizer and pesticides, which also
farmers who rely on coffee for their income out of the waterways, making them toxic for makes it more expensive for the farmer. On
have very little bargaining power, so they’re at fish and wildlife, and useless for coffee pro- the other hand, shade-grown coffee supports
the mercy of the more powerful companies. cessing in the future. This wastewater can also a much more stable ecosystem, doesn’t require
This system is not sustainable for the coffee be very toxic for humans, and many people pesticides, and is considered higher quality
farmers, because if the retail price falls, they living near coffee processing places experience coffee (Anand). Shade coffee plantations also
won’t be able to make as much money for eye and skin irritation, dizziness, nausea, provide an excellent habitat for birds, which
their coffee. and breathing problems (Chandravanshi). increase production by eating pests (Anand).
In most cases, coffee is grown as a mono- The wet method of processing coffee is not Shade-grown coffee creates much more biodi
6 OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth EditionThe Life of an Orange
Justin Wylie
A dangerous pesticide called chlorpyrifos has sodium benzoate. Sodium benzoate has been large refrigerated tanks. (Ringbloom).
been linked to damaged brain development linked to chromosome break (Ponsgsavee), A final process in the orange industry is
in children and reduced brain function in which can lead to severe distortions in the for packaging picked oranges. Businesses need
adults. In a study done by HEAL, Chlorpy- DNA, and cancer. Another preservative in to have a reliable procedure to make sure that
rifos was found on one out of four oranges orange juice, sodium metabisulfite also has every bag of oranges is similar and to produce
(New). Oranges are largely grown in Cali- negative health effects (Akinola). In a study them quickly and efficiently. If the oranges
fornia, Texas, Israel, Spain, Morocco, and published by Folia Biologica, Sodium metabi- are still a bit green, they are put into a green-
parts of South Africa (Petruzzello). Oranges sulfite was given to rats. The study found that ing room, where they are sprayed with eth-
do not ripen after being picked, unlike many the volume and length of the capillaries in the ylene. Because oranges do not ripen once they
other fruits, so they have to be picked when heart were reduced. (Noorafshan). Because are picked from the tree, the ethylene makes
they are ripe (Petruzzello ). The orange tree of this, it would be beneficial to limit the the peel turn orange, and does not ripen the
bears fruit for approximately fifty to eighty consumption of orange juice that has been fruit (Crivelli). Next, they are dumped into
years (Petruzzello). In 2019, the US alone treated with these chemicals, such as orange an initial packing line and rinsed to get rid of
consumed 1,251,000 metric tons of oranges, juice that is produced in a large-scale orange debris and leaves. After this, they are con-
with the entire world consuming 28,657,000 juicing operation. However, freshly squeezed veyed into a black lightroom where the black
metric tons (Custom ). All of this orange orange juice is not full of preservatives and is light helps workers sort out the moldy fruit.
production begs the question, what are the a healthy source of Vitamin C. The oranges are washed and dried and then
various processes that an orange undertakes One essential part of getting oranges to waxed. Again, the oranges are hand sorted
before it reaches the shelf, and how can they consumers is the process of harvesting the and go into a second black lightroom to look
affect the consumer? oranges. It is much more efficient to har- for more mold. They are machine sized, sort-
One process that can affect the con- vest oranges in an organized way. There are ed by color, and then transported to the cor-
sumer is the application of pesticides. Some various modes of orange harvesting, including rect packing conveyor belt. There is one final
compounds can be harmful to pests and are picking (mostly done by immigrants, whether hand sort before packing (Crivelli). Oranges
also harmful to humans. One example of with a special visa (Charles) or undocument- are made to look attractive to the consumer
this is the pesticide, chlorpyrifos, which has ed (Block). There are also canopy shakers. because people do not like to eat ugly food.
been linked to damaged brain development These are large machines with two padded The oranges are sprayed with a chemical that
in children, causing them to be “smaller, prongs that grip the tree, and then shake it, makes them the nice orange color that we are
have poorer reflexes, and show higher risks of causing most of the fruit to fall (Orchard). used to. In reality, they are green, or some-
having ADHD and other developmental dis- The immigrants with special visas, called times green and yellowy-orange, even when
orders years after being exposed” (Hu). It has H-2A, are provided with free lodging and they are ripe. They are waxed as well, to add
also been linked to decreased brain function transportation. After the oranges are picked, to the appeal.
in adults. Methidathion is another pesticide they travel to a plant, where they are either There are many processes that oranges go
that is used on oranges. Methidathion is juiced or packaged. through to reach the consumer. Some of the
“suspected of causing cancer, and can also Another process in the orange industry is steps involve chemicals that are not always
cause stomach pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and juicing. First, the fruit is unloaded and put beneficial to consumer’s health. Pesticides
nausea” (Geoffrey). One should be careful into a bin for grading. After this, the oranges and additives in orange juice can impact the
about what pesticides are used on the oranges are put into a storage bin and washed. After health of the consumer, and that there is a
we consume, so as to make sure that we are this, they are graded again and sized. Once process of picking, packaging, and juicing
not consuming any harmful chemicals. Wash- they have been graded, they are put into a oranges. Consumers should know about the
ing the fruit may not work, as some of the juice extractor. If the juice is going to become processes their food goes through, and how
pesticides are designed to be absorbed by the concentrated, it is first put into a finisher it affects them. This way, the consumer can
flesh of the fruit, so as to further deter pests. (which helps remove undesirable aspects from make more informed decisions about what to
Another process that can impact the con- the juice (Petruzzello)). Next, It is put into a buy. Some questions that remain after doing
sumer’s health is the application of additives centrifuge and pasteurized. Pasteurization is this research are: Are there sustainable ways
to orange juice. This is because some addi- the process in which a fluid is heated up to to do large scale agricultural growth without
tives, like certain preservatives, are harmful to eliminate bacteria. After pasteurization, it is using large amounts of pesticides?
the body. An example is a preservative called either put into frozen aseptic storage or into
OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth Edition 7How the Connections Between Poverty and Obesity
Can Cause Long-lasting Issues
Makayla Nichols
Did you know that in America 37% of wom- gross household income can be over 185% if with more nutrition. (O’conner).
en and 35% of men are obese (70%)? People their household includes someone 60 years Poverty and obesity are also related in that
with low incomes often have trouble afford- or older, or somebody with a disability. The obesity-related health costs are expensive and
ing healthy and nutritious foods since they average person who receives SNAP benefits paying for them makes it hard for people to
are typically more expensive than unhealthy gets $123.00 per month, which is only $4.10 have enough money for healthy food. People
foods. Eating foods that may be cheaper per day. While SNAP is helping people afford who are obese have a higher risk of developing
but also high in sugar and fats can result in baseline food, it’s not enough to afford a diabetes. In 2010, $190.2 billion (21%) of
diabetes and obesity, which can lead to other healthy diet. annual medical spending was spent on diabe-
medical issues that require expensive medical Another way poverty and obesity are tes. Children’s diabetes alone was $14 billion
care. By understanding the ways in which connected is the fact that eating unhealthy in direct medical costs (National). Insulin (di-
poverty and obesity are related, we can figure foods doesn’t make the consumer feel full, abetic medication) used to be $100 to $200
out how to try to reduce them. because these foods lack important nutrients. but has risen to $400 to $500 per month, de-
One way poverty and obesity are related Have you ever eaten a whole bowl of potato pending on the brand (Dorsey). If the diabetic
is that unhealthy foods are cheaper because of chips and still felt hungry after eating them? who is buying the medication does not have
government subsidies. A government subsidy That’s because of something called satiety. insurance, then all of that money must come
is when the government gives money to a cer- Satiety is the mechanism that stops a person out of pocket. Lack of money for healthy
tain business, so they can make more products from eating more when they don’t need it. food is causing these health problems. When
at a reduced price. The government subsidizes A satiety level is measured by the ratio of these people have to start paying for expensive
crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, dairy, nutrients to calories, so when foods that we medications, it creates a cycle of choosing
and livestock (Anahad). Since these crops are eat do not have a lot of nutrients, the food medication or healthy food.
subsidized, they are produced in larger quan- moves faster through our bodies, making the There are complex connections between
tities and farmers are guaranteed income from feeling of fullness fade faster. When people poverty and obesity. The high cost of healthy
the subsidy. The abundance of subsidies leads cannot afford healthy foods they are forced to nutritious food, health care costs, and the
these ingredients to be used in more foods eat cheap foods that have low nutrition and limits of food assistance are all interrelated.
since they are the cheapest. These ingredients that leads to overeating due to lack of satiety Despite the challenges of addressing these
are used in unhealthy foods making them (Severson). Overeating is one of the main issues, a good place to start is by donating
cheaper. For one person to eat a healthy diet, factors in obesity. healthy foods to your local food shelf. If you
it would cost them $550 more per year to eat Another way that poverty and obesity have a few extra cans of vegetables sitting in
than eating unhealthy food, that’s $1.50 more are connected is that the products available your pantry or some extra garden veggies,
per day (Eating). For people of low income, at food shelves are not always healthy and donate them so the people who will eat them
they may have no choice but to buy these nutritious. The foods available at food shelves can. While there are small actions everybody
unhealthy foods if they cannot afford to pay depend upon what people donate. According can do to reduce food insecurity, there are
an extra $1.50 more per. to Mary Stoddard, who runs the food shelf also larger-scale solutions. Providing low-cost
Another reason why poverty and obesity in Sharon, the foods that run out quickly are health care would help solve the problem of
are related is that the Supplemental Nutrition bread, pasta, rice, meat, and canned vegeta- people choosing between medication and
Assistance Program, SNAP (or food stamps), bles. They often do not have a lot of cheese, nutritious food. Similarly, if the govern-
doesn’t always provide enough benefits for butter, spices, yogurt, and fresh milk, there are ment-subsidized fruits and veggies instead of
people to afford a healthy diet. SNAP pro- not many dairy products available. Getting highly processed foods, low-income individ-
vides financial support for people who have a enough dairy is important because it provides uals would be able to afford healthier options
low income. However, many people struggle a lot of essential nutrients. Canned vegetables with their limited funds. We can try to make
to be eligible for the program. To be eligi- are easier to stock and last longer. A lot of the these larger changes by discussing these issues
ble for 3SquaresVT (Vermont’s food stamp time canned vegetables get salt, sugar, and with family members, spreading the work
program), one’s gross household income must preservatives added to them throughout the in your community, and voting for politi-
be equal to or less than, 185% of the federal canning process making them less healthy cians who support policies that will end food
poverty income level. However, an individual’s than fresh produce. Fresh produce is packed insecurity.
8 OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth EditionIs Pizza a Vegetable? TOMATO TOMATO ting children and adolescents at risk for poor
health. For children and adolescents aged 2
INGREDIENTS PASTE SAUCE
Justin Luce and Pam Ward -19 years, the prevalence of obesity is 18.5%
Iron 7.8 mg 2.4 mg
What do you think of when you hear the and affects about 13.7 million children and
Potassium 2,656.7 mg 727.7 mg
word “vegetable”? Carrots? Spinach? What adolescents (Childhood).
Sodium 154. 6 mg 27 mg
about pizza? In 1946 President Harry Depending on which brand of toma-
Magnesium 110 mg 36.8 mg to paste is used, pizza can be more or less
Truman signed into law the National School
Lunch Act to provide nutritionally balanced Zinc 1.7 mg 5mg healthy. When comparing three tomato
food to low income students (National). The Vitamin A 199.1 ug 53.9ug sauces it is easy to see the differing amounts
act assumes that to get the right amount of of calories, sugar and fat. The sugar content
Vitamin C 57.4 mg 17.2 mg
nutrients students should eat on average two ranges from 6 to 9 grams of sugar, which is
Vitamin E 11.3mg 3.5 mg
cups of vegetables per day (Potts). To help the same amount as two Oreos. The calorie
Vitamin K 29.9ug 6.9ug amount ranges from 45 to 90. There can be 1
meet this average daily value the National
School Lunch Act decided that school lunch- Thiamin .2 mg .1mg to 4 grams of fat. (Nutritio) Since sauces vary
es should provide 3¾ cups of vegetables per Riboflavin .4mg .2mg in the amount of sugar, fat, calories, also the
week. They also stated that ¾ of a cup of this brand of sauce being used will affect whether
Niacin 8.1 mg 2.4 mg
serving should be red and orange vegetables pizza is a healthy way for students to get a
Pantothenic Acid .4mg .8 mg serving of vegetables. unless they use plain
to provide students with a variety of vegetable
Vitamin B6 .6mg .2 mg undiluted tomato paste, sauce as a “vegetable”
types.
In 2011 Congress decided to count a ¼ (Nutrition) could add unnecessary sugar and fat (Taren-
cup of condensed tomato paste as a ½ cup of tino).
vegetables towards this red and orange vegeta- The evidence shows that for every nutri- Another problem with counting pizza as a
ble requirement. President Obama, who was ent, the tomato paste has at least double the vegetable is that the tomato sauce on pizza is
concerned about childhood obesity and nutri- nutritional value of tomato sauce. Tomato combined with other ingredients that are less
tion, tried to change this and have a ¼ cup of paste is more concentrated and thus has a lot healthy. Other ingredients add such as bread,
tomato paste count as a ¼ cup of vegetables, more nutrients per serving than tomato sauce. cheese and processed meat toppings add more
but this was overturned by Congress (Kliff ). When the sauce is boiled down to make fat, carbohydrates and calories. “Pizza is the
As it stands now, a slice of pizza containing a paste, it loses water and becomes more second highest reason that obesity occurs in
two tablespoons of tomato paste (1/8 cup) concentrated with vitamins and minerals. To- America. Kids ages 6 to 19 years old consume
counts as a ¼ of a cup of vegetables which mato paste is the most concentrated version 22% of their daily intake of pizza. This was
is 1/3 of the weekly requirement for red and of tomato sauce, so the vitamin and mineral from 2003 to 2010. Pizza was ranked as the
orange vegetables. There are many people values are the highest per serving. When pizza second highest contributor to children’s solid
who feel that this is a faulty way to make in a school lunch claims that there is a quarter fat intake from schools and fast-food restau-
sure that children are getting their vegetable cup of tomato sauce on a slice of pizza, the rants” (Sifferlin). Common ingredients in
requirements. How can pizza, which is served concentration of tomatoes in the sauce is not pizza are white flour, which provides 400
for school lunches, be classified as a vegetable? clear unless they state whether they have calories and 92 grams of carbohydrates per
One argument in support of consider- used tomato paste or sauce. A school that uses cup, and mozzarella cheese, which provides
ing pizza a vegetable is that tomato sauce is paste will have a more nutritious pizza than a 70 calories, 5 grams of fat, and one gram of
packed with a lot of vitamins, minerals, and school that uses tomato sauce. carbohydrates per ounce (Sifferlin). When
fiber because it is made from tomatoes, which Another concern with counting pizza as a the vegetable serving is embedded in pizza, it
are a vegetable. vegetable is that some tomato sauce has added teaches kids to eat their vegetables surrounded
However, even though tomato paste is sugar which makes the sauce higher in calo- by high calorie foods. It doesn’t give them
nutritious, it is tricky to count pizza as a ries (Tarantino). Also, canned tomatoes often the experience and the taste for eating plain
vegetable because there are many varieties of have added high fructose corn syrup (Ipa- vegetables.
tomato pastes and sauces used on pizza. The tenco). If canned tomatoes have been added How can pizza which is served for school
concentration of the tomato in the sauce or to the sauce, then it is possible that high lunches be classified as a vegetable? Pizza itself
paste determines the daily value of vitamins, fructose corn syrup has also been added, again will never fully be a vegetable because of all
minerals and fiber in a serving. The following increasing calories (Impatenco). Increasing the other ingredients surrounding the toma-
is a comparison of the vitamins and minerals the calorie count per serving is a problem for to-based part of the pizza. Nevertheless, the
in a one cup serving size of tomato paste com- children fighting obesity. Childhood obesity sauce, under some circumstances, can actually
pared to one variety of tomato sauce (Eat). is a serious problem in the United States put- be a fairly nutritious vegetable. As long as
OUR TIMES: Food and Hunger in Our World • Eighth Edition 9Throwing Away Food Makes Methane Gas?
Eli Huntington
Did you know when you throw away your restaurants the portion sizes in the chain fresh and healthy meals to people who don’t
food you create a gas with twenty-one times restaurants are the same. If chain restaurants have enough to eat” (Food Rescue) Addition-
greater impact on global warming than car- use smaller portion sizes they could make an ally, since 2011 this organization has saved
bon dioxide? In America, there is a signif- impact on food waste in the U.S. 50 million pounds of usable food from being
icant problem with food waste. Americans Another reason food is wasted is that dumped into landfills. The salvaged food
throw away 1/3 of the food grown in the farms can’t sell second’s, or “ugly food” to is delivered to people in need. Restaurants,
U.S.. One reason is that consumers don’t like stores. If people were able to get over the fact organizations and schools that produce extra
“ugly” food. Most food waste is from farmers that they can eat their food even though it food can donate the leftovers to help people
throwing away food that doesn’t look good is ugly or bruised, we would cut down on a ng with food insecurity.
enough for the supermarket. Farmers and vast portion of our food waste in the U.S.. There are many ways to reduce food
consumers are affected by food waste because Americans waste $165 billion worth of food waste, from eating ugly food to recycling
it contributes to global warming. Food waste each year (New York Times). One in four leftovers one could make a large impact and
in America is appalling when there are so calories produced is never eaten (USDA). encourage others around them to try as well.
many hungry and food-insecure families. Food is wasted in each step of the supply People can use simple and easy methods to
“The U.S. is a significant contributor to chain, whether at the agricultural level in reduce food waste such as eating leftovers
world food waste producing 60 million tons farms, during the distribution of the food, and eating food even if it has a bruise. If one
of excess food every year. The U.S. produces at the stores, and in our own homes.The reduces food waste they are also helping the
more than enough food to feed everyone in first level of food waste occurs on the farm. environment. Reducing food waste does not
the country but much of it is disposed of ” Fifty-percent of land is used for agriculture, take a lot of time or effort, but can have a
(FDA). Why does food get wasted and how yet, an enormous amount of food is wasted large impact.
can we reduce it? due to a lack of storage space, labor shortages,
Chain restaurants tend to waste more weather, pests, and uncertain market demand WORK CITED
food than smaller restaurants because they (USDA). “Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Food Waste and
Loss.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA. Web.
serve larger portion sizes than small-scale Another significant problem with food Eriksson, Mattias, et al. “Quantification of Food Waste in Public
restaurants. U.S. restaurants generate an esti- waste is that schools buy more food than they Catering Services – A Case Study from a Swedish Municipality.”
Waste Management, Pergamon. Web. 1 Feb. 2017.
mated 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste need. The food waste was quantified as 75g
“Food Storage - How Long Can You Keep...” How Long Do Toma-
each year (FDA). Institutions — including of food waste per portion served, or 23% of toes Last? Web. 2020.
schools, hotels, and hospitals — generate an the mass of food served (USDA). However, “Food Waste on the Farm.” Move For Hunger. Web.
additional 7 to 11 billion pounds per year there was great variation between kitchens, “The Simple Solution to Ending Local Hunger.” FOOD RESCUE US,
foodrescue.us/.
(FDA). Approximately 4 to 10 percent of with the waste level ranging from 33g waste “Sengupta, Somini. “How Much Food Do We Waste? Probably More
the food purchased by restaurants is wasted per portion served (13%) to 131g waste per Than You Think.” The New York Times. Web. 12 Dec. 2017.
before reaching the consumer (FDA). Drivers portion served (34%) (FDA). Wasted food Nowak, Peter. “McDonald’s Hamburgers Don’t Go Bad, but Neither
Does a Lot of Food.” Canadian Business - Your Source For
of food waste at restaurants include oversized consists of 64% serving the waste, 33% plate Business News, 26 Apr. 2013.
portions. According to the Cornell University waste and 3% other food waste (USDA). “Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law.” Vermont’s Universal Recycling
Law | Department of Environmental Conservation. Web.
Food and Brand Lab, on average, diners leave One way to reduce food waste is the food
17 percent of their meals uneaten and 55 per- rescue process. We can reduce the amount of
cent of edible leftovers are left at the restau- food waste we produce if we “rescue” food in
rant (FDA). This is partly due to the fact that the United States. It’s simple, food rescue is
portion sizes have increased significantly over the process of using leftovers in places such as
the past 30 years, often being two to eight colleges to feed people who cannot afford it.
times larger than the USDA or Federal Drug In some cases the food is donated to a local
Administration (FDA) standard servings food shelf. Food Rescue US is an organiza-
(USDA). If restuarants reduce the food por- tion that uses volunteers to rescue and deliver
tions served to consumers, it could cut down food to social service agencies that provide
the amount of food waste in a significant food to those who need it. “Food Rescue US
way. While portion sizes differ at small-scale have delivered food for more than 36 million
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