Food Insecurity and Climate Genocide
As a result of climate change arable land is shrinking and cities are growing. We will have to do more with fewer resources or drastically reduce our population. If we continue a capitalist system where few hoard resources while many barely scrape by, it is going to result in genocide. However, the dire outcome of the status quo is not inevitable. I have become increasingly convinced that the key to preventing climate genocide is dismantling capitalism and the key to dismantling capitalism is eradicating hunger.
Of all the problems that or communities face, food insecurity and diet related illnesses can be eradicated immediately if we pull together and decide that enough is enough. Once we eradicate hunger, we will see more and more strong communities and strong leaders emerge to solve the problems of a world descending into crisis.
I'm done being a hypocrite who writes about it but doesn't take action. This week, I finally had enough knowing that some of my students don't have enough food or don't have access to healthy food. I have spent enough time feeling like I can't do anything, like I don't know what to do, or like someone else should do it. Capitalist, colonialist society conditions us for that kind of thinking, but the only thing that makes solving our problems impossible is the belief that they are impossible to solve.
I came up with a list of four things that will improve food security and health at school:
- Start a school pantry so students can take food home.
- Keep healthy snacks available to students at all times.
- Improve quality of school breakfast and lunches.
- Serve dinner at school.
Starting a pantry turned out to be fairly easy. I did some research on what sorts of programs exist that could support the effort and found plenty. But in the meantime, I just started buying a bunch of food and leaving it at school. By doing that, others took notice and joined the effort. Now we have a pantry. In fact, by the time some of the outside support I've sought arrives, I'm not sure we'll need their help.
Providing healthy snacks is also easy enough. A lot of teachers already keep snacks in their rooms. Again, I just threw some money at it and started leaving a mountain of fruit in the cafeteria every morning. It sounds like the food service staff got the message and will soon take over that effort.
The latter of my list will take a little more time and effort, but are very accomplishable. Despite the fact that I'm using my own money to jumpstart the efforts, there is plenty of funding available. I think what schools and communities need is someone able to put the time and effort into getting these programs going. I think most people are too burdened with their own struggles and obligations to work for change. Those of us who can have an obligation to our fellow humans.