Background
The idea for the project came from a community eco-design forum that featured the innovative work of Brita Riley. Riley created the first hydroponic window farm installation located in New York City in February of 2009 (Riley). Her objective was to teach those who lived in urban food deserts and worked in office buildings an affordable and easily maintainable way to grow their own food and personally involve them in issues related to agriculture and the environment. Food deserts are an area where large-scale supermarkets have abandoned--leaving the entire community with little or no access to affordable, quality food (Bullard). Riley created a community forum using social media in order to encourage other artists and gardening enthusiasts to develop their own versions of her hydroponic, soilless, gardening system. And she states that
The ultimate aim of the Windowfarms project, however, is not to create a perfected
physical object or product. Rather, the most highly valued result is a rewarding
experience with crowsdsourced innovation. We are interested in the participants’
experience as they design for their own microenvironments, share ideas, rediscover the
power of their own capacity to innovate, and witness themselves playing an active role in
the green revolution (Riley).
Thesis
Even though low income groups produce the lowest ecological footprints, cohort groups who fall below the poverty threshold would benefit in many ways from learning about sustainability practices because they demonstrate the largest need for these principles (Echo). While some low income Americans have learned little about the corporate “green movement” advertised in the media and its impact on the environment, if these cohort groups had better access to information about the income barriers and other economic factors that limit access to education...
To learn more, check out: http://www.scribd.com/doc/31294822/Background-Paper-The-Savor-the-Earth-Hydroponic-Window-Farm-Project
JAMA Network: Pregnant women may not be getting recommended nutrientsΔρ. Γιώργος K. Κασάπης
Nutrition during pregnancy is a critical dimension not only for women’s health but
also for the lifelong health of the offspring. Very limited national data exist on the usual dietary
intakes of pregnant women.
Some 3% of women were taking more than the tolerable amount of iron and folic acid. Almost all Pregnant women may not be getting all the vitamins and nutrients that are usually recommended to them during pregnancy, a new survey finds. Researchers asked more than 1,000 pregnant women whether they took dietary supplements, and even though most of the women took supplements, many were not meeting the recommended intake: More than 10% did not were taking less than the recommended amount of magnesium, iron,of the women included in the study were also consuming high amounts of sodium.
The study authors call for better dietary supplement recommendations to better help pregnant women get the nutrients they need.
JAMA Network: Pregnant women may not be getting recommended nutrientsΔρ. Γιώργος K. Κασάπης
Nutrition during pregnancy is a critical dimension not only for women’s health but
also for the lifelong health of the offspring. Very limited national data exist on the usual dietary
intakes of pregnant women.
Some 3% of women were taking more than the tolerable amount of iron and folic acid. Almost all Pregnant women may not be getting all the vitamins and nutrients that are usually recommended to them during pregnancy, a new survey finds. Researchers asked more than 1,000 pregnant women whether they took dietary supplements, and even though most of the women took supplements, many were not meeting the recommended intake: More than 10% did not were taking less than the recommended amount of magnesium, iron,of the women included in the study were also consuming high amounts of sodium.
The study authors call for better dietary supplement recommendations to better help pregnant women get the nutrients they need.
Learn more about the risks of poor diet, and how changes in nutrition policy could better support the health of all Canadians. In this webinar Dr. Norman R.C. Campbell, MD, will review some of the issues Canadians face when trying to eat healthy food and what types of food policies are required to improve the food environment in Canada.
Watch the full webinar recording at https://explore.ucalgary.ca/let-food-be-thy-medicine-diet-and-disease
Metabolic syndrome is a complex condition represented by risk factors that affect many people in this generation. Metabolic syndrome is characterized as having three or more of the following conditions; cardiovascular conditions, abdominal visceral fat, increased blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. The research correlates to the objectives of Healthy People’s 2020s mission statement of eliminating health disparities among all and improving quality of life for years to come, metabolic syndrome in particular targets the individuals showing a case of increased weight who later experience health concerns due to obesity.
This research identifies the risks of metabolic syndrome in specifics to African American women; their risks are higher than those of Caucasian women. Although the risks of MS can affect anyone, as this research will present it is more sever in African American women, the condition can be contained with recommended moderate high to low physical activity with duration of 30 minutes 3-5 times a week. The importance of physical activity is highly recommended for those at high risk of metabolic syndrome. This research is important in setting the stage for future intervention to better improve the quality of all individuals facing health concerns related to weight.
This meta-analysis provides data on dietary intake of main macronutrients/foods and their role in the development of infammatory bowel diseases (Hou et al. 2011)
Wellness Nutrients
Nutritional Supplementation
SWU 351 Sustainable Living and Mindful Eating
Objectives
By the end of class you should be able to:
Identify a variety of “wellness supplements”
Identify populations who may and may not benefit from taking a multivitamin
Define “functional foods”
The Problem
The vast majority of Americans do not meet minimum RDA standards of vitamins and minerals
93% of vitamins D and E miss recommendations from diet
61% not enough magnesium
50% not enough Vitamin A and Calcium
Many subpopulations have lower than recommended intake
older adults (over 65+)
African Americans
Obese individuals
Those who are ill or injured
Do We Need Supplements
to be “Well”?
Health maintenance and prevention of disease
Almost 1/2 of the adult population takes supplements of one form or another
What supplements do people take to be well?
Deficiency Issues
Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) provide:
maintenance of normal cell and tissue function, metabolism, growth and development
True Deficiency Diseases are Rare in the United States
more problems from over nutrition, not malnutrition
Supplements offer an unregulated promise of health in a bottle
It is BIG BUSINESS, with BIG PROFITS
Can a healthful diet provide adequate protection? Or, are supplements the answer?
Common Wellness Supplements
MVI’s
Fish Oil and Flax Oil
Vitamin D
Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and beta carotene
Gene Polymorphisms
Since the mapping of the human genome, multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified that can affect nutritional status and potentially, overall health
Common SNPs
MTHFR
Vitamin D receptor
Fatty Acid Desaturases (FADS)
PEMT (choline)
Lipoprotein polymorphisms…
FASEB J. 2005 Oct;19(12):1602-16
Healthy Eating Index 2005
Measures adequacy, moderation and variety
(fat, cholesterol, sodium , FGP…)
Data set is from 1999 - 2000
74% of population has a diet that “needs improvement”
10% have a “good diet”
16% of population has a “poor diet”
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/HEI/HEI99-00report.pdf
Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations
2001 – 2004 NHANES (16,338 ppl aged 2 and older)
24 hr recall translated into food groups using My Pyramid Equivalents Database
The population did not meet recommendations for all of the nutrient rich food groups except for total grains, meat and beans (categories: fruits, veg, dark green veg, orange veg, legume, starchy veg, other veg, milk, total grains, meat and beans, oils)
Dark greens, orange veg, legumes and whole grains had the poorest showing and 90% of the population did not meet recommendations for total veg and milk.
80 – 90% of Americans are over-consuming fat, sugar, & ETOH
Krebs-Smith et al. J Nutr. 2010 Oct;140(10):1832-8.
Toxic World?
Textbook of Functional Medicine. Institute for Functional Medicine. Gig Harbor, WA. 2005
Do we have evidence that taking MVI’s / Supplements provide benefit?
...
Learn more about the risks of poor diet, and how changes in nutrition policy could better support the health of all Canadians. In this webinar Dr. Norman R.C. Campbell, MD, will review some of the issues Canadians face when trying to eat healthy food and what types of food policies are required to improve the food environment in Canada.
Watch the full webinar recording at https://explore.ucalgary.ca/let-food-be-thy-medicine-diet-and-disease
Metabolic syndrome is a complex condition represented by risk factors that affect many people in this generation. Metabolic syndrome is characterized as having three or more of the following conditions; cardiovascular conditions, abdominal visceral fat, increased blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. The research correlates to the objectives of Healthy People’s 2020s mission statement of eliminating health disparities among all and improving quality of life for years to come, metabolic syndrome in particular targets the individuals showing a case of increased weight who later experience health concerns due to obesity.
This research identifies the risks of metabolic syndrome in specifics to African American women; their risks are higher than those of Caucasian women. Although the risks of MS can affect anyone, as this research will present it is more sever in African American women, the condition can be contained with recommended moderate high to low physical activity with duration of 30 minutes 3-5 times a week. The importance of physical activity is highly recommended for those at high risk of metabolic syndrome. This research is important in setting the stage for future intervention to better improve the quality of all individuals facing health concerns related to weight.
This meta-analysis provides data on dietary intake of main macronutrients/foods and their role in the development of infammatory bowel diseases (Hou et al. 2011)
Wellness Nutrients
Nutritional Supplementation
SWU 351 Sustainable Living and Mindful Eating
Objectives
By the end of class you should be able to:
Identify a variety of “wellness supplements”
Identify populations who may and may not benefit from taking a multivitamin
Define “functional foods”
The Problem
The vast majority of Americans do not meet minimum RDA standards of vitamins and minerals
93% of vitamins D and E miss recommendations from diet
61% not enough magnesium
50% not enough Vitamin A and Calcium
Many subpopulations have lower than recommended intake
older adults (over 65+)
African Americans
Obese individuals
Those who are ill or injured
Do We Need Supplements
to be “Well”?
Health maintenance and prevention of disease
Almost 1/2 of the adult population takes supplements of one form or another
What supplements do people take to be well?
Deficiency Issues
Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) provide:
maintenance of normal cell and tissue function, metabolism, growth and development
True Deficiency Diseases are Rare in the United States
more problems from over nutrition, not malnutrition
Supplements offer an unregulated promise of health in a bottle
It is BIG BUSINESS, with BIG PROFITS
Can a healthful diet provide adequate protection? Or, are supplements the answer?
Common Wellness Supplements
MVI’s
Fish Oil and Flax Oil
Vitamin D
Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and beta carotene
Gene Polymorphisms
Since the mapping of the human genome, multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified that can affect nutritional status and potentially, overall health
Common SNPs
MTHFR
Vitamin D receptor
Fatty Acid Desaturases (FADS)
PEMT (choline)
Lipoprotein polymorphisms…
FASEB J. 2005 Oct;19(12):1602-16
Healthy Eating Index 2005
Measures adequacy, moderation and variety
(fat, cholesterol, sodium , FGP…)
Data set is from 1999 - 2000
74% of population has a diet that “needs improvement”
10% have a “good diet”
16% of population has a “poor diet”
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/HEI/HEI99-00report.pdf
Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations
2001 – 2004 NHANES (16,338 ppl aged 2 and older)
24 hr recall translated into food groups using My Pyramid Equivalents Database
The population did not meet recommendations for all of the nutrient rich food groups except for total grains, meat and beans (categories: fruits, veg, dark green veg, orange veg, legume, starchy veg, other veg, milk, total grains, meat and beans, oils)
Dark greens, orange veg, legumes and whole grains had the poorest showing and 90% of the population did not meet recommendations for total veg and milk.
80 – 90% of Americans are over-consuming fat, sugar, & ETOH
Krebs-Smith et al. J Nutr. 2010 Oct;140(10):1832-8.
Toxic World?
Textbook of Functional Medicine. Institute for Functional Medicine. Gig Harbor, WA. 2005
Do we have evidence that taking MVI’s / Supplements provide benefit?
...
Presentation covers the different types of nutritional status in individuals; undernutrition, malnutrition, and over nutrition. Also discusses different causes of those types.
Review by Louis B. Cady, MD (Cady Wellness Institute) of need for vitamin and mineral supplements, current evidence for loss of minerals and nutrients in soils. Reasonable strategies for identifying supplement needs. Understand how declining nutrients, inadequate intake of recommended servings of fruits and vegetables all contribute to chronic health conditions.
Exploring Food Access and Health DisparitiesSarah Buila, Sou.docxmecklenburgstrelitzh
Exploring Food Access and Health Disparities
Sarah Buila, Southern Illinois University, Illinois, USA
Abstract: I joined the wellness committee at the counseling center where I worked. We talked about
how to increase our health habits and those of our co-workers. We organized lunch hour walking
parties, got group discounts at a health club and decided to have a potluck luncheon in order to share
our healthy recipes and sample the food. My co-workers talked about recipes that are low in fat, low
insaltandsugarless.Often thismeantartificialsweetenersandfatsubstituteswerepartof theirrecipes.
No one said anything about avoiding processed foods or eating less meat. No one said anything about
eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains or organic and locally grown foods. It was at
this very moment that I realized I was from a different planet. The planet I come from calls for a much
different diet. The planet that I’m from has poor and affluent people alike who are obese. While in
some parts of the world people are starving. Race, class, and gender influence health outcomes. What
we eat is influenced by outside factors and I see people getting further away from the source of all
food, theearth.Food isonecommondenominator inhealthdisparities.Onmyplanet therearedispar-
ities in access to healthy foods. Part of the solution is related to broadening awareness. Coming up
with solutions means coming up with new definitions about what is healthy food, and redefining our
roles as health care practitioners/world citizens. Could it be that there is a diet that is not only good
for you, but good for your global neighbors and the earth?
Keywords: Diet, Health Disparities, Food Access, Global Health
THIS PAPER EXPLORES the relationship between health outcome disparities andaccess to food prefaced on the principle that diet is one of the most important factorsimpacting health. It is not recent news that there are health disparities according to
racial/ethnic, gender, and socio-economic status. Much of the literature which ad-
dresses the problem of health disparities is focused on proving they exist. Identifying causes
for these disparities is a much more complicated endeavor. If we are going to close the gaps
between health disparities it is a worthwhile endeavor. Contributing to the difficulty in
identifying causes is the multifaceted nature of human health and the individual and varying
contexts which support (or don’t support) health and wellbeing. These facets include
heredity, access to health care and disease prevention, lifestyle, stress, and diet. The focus
of this article is on food and health conditions resulting from dietary choices and food
availability.
Health Disparities
Health disparities exist for many different vulnerable populations. Worldwide, poverty is a
significant indicator of health disparities. People who are poor experience a higher prevalence
of chronic disease, higher mortality rates, stress, and lower life expectancy .
I submitted this proposal to modify our labor structure to increase the level of responsibility for our mid-level workers' so that we can fill the leadership gap that exists between our senior level workers and our incoming freshman. In the past, our department would promote a few workers to the senior level based upon merit and we'd assign projects and tasks to our mid level workers that didn't really engage them. This created a retention gap and we lost a lot of experienced workers as a result. And we often found that our senior level workers struggled so much to find a balance learning how to juggle all of their new responsibilities that they often neglected our mid level workers and didn't have the social or leadership skills to connect with our freshman workers. The intent of the new structure is outlined within the proposal to address some of those issues now that we have a more experienced mid level staff who has enough proficiency to move on toward the senior level. The modifications were designed to overcome the group dysfunctions found in many organizations outline by Bruce Tuckman's model. The good news is that many of the ideas in this proposal were accepted and approved and we will be adopting most of the new student labor structure for the upcoming academic school year.
This paper, “Neodymium No Deal (N.D.) explores this great new global innovation in alternative energy technology and the challenges that this sector faces that will undermine the credibility of this commodity in the “clean” and “green” tech energy
field.
DUAYEE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL PROPOSAL TOWARDS BUILDING A MODEL SUSTAINABLE VILLAG...Monica Philosophergurl
Project Description
Ecosa has been asked by Peter Gbelia, the Executive Director of the Empowerment Society, to create a master plan for a sustainable intervention in the village of Duayee in Liberia, Africa. This plan is intended to develop a model approach to sustaining the culture, environment, and economy of the Liberian people.
The village we will be working with is Duayee located near the Yah river. The goal is to create Local Economic Development (LED) by designing a system where more food is produced (improved agro-techniques, seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, fish farm, swamp rice), the surplus can be sold at market creating economic growth, and revenue invested back into human capital and community infrastructure.
This is a challenging project in as much as it is based in a non-western culture and needs to respond to needs that are very different to US expectations. Prior to the start of this design, each participant was required to read the report and proposal provided by the Empowerment Project and the Millennium Development Report. The goal of this project was to research alternative development patterns, materials, social and economic systems to create an integrated design that includes all elements of sustainability from materials to permaculture, energy to food supplies. ECOSA is proposing a vocational school as the best way to illustrate, educate about, and build a truly sustainable village. Through the vocational school, Duayee will be able to educate its population and create a skilled work force by allowing every project in the village to be a learning experience that will expand upon the village's knowledge and skill sets.
Vocational school programs will include:
BUILDING RETROFIT AND NEW CONSTRUCTION | Appropriate Technology, Rainwater Harvesting System
WORKING WITH THE LAND | Earthworks for Rainwater Catchment, Food Forests and Polyculture, Composting, Humanure, and Methane Harvesting
CRAFT INDUSTRIES | Paper Making, Print Making and Publishing
LEARNING FROM DUAYEE : Researcher in Residency Program
In conclusion, ECOSA has determined that a vocational school, through its building and use of space, could be a vital training opportunity for villagers, as well as the kick start to multiple industries and businesses that could bring the village much needed economic support, as well as provide funding to the school. Through the inclusion of tradition in the classes, inspired learning and creativity will take place, as well as building in the respect that these traditions deserve. When the learning process is integrated with physical projects for the community, whose difference the villagers and students can see, the lessons stay in place and inspire even more solutions, based on local knowledge. The local industries and jobs that are created from this model will be more stable than ... http://www.ecosainstitute.org/projects/model-sustainable-village.html
DUAYEE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL PRELIMINARY RESEARCH TOWARDS BUILDING A MODEL SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE | Sustainable Village Model Preliminary Research | Ecosa Institute | Summer 2010
Model Sustainable Village
Project Description
Ecosa has been asked by Peter Gbelia, the Executive Director of the Empowerment Society, to create a master plan for a sustainable intervention in the village of Duayee in Liberia, Africa. This plan is intended to develop a model approach to sustaining the culture, environment, and economy of the Liberian people.
The village we will be working with is Duayee located near the Yah river. The goal is to create Local Economic Development (LED) by designing a system where more food is produced (improved agro-techniques, seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, fish farm, swamp rice), the surplus can be sold at market creating economic growth, and revenue invested back into human capital and community infrastructure.
This is a challenging project in as much as it is based in a non-western culture and needs to respond to needs that are very different to US expectations. Prior to the start of this design, each participant was required to read the report and proposal provided by the Empowerment Project and the Millennium Development Report. The goal of this project was to research alternative development patterns, materials, social and economic systems to create an integrated design that includes all elements of sustainability from materials to permaculture, energy to food supplies. ECOSA is proposing a vocational school as the best way to illustrate, educate about, and build a truly sustainable village. Through the vocational school, Duayee will be able to educate its population and create a skilled work force by allowing every project in the village to be a learning experience that will expand upon the village's knowledge and skill sets. Download the final Duayee Vocational School Proposal, and download the preliminary Research Presentation on Liberia.
For more info check out the project at the ECOSA Institute here: http://www.ecosainstitute.org/projects/model-sustainable-village.html
or copy & paste this URL to catch a glimpse of the final project:
http://www.ecosainstitute.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=71&Itemid=
Berea College Spring 2012 | Senior Capstone Research
Using Ecovative's mycology based packaging strategy, I grew mycelium (mushroom roots that act as a bio adhesive) in grain and then performed, density, weight and Rockwell hardness tests on the fiberglass coated substrate to see whether the composite might work as a viable renewable substitution for petroleum based foams in sport craft manufacturing.
Prescott Sixth Street Redevelopment
Project Description
The Ecosa students have been asked by a council member of the City of Prescott to create a vibrant new "urban" component in the downtown area of Prescott that will enhance the visitor experience and bring a new economic hub into the core of the city.
In broad terms, the client's vision is:
To create an area near downtown Prescott that will act as a hub for a variety of outdoor activities including biking and hiking, and help develop awareness of the outdoor opportunities available in Prescott. To enhance Granite creek that bisects the site and explore possibilities for an interface between commercial, housing, retail spaces, and nature. To create a walkable neigborhood with multi-modal transit throughout. To explore planning strategies to create a lively area that can complement the downtown and bring additional revenues into the city. To anchor the development with small retail stores and avoid any “big box” retail in the area.
The client hopes to create an identifiable neighborhood that potentially includes a main street/corridor for mixed uses, including small retail with residential and/or commercial above. The City of Prescott is repositioning its marketing program to emphasize the natural resources in the area, such as walking and biking trails and the natural beauty surrounding the area. This redevelopment project should tie into this aspect of Prescott and make the Granite Creek area the hub for biking and walking to other areas in the trail system.
Site Assessment
Located in the heart of Prescott, Arizona, this project is approximately 140 acres in extent. It is bounded by North Montezuma Street on the West, the Yavapai tribal lands on the East and East Merritt Street on the North. The southern boundary is the property line of businesses that are accessed from EZ Street or from North Mount Vernon Street. The Albertsons shopping center and the Springhill suites define the South East corner.
Currently most of this area is industrial and many of these buildings are vacant and the land in the area is not well utilized. The existing infrastucture of roads was to be maintained, however, simple modifications can be made such as median strips, sidewalks and bike lanes.
Granite creek bisects this area and is a highly under utilized resource. There is a great opportunity to enhance this whole redevelopment by expanding and acknowledging the creek as a superb resource for any redevelopment.
Culture, Environment, Economy
Students researched into both the social, economic and natural systems of the area. Students developed an understanding of the whole area, not only its history and the current human impact, but also the climate flows; air, water, vegetation, fauna, people, and traffic in all parts of this area.
To learn more about this project, click here: http://www.ecosainstitute.org/projects/prescott-sixth-street-redevelopment.html
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
How libraries can support authors with open access requirements for UKRI fund...
Window Farms Food Security Project
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10. Malnutrition Definition
Malnutrition is the condition that develops
when the body does not get the right amount
of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients
it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ
function. Malnutrition occurs in people who
are either undernourished or over-nourished.
Under-nutrition
Under-nutrition is a
consequence of consuming
too few essential nutrients
or using or excreting them
more rapidly than they can
be replaced.
Over-nutrition
In the United States, nutritional
deficiencies have generally been replaced
by dietary imbalances or excesses
associated with many of the leading
causes of death and disability. Over-
nutrition results from eating too much,
eating too many of the wrong things, not
exercising enough, or taking too many
vitamins or other dietary replacements.
11. Diet-Related Disease
by Race
Obesity (%) Diabetes (%) Hypertension (%)
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics (2002).
African Americans
Male 21.1 7.6 36.7
Female 37.4 11.2 36.6
Total 33.4 10.8 36.6
Whites
Male 20.0 4.7 24.6
Female 22.4 5.4 20.5
Total 21.3 7.8 22.1
Hispanics
Male 23.1 8.1 NA
Female 33.0 11.4 NA
Total 26.2 9.0 NA
Food security is an issue that affects many people all over the world, especially in the global south. The areas with the highest level of food insecurity are those that use unsustainable agriculture and irrigation methods, have acidic soil due to heavy mineral contents, where they do a lot of mining and have a concentration of resource conflicts, exploitation and violations of human rights. http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/liaison_offices/wfp185786.jpg
Believe it or not, the areas within the United states with the highest levels of food insecurity experience a lot of similar problems. While there are many that we could discuss, today we’re going to just look at a brief picture of what we refer to in the United States as the food desert. http://maps.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/
Why don’t we start by first getting a better understanding of what food insecurity actually means. (refer to chart)
Here we have the Food Environment Atlas generator online courtesy of the USDA that shows the poverty rates by percentages all over the U.S. A lot of this poverty is concentrated in the American South, or in regions that have high resource exploitation or have acidic soils due to high mineral concentrations, and in the case of some of these coastal regions salt water -- which makes it difficult to grow food.
This map shows the states with the highest number of SNAP participants. Snap stands for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs, such as food stamps.
Yet ironically, we have an interesting phenomenon here, that some of the same areas with the highest densities of poverty and people who rely upon government assistance are paying considerably more than the national average for food per person.
All of that data was for the year 2008. In 2008, we also witness a phenomenon in which the states with the highest levels of poverty hold the highest levels of obesity
Americans today look at obesity as one of the biggest threats to public health. And there is a negative assumption made that obesity is the result of poor health choices, laziness, and American overconsumption. The way that obesity is portrayed in the media is that American obesity is the status quo, part of the American lifestyle.
Nutritional disorders can affect any system in the body and the senses of sight, taste, and smell. They may also produce anxiety , changes in mood, and other psychiatric symptoms. Malnutrition begins with changes in nutrient levels in blood and tissues. Alterations in enzyme levels, tissue abnormalities, and organ malfunction may be followed by illness and death. Poverty and lack of food are the primary reasons why malnutrition occurs in the United States. Ten percent of all members of low income households do not always have enough healthful food to eat. Protein-energy malnutrition occurs in 50% of surgical patients and in 48% of all other hospital patients. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/malnutrition
If you look back at the CDC’s statistics for Diet Related Diseases, African Americans represent the highest percentage of those living with diabetes and hypertension -- followed by hispanics and then whites.
Let’s look and see where the highest concentrations of the African American population reside.
Does that look kind of familiar to you? if I go back and show you the poverty map the density of low income populations fall within some of the same regions of
Yet when you look at this map of diabetes rates, you might notice that with some notable exceptions for California, New Mexico and Colorado, a lot of the areas with the highest diabetes rates also fall in these low poverty areas with high obesity. They also fall within areas with high urban concentrations. But that may not be news to you. So what separates places like the states who did not follow this trend from those in high areas?
So let’s look at this map. Here we have the density of fast food restaurants per 1000 people. But the fast food data doesn’t really explain the trends that we saw with obesity, poverty or diabetes.
But the trend that DOES begin to exhibit some similarities is the high concentrations of low income areas that have limited access to grocery stores. This is where you begin to see our food deserts
And for those of you who don’t know, a food desert is an area in which people have as large and isolated geographic areas where mainstream grocery stores are absent or distant. Currently there is a food desert research initiative going on that has been tracking the statistical link between Food Deserts and worse diet-related health outcomes. http://fooddesert.net/
So in places like New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona, where you might see farmer’s markets, within the grain and feed belt or community based agriculture, you see people with better access to a safer quality of food than you do in those high poverty areas.
This picture of Berea College students was taken from an article featuring the top 10 greenest colleges. http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/greenest-college-cafeterias-4608093
If you take a look at how much people who live in high poverty areas have to pay for snacks
Versus the price the same people have to pay for vegetables in grocery stores, It kind of makes you wonder. People in low income areas have less money to work with, they live in areas where they have very little access to grocery stores and it cost more to buy vegetables than it does to buy junk food, I don’t know that you can really point your finger at the people.
Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray are artists working to create crowd-sourced R&D solutions for environmental issues. They envision the DIY aspect, not as a nostalgia-inducing hobby or a compromise during hard financial times, but as a futuristic infrastructure-light alternative to big R&D. They work to frame a movement where people feel validated, welcomed into an effort to break apart scientific breakthroughs into actionable tasks, and motivated to contribute. They believe it's time to take the potential contributions of the general public to the environmental movement more seriously. They are currently residents at Eyebeam , the art and technology atelier in New York. http://brittaandrebecca.org/
The kind of areas that Riley and Bray design for are urban areas; areas like we have illustrated here that are full of “convenience stores with no gas/ 1000 population was considered an indicator of food insecurity. But then I remembered that in many urban areas with poor food security that’s the only place where people can buy food if they don’t have access to transportation.
I don’t know how many people remember the convocation speaker who came and spoke about environmental justice, Dr. Robert Bullard of Clark Atlanta University. Bullard is known as the “father of environmental justice” shared in one of his publications that about Only 8 percent of African Americans live in a census tract with a supermarket, compared to 31 percent of whites. Many of Atlanta's black neighborhoods are saturated with fast food outlets, liquor stores, and convenience stores that make their profits off junk food, beer, wine, and cigarettes. Convenience stores industry account for 27 percent of teen purchases of tobacco. Food redlining forces many poor black Atlantans to spend more money and time, and travel farther and accept lower quality and less healthy food. Food shopping at convenience stores takes its toll in higher prices in health costs. Convenience stores mark up food prices by at least 20 percent, amounting to a tax of $1,200 a year per family in higher food expenses for residents of "food deserts.“ Bullard also critiques the lack of investment in including more African Americans in “green” and sustainability initiatives and training for green jobs. Bullard who is an activist believes that in Atlanta, the area where he mostly focuses this particular environmental justice argument, that Black Atlantans should be demanding more equitable development from their government, especially when their tax dollars are being used to fund, support, and subsidize public-private smart growth, new urbanism, and green initiatives.
And while I’ve lived on both sides of the tracks and participated in some very active groups on both sides of the tracks, I would have to say in my experience that while I believe that sustainability has tremendous applications to help lift and keep low income communities out of poverty when I look around and see the lack of African American participation at sustainable community development programs I wonder, are we really doing enough to prepare African Americans for green jobs? Most of the African Americans I know don’t even understand how helpful sustainability can be in helping deal with issues such as reducing hunger, creating economic opportunities in their own communities and improving their health. And we haven’t even scratched the surface. If you were to ask any African American student on campus about how the principles and applications of sustainability can help saves them money or what lessons in sustainability that they have had that they can take home that they can use to give back to their communities, I’m not sure that you’d hear very encouraging answers to those questions. But the good news is, that by stumbling across the work of the window farm developers, I was given a really cool mechanism to get more American American and low income students directly involved into a field that very few people (proportionally speaking) are prepared for. So it becomes a good opportunity to look at what are some of the issues that we can address that would enable us to close the achievement gap. http://readymadeblogs.mydevstaging.com/blogs/readymade//crowdsourcing-the-cottage-garden/ http://pollan.blogs.nytimes.com/
In my background paper I address some key issues and challenges that this project and my experience working on this project have presented. This project has left me with many questions such as: Access to Education, Cultural Barriers, Learning to Engages Young African Americans, Lack of Identifiable Leadership, How do we develop more Practical Methods & Engaged Methods for exposing a more diverse group of students to the benefits of sustainability practices that go far beyond recycling? How do we close That “Green “ Achievement Gap, and so on….
So the goal of the project was not only to create something that could provide education about some of these more daunting & complex issues, but also to explore more of the lighter side of things. Here I address some of the developmental opportunities this project can present for increasing community involvement and the role of interactive learning about sustainability through projects like this as a community development tool. Working on this project raised a lot of questions that are going to give the black cultural center some opportunities for really good programming. My role in this was simply to kind set up a framework for them to get the ball rolling on this, and the rest of what happens will be determined by the groups who collaborated with me on getting this thing built.
Before we begin, I’d like to give a special thanks to:
We wanted to reclaim as many materials as possible. While I would not repeat this step now that I have some woodworking experience, we found an old discarded wood pallet (which turned out to have quite a bit of wood rot) and used it for a makeshift structure with which to mount the window farm. Frankly we could have skipped this altogether and simply found anything from which we could suspend hooks.
I used old closet brackets, twist ties and cable to secure the pvc pipe to the top of the pallet and keep it secure.
We went back and reinforced the structurally week parts of the pallet and screwed them together. I purchased cable from Ace hardware and attached them to the pvc using a slip knot. I made one length a bit longer and used the twist ties to secure it farther down the pipe to provide different drop off points.
We then inserted screws and brackets (you’ll see where we integrated twine later to create a horizontal plane for the spacing grid)
We used the remaining piece of the pallet and used that to “secure” the other piece of pvc and spatially get a sense of the floor dimensions.
We pulled these bottles from the campus recycling facility
We cut out the face of the bottles
And used a hole punch create a way to suspend the bottles. Masking tape was applied to the top of the bottle