Overview/Mission/Goals

Since eating is a necessary act for all of us on this planet, our choices of what to eat, where to eat, how to eat and with whom to eat, impact nature, our community, our farmers and our farmworkers, our food service workers, our health care system, our families, and our own health, happiness and well being.

Book/Discussion Group

The Book /Discussion Group will meet at least once a month on a Sunday after the church service. The kick-off topic is "What We Already Know." Our group's purpose will be twofold: (1) to become better informed about the background and issues associated with ethical eating, and (2) to explore the spiritual/ethical underpinnings of the issue. The topics we choose will be drawn from the interests of the group. Our discussions will include the scientific, political, economic, and sociological aspects of a food-related topic, as well as any UU underpinnings. One person from the group will be responsible for leading the discussion and providing much of the background, either from a book, essay or other research. The rest of the group may be responsible for doing some background reading; however, we'll also encourage "drop-ins" who won't need to prepare in advance for the meeting. (Contact Jon Fish or Terry Hassman.)

The Book/Discussion Group is reading:
Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappé

The Garden

The Garden working group's preliminary goal is to establish a Spring garden, has begun seeking technical information and potential expert consultants, and will conduct a site survey to identify possible garden locations. We intend to start small and gradually increase size and complexity as we are able. In addition to producing food, we see the garden as an opportunity to learn and teach. (Contact Lynne Masahara or Meredith Graham.)

Enlightened Cooking

Enlightened Cooking outlined two initial goals: (1) fast, economical dinners/meals; and (2) nutritious and simple after school and after work snacks. To satisfy the "outreach component" we agreed that we would begin by contacting the Emerson Head Start Preschool and the Los Angeles City Senior Center to determine if and when a combined workshop would be best. If possible we could do a workshop where adults and children could both participate in making simple snacks. We also need to survey our own congregation's families, especially those with small children. The "simple, fast, economical" menus will take some time and research to develop. No follow up meeting planned until research completed. (Contact Diana Dixon-Davis.)

Food and Social Justice

The food chain is longer than the biologists who coined the phrase considered. In our complex – dare we say interconnected – web, the first filaments in that web are the workers in the fields - planting, cultivating, harvesting nature's products. Over the years others have spoken for them. The "Oakies" John Steinbeck wrote about, the "Just Deportees" Woody Guthrie sang about, the "Harvest of Shame" Ed Murrow showed us – were eloquent, moving, and seminal, but "second hand" and decades ago. Not much was changing. Then Cesar Chavez came along and the workers in the fields began to speak for themselves. We can join in their voices. As one element of our We Are What We Eat project, we will be continuing Emerson's long history of support for farm worker's struggles. We're just getting organized, so stay tuned for further information and how you can be a part of this work. (Contact Chuck Moore or Maggie Knowles.)

Community Supported Agriculture

The CSA group will be facilitating the introduction of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to church members initially and later to the community in order to make locally grown, sustainably produced produce conveniently available at a reasonable price- -helping to sustain our local farmers, build community, reduce environmental pollution from importing produce, provide a healthier workplace for the farmworkers by eliminating exposure to toxic pesticides, and provide uncontaminated food to us consumers. Fresh and organic veggies and fruit from several farms in the Imperial Valley are offered through www.farmfreshtoyou. com with delivery to your doorstep. We could also consider a field trip to the farms. (Contact Leslie Reuter.)

Nutritional Assessment

As for our own health, a Nutritional Assessment will be offered all Emersonians in early Spring (after the holidays). We will meet and learn how to input your dietary information and what the output will tell you. We will also decide whether we want to have, as a first step, church internal challenges in meeting dietary goals- maybe a challenge of the SGMs or singers versus the hospitality crew, or children vs parents. You can help create the challenge. (Contact Lenore Arab by email.)

Resources

Farm Fresh to You CSA
Sustainable Table Shopping Guide A guide to sustainable food choices
Seafood Watch A guide for eating fish healthily and sustainably
Food Miles The NRDC on the real cost of imported foods
California Harvest Local Delivery Another CSA
Adopt Your Neighborhood From the Earth Resouce Foundation
My Plastic Free Life A blog on living life without plastic
Greenopia LA A guide to green businesses, including restaurants
The Story of Stuff Get the story on all our stuff
Open Space Meat Grass fed beef source
Choose Veg A vegan site

-Leslie Reuter

Event Calendar

The Book/Discussion Group is reading:
Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappé

February 6th
Farm & Food Worker Social Justice Committee meeting – 12pm- Sanctuary