What is one thing you would do to make the world a better
place?
As I clean off my plate before leaving the dining hall I see
the trash cans full of unwanted food. Wasting food seems to have become a habit
for those with access to an excessive amount of food. I am also guilty of this
crime; however, that does not mean I should not want to change it. The
distribution of food both within the United States and on a global scale is ridiculously
uneven. On one end, there are people who purchase food in excess and toss it away
when it becomes inedible or takes up too much space in the fridge; and on the
other end, there are people who have to beg for food.
When the question was posed to the class, my first thought
was what was something I personally could do to improve the world around me? I
was reminded of the summer I spent volunteering in Chicago. I met a man named
James, who I befriended when delivering food to the homeless. James and his two
companions were members of the over 138,000 homeless living in Chicago (Chicago
Coalition for the Homeless). They only received one meal a day from the nuns at
the Missionaries of Charity, but the joy they expressed after receiving a
simple lunch in a brown paper bag ingrained in me the importance of food in
daily life. The food that was given away all came from donation, and I thought
what if these small donations could be multiplied across the globe.
The implementation of creating a more even distribution of food
on a local scale is fairly simple. People who are financially able should be
required to donate money or food to an organization that helps distribute food to
the less fortunate. In addition, it should also be a requirement that people donate
their time to volunteer at a local soup kitchen or help pass out food to the
homeless and hungry, because it does not matter how much food or money is
donated if there is no one there to distribute it.
On a global scale, the development of more advanced farming
technology and the shipping of surplus goods could improve the distribution of
food. The development of more advanced farming technology would create larger
production of food, which could then be distributed to communities around the
world. More advanced farming technology could also result in better farming
methods that are less harmful to the land so that food could be produced for a
longer period of time. In addition, we could ship food from countries that had
an excess of food via air carriers or cargo ships to countries that needed more
food.
Food is an essential part of daily life, yet many people go
without it. However, there are many people that have more than they can eat.
After having experience working with the hungry, I was motivated to write about
a solution to their hunger. The solution ranges from small donations to
advancements in technology and global shipment of food. If we could end world
hunger, imagine the possibilities of what the human race could achieve.
"FAQ/Studies - Chicago Coalition for the Homeless." Chicago Coalition for the Homeless RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.
Amen. It's so easy to forget those who have less than we do. And it's so hard to think about bettering yourself or the world when you are struggling every day to meet your basic needs. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the different ways that some of the texts that we'll read tackle this problem.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts about his blog, was its honesty. I love that you're not afraid that being a "hypocrite" should deter you from doing something useful with the knowledge and experience you have gained throughout your life. World hunger is something that so many people talk about solving, yet, even after their efforts, it feels like little has been done to solve the issue. Your ideas on ways to fix this unequal distribution of food is original and realistic. I would love to see this idea come into fruition in our society. I'm curious too: what types of food would you suggest distributing? After reading Caitlyn's blog, I can't help but wonder if fruits and vegetables should be the main food group.
ReplyDeleteThe most ideal food to donate would be fruits and vegetables; however, they are difficult to transport because they are so perishable. This is why advancements in farming technology would be important. It would allow you to produce fresh produce locally.
DeleteI liked that you included a personal story in this post because it really put me, as a reader, face-to-face with the problem you are talking about. This is something that bothers me, too, because you don't even have to be wealthy to have a surplus of food. The middle class has that surplus. I think we could easily remove half of what is in our food pantry and still have plenty to eat. It would be something worth incorporating in our society--donating half of our food supply--because I think its something that we would find healthier for ourselves and others, easy enough to do, and gratifying.
ReplyDeleteThe disparity between people who have more than enough food to eat and those who often miss meals is absolutely appalling. More research should be devoted into better practices when it comes to farming and agriculture. Unfortunately we see a great deal of genetically altering crops to make them more profitable whether it is making crops more resistant to frost or drought or creating productive yet infertile crops ensuring that farmers must buy seeds annually (brought to you by the geniuses at Monsanto). Outside of the world of farming, land management could be better implemented as well which would help a great deal in our sustainability as humans. When we learn how to use some lands for farming, some to reserve our forests, and somehow utilize vast areas of dessert land, I think we would finally be on the correct path to taking care of not only ourselves but also our planet.
ReplyDelete