Food Day 2012

If you are looking for a grassroots project to get involved with, you might want to consider Food Day 2012. Scheduled for October 24, 2012, this is the second year for this annual event. The initiative was begun by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Very few Americans are eating the diet that is proven time and time again to improve health. Not many people consume the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, beans, or whole grains, and many are consuming too much saturated fat, sugar, and salt. However, these problems with our dietary intake are just part of the problem. As Michael F. Jacobson, PhD, executive director of CSPI and founder of Food Day, points out, we also need to address other problems, such as hunger, wasteful farm subsidies, pollution and animal cruelty related to factory farming, and many other issues with our food system.

The goal of Food Day 2012 is for people across the nation to organize thousands of events extolling the benefits of healthy eating without sacrificing taste and to work toward resolution of food problems in the geographic area. The possibilities for what these events might entail are limitless, so get creative!

Food Day is modeled after Earth Day. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) were the honorary co-chairs for Food Day 2011. Other members on the Food Day Advisory Panel included author Michael Pollan, former Surgeon General David Satcher, professors Walter Willett, Marion Nestle, and Kelly Brownell, and prominent chefs, including Dan Barber and Nora Pouillon.

The five key priorities for Food Day 2012 are to:

• Promote safer, healthier diets
• Support sustainable and organic farms
• Reduce hunger
• Reform factory farms to protect the environment and animals
• Support fair working conditions for food and farm workers

 
To learn more about Food Day, visit www.FoodDay.org.

References and recommended readings
Center for Science in the Public Interest. It’s time to eat real, America! Available at: www.FoodDay.org. Accessed July 20, 2012.

Jacobson MF. Introducing Food Day! Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-f-jacobson/introducing-food-day_b_843612.html. Accessed July 20, 2012.

Review Date 7/12
G-1621