See here.
December 1, 2010
Open Position at Environmental Defense Fund – International Climate Lawyer
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under AnnouncementsLeave a Comment
December 1, 2010
Book Review: “The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food”
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Agriculture, Environment, FoodLeave a Comment
I just finished reading “The Town That Food Saved” by Ben Hewitt. It’s a must read for Vermonters who want to know more about the agricultural entrepreneurs in and near Hardwick, Vermont (enterprises like High Mowing Organic Seeds, Pete’s Greens, Claire’s, and the Center for Agricultural Economy). I enjoyed the book both because it’s nice to read about a community in your home state, and because Hewitt recognizes the criticism placed upon high-priced organic artisanal food (something I discussed in an earlier post), and tries to define a successful localized sustainable food system (e.g., economic vitality to small-scale producers, it must feed locals, based on sunshine rather than fossil fuels). Unfortunately, the issue of price/affordability remains, and in his book (and in my own work), there remains no answer of how to make healthy sustainable food more affordable in the face of industrial agriculture. At the end of the book, Hewitt seems to suggest that an economic collapse of the industrial food model may result in price reorganization, but I’m more skeptical of such a collapse and instead have come to belief that big business (e.g., Wal-Mart) will instead seek to control the organic market where these large firms then bring smaller farms under their control by dictating production quantities and growing conditions.
Finally, yesterday I posted about the new Food Safety Bill passed by the Senate. It seems Hewitt has his own take on the bill.
November 30, 2010
Senate Passes Overhaul of Food Safety Regulations
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Agriculture, Food1 Comment
See here.
UPDATE: Sen. Sanders (I-VT) has a press release on the issue, “Senate Passes Food Safety Bill, Sanders Provision Protects Small Farmers and Processors.”
UPDATE 2: Process Mistake May Kill Food Safety Bill
November 30, 2010
The Future of Vermont’s Working Landscape
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under AnnouncementsLeave a Comment
A Summit on the Future of Vermont’s Working Landscape will be held at the Vermont State House on Friday, December 10, discussing the challenges facing the agricultural and forest-based enterprises in Vermont. Full agenda available here.
November 29, 2010
“Essentially, we have a system where wealthy farmers feed the poor crap and poor farmers feed the wealthy high-quality food.”
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Consumption, Food1 Comment
I’m becoming increasingly sympathetic and more understanding of the types of argument made in an article in Newsweek entitled “Divided We Eat” (where Michael Pollan is quoted as making the statement used in the subject of this post). The article argues that a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and grains is becoming less affordable to most Americans. One certainly sees that high-calorie mass produced foods are increasing in price at lower rates than healthier foods, and many healthy foods (e.g., good produce) is not available in many poor urban neighborhoods. In addition, it is true that having an organic locavore diet is becoming a sign of being of higher socio-economic status. I do think the article undervalues the importance of food literacy (e.g., knowing where your food comes from, how to cook, and what is healthy), underestimates the power of marketing for unhealthy industrial food, and does not address whether eating healthy with better coventional ingredients could be affordable when cooking as opposed to buying prepared foods. Finally, I am becoming fascinated of late with price (i.e., how can we all afford healthy local low-input food) and choice (i.e., why are we spending so much less of our income on food). At the end of the day, I think the locavore and organic movements are good, but we can’t lose sight of wider social justice concerns like hunger and food insecurity. Locals should be able to afford local food, and everyone should have access to fresh raw fruits and vegetables, and healthy dry grains.
November 29, 2010
Vermont Law School at COP16 in Cancun
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Announcements, Climate ChangeLeave a Comment
Today is the first day of the international climate change negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, known as COP16. Professor Kat Garvey and 3L Daniel Miller will be representing Vermont Law School at these climate talks. You can follow the adventures of the VLS delegation on their blog at: http://vlsatcop16.wordpress.com/.
November 26, 2010
A low carbon diet can also be a healthier diet
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Agriculture, Climate Change, Consumption, Energy, Environment, FoodLeave a Comment
Green reports that the InterAcademy Medical Panel is urging a low-carbon diet and lifestyle. This should come as no surprise, but perhaps is long overdue. Many things that are ‘low-carbon’ are much healthier than the alternatives (and both healthier for your personal biology and the environment). Examples abound: red meat v. chicken, chicken v. vegetable, walk v. drive, etc. Sometimes the choices aren’t so clear.
Sweden, with it’s new dietary guidelines that take the environment into account, is on the cutting edge. These recommendations have been suggested for a whole host of environmental reasons in addition to acknowledged health benefits. For example, the guidelines account for the high climate impact of beef due to methane released in cattle digestion, the depletion of many fish stocks, the energy-heavy refrigerated transport required by delicate fruits and vegetables, the fact that fiber-rich root vegetables are more likely to be grown outdoors than in greenhouses requiring fossil fuels, that water-soaked rice fields produce more greenhouse gases than potato farms, that oil palms are often cultivated on former rainforest lands, and even the high carbon footprint of plastic water bottles.
November 23, 2010
Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under AnnouncementsLeave a Comment
Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
CALL FOR PAPERS
The Essential Principles of Small- and Mid-Scale
Food Value Chain Development
Manuscripts due February 15, 2011
For details about JAFSCD and author guidelines, visit www.AgDevJournal.com/submissions.
November 22, 2010
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law Symposium–CHINA’S ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE: GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND COMPARATIVE SOLUTIONS
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under Announcements, China, EnvironmentLeave a Comment
The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law invites you to its 2011 Symposium:
China’s Environmental Governance: Global Challenges and Comparative Solutions
中国的环境治理：全球挑战及解决方案比较
November 22, 2010
Columbia Fellowships in Climate Change Law
Posted by Jason J. Czarnezki under AnnouncementsLeave a Comment
Applications are invited for two fellowships in climate change law at Columbia Law School’s Center for Climate Change Law. For both, the salary will be $60,000/year plus benefits. Applicants must have received a J.D. degree within three years prior to the beginning of the Fellowship. Strong academic qualifications and background in environmental law and policy will be expected. The Fellows will function as Associate Directors of the Center; will supervise various fellows, visiting scholars and interns; will work on a wide variety of research and writing projects; and will help organize conferences, seminars, collaborative publications, and other projects concerning climate mitigation and adaptation.
The Earth Institute Climate Law Fellowship will be for a two-year period, from September 2011 through August 2013. The application deadline is December 20, 2010. The winner will also participate in seminars and other programs of Columbia University’s Earth Institute, which is partly funding this position.
The Center for Climate Change Law Fellowship will be for a one-year period, from September 2011 through August 2012. The application deadline is February 15, 2011.
Prospective fellows may apply for one or both fellowships. It will be assumed that those applying for the Earth Institute Climate Law Fellowship will, if unsuccessful in that application, also wish to apply for the Center for Climate Change Law Fellowship, unless they indicate otherwise in the cover letter; resubmission of their application will not be necessary.
More information about the Center is available at www.ColumbiaClimateLaw.com. Applicants should submit a cover letter, C.V. and law school transcript to gregory.wannier@law.columbia.edu (no calls, please).
JASON J. CZARNEZKI 