Faithful Food Choices What we decide to eat can have worldwide implications. The choices we make everyday about which foods to purchase, and where we make our purchases from, are moral choices. As people of faith, we must see to it that our individual consumer food choices, as well as our public policies, alwaysput human needs ahead of economic profits. When making food choices, we must protect the dignity of humankind, the integrity of God's creation, and be particularly mindful of how our actions affect the most vulnerable among us. Instead of basing our consumer choices solely on what is the "best deal", we are instead called to weigh the societal and environmental impact of what we choose to buy. By being socially-conscious consumers, we are actively witnessing to God's love and justice everytime we buy food. See also the Faithful Harvest Campaign Faith Resources Download At the Lord's Table: Everyday Thanksgiving from our Network for worship resources that connect food, faith and farming. Buy Fair-Trade, Shade Grown Coffee Like other kinds of food, the type of coffee we choose to buy can have important social and ecological ramifications. When you buy fair trade coffee, you are working to protect the environment. Small farmers are the best stewards of the land and rely less on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and chemically engineered crops than large scale coffee growers. Small farmers also tend to grow their coffee underneath a canopy of trees. This type of coffee, known as "shade grown", prevents deforstation which releases trapped carbon in trees which contributes to global warming, destroys habitats for birds and other species, and eliminates valuable protection from soil erosion. By purchasing fair-trade, organic, and shade-grown coffee, you and your congregation can help small farmers while protecting God's creation. Click here to participate in our Adamah Coffee Challenge! Click here to find out where to purchase Fair Trade Coffee. Reduce Meat Consumption Meat in the United States typically comes from huge factory farms which wreak havoc on the environment. Reducing meat consumption is a great way to protect the environment, reduce hunger and save energy. Factory farming of animals requires huge quantities of water and grain. The vast majority of grain harvested in the United States is fed to farm animals instead of people. It is estimated that it takes 12 pounds of grain to produce one pound of hamburger. Because of this, vast stretches of land, including wildlife habitats, forests and wetlands, have been turned into crop and grazing land. The quantity of waste produced by farm animals in the U.S. is more than 130 times greater than that produced by humans. Agricultural runoff has killed millions of fish, and is the main reason why 60% of America's rivers and streams are impaired. Factory farming also requires excessive amounts of energy that contributes to global warming. Animal foods demand most of the energy used in agriculture. Growing feed crops requires extensive energy for ploughing, harvesting, pumping irrigation water, transportation, and producing fertilizer and pesticides. The housing of pigs and chickens in factory farms requires energy for artificial ventilation, conveyor belts and electric lighting and energy for the processing, packaging and refridgeration of meat greatly outweighs the little processing and refridgeration required for fruits and vegetables. Buy certified organic and sustainably raised foods whenever possible. Use the Eat Well Guide to find sustainably raised meat. Buy Organic Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. As far as possible, organic farmers rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and tilth, to supply plant nutrients, and to control weeds, insects and other pests. Click here to learn more about organic farming For more about organic foods Organic Farming Research Foundation and National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Organic Consumers Association. Join a CSA Churches can create wonderful connections between its congregants and their larger community by buying CSA shares and supporting local farmers. CSA stands for 'Community Supported Agriculture'. By creating relationships with local farmers, churches can promote healthy food and a healthy environment for its members and the community it serves. What is the Definition of a CSA? What does a CSA membership involve? How does CSAhelp improve the environment? How can my church get involved? Examples of churches that already participate in a CSA ministry. Buy from Local Growers for Church Dinners When having church dinners and potlucks, encourage your church to buy from local farmers whenever possible. Eating fresh seasonal food is not only good for your health, but it also supports local farmers and helps cut down on fuel pollution since local food does not need to travel far. There are also less tangible benefits such as the feeling of connection with where your food comes from. Money spent in the local economy through buying from local suppliers stays in the community, to everyone’s benefit. Large retail grocery chains use their enormous buying power to source the cheapest products, but the products are not always the best. In the supermarket, your meat and grains and vegetables might be coming from other countries far around the world. These "food miles" leaves an environmental legacy because of both climate change and from the devastating agricultural practices associated with large-scale farm production. Ask your local institutions – churches, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, etc. – to buy from local producers and provide organic options. The Community Food Security Coalition operates Farm to School and Farm to College programs that outline the steps to creating institutional change.