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There Are Always Alternatives.

© Bob Ewing

It is a beautiful Fall afternoon as I sit down to this week's article. In two weeks time I will be reviewing Robert K. Henderson's book, The Neighbourhood Forager, published by Chelsea Green Publishing. So to get you in the mood, this week's article is a reformatted version of an article that originally ran in October of 1998. It is time that we began to consider alternative food systems and stopped relying on foods that have been genetically altered and or shipped for hundreds and thousands of miles. We can meet our food needs in our own communities.

About once a month, I like to take a stroll around Thunder Bay and consider the possibilities. Actually, I usually confine my walks to Thunder Bay North, the section of the city, once, and still known, at least unofficially, as Port Arthur. The possibilities I'm referring to are the what if questions, that I like to ask, to keep my mind fresh, and my creative edge sharp. For example, what if, instead of maple trees, the city planted dwarf fruit trees on the sidewalks, and in the parks set aside space for community orchards? What effect would this have on hunger?

On a greater scale, I think we, as individuals and as a society, are in need of asking ourselves what if, and reminding ourselves that there are always alternatives. Corporations are promoting gentically engineered food as the answer to a question that goes something like this: How do we feed the world's growing population? A good question, but is genetic engineering the right or only answer? Or are we even asking the right question? It began with soybeans and canola oil and even though there have been questions raised about the safety of these and other ge products, there seems to be a rush to get them to market.

The possible dangers ought to give us pause and have us consider the alternatives before we accept the magic bullet that we are being offered. Food Security is a serious issue, one which I have discussed in previous articles and one which will keep cropping up on a regular basis but what is the real threat?

Perhaps the causal factor that we need to address is poverty and that, if this is the case, then what we need to do is create answers to the questions; What is the root cause of poverty? What is the relationship between hunger and poverty? Obviously, if you have no money, you cannot buy food, but what if you could grow your own food? You may still be cash-poor but no longer hungry. But you do need seeds, tools and somewhere to plant a garden. Garden cooperatives may be a response.

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