Food for Personal and Planetary Health Showcase, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019
The Season of Creation is a wonderful time to reflect on how our lifestyles impact the environment and to make a commitment to live in ways that better care for our earth. The good news is that making more sustainable lifestyle choices in just a few areas adds up to a big difference overall. How can your food choices impact your health and the health of the planet? SJN’s second annual Sustainability Showcase was held to help parishioners consider this question. Below is a summary of the information we presented on impacts of a plant-based diet, meat production, food waste, personal health, meat consumption, local sources of food as well as on our ministry and on Catholic social teaching on care for creation.
The Season of Creation is a wonderful time to reflect on how our lifestyles impact the environment and to make a commitment to live in ways that better care for our earth. The good news is that making more sustainable lifestyle choices in just a few areas adds up to a big difference overall. How can your food choices impact your health and the health of the planet? SJN’s second annual Sustainability Showcase was held to help parishioners consider this question. Below is a summary of the information we presented on impacts of a plant-based diet, meat production, food waste, personal health, meat consumption, local sources of food as well as on our ministry and on Catholic social teaching on care for creation.
MEAT PRODUCTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
HERE are the main documents shown on the board. The food system is a major driver of climate change, changes in land use, depletion of freshwater resources, and pollution of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems through excessive nitrogen and phosphorus inputs. 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions result from the livestock industry. Spiritual Connection: Pope Francis made an urgent call to "every person living on this planet" to reassess our relationship with the earth and all of God's creation. Reducing the amount of animal products in your diet is good for the environment, your personal health, and the workers exploited by industrial animal agriculture. |
PLANT-BASED DIETS
HERE are the main documents shown on the board. A plant-based diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, is a great way to achieve good health! Those who eat a plant-based diet lower their risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other health conditions. Spiritual Connection: “I am choosing not to eat meat because it is one way of limiting my tendency to over consume, something I see as part of my vow of poverty. It’s not just about meat, but consumption in general. I have a commitment of living simply to be more mindful of people who live in real poverty.” Sr. Christin Tomy, Sinsinawa Dominican Sister, Wisconsin. |
|
|
CARBON/WATER IMPACTS OF FOOD PRODUCTION
HERE are the main documents from the Board. Food production and waste have significant ecological consequences. When we waste food we also waste the resources that went into its production; labor, land, water, fertilizers and pesticides, and fuel. If we better meet demand by capturing food that currently is discarded, then a significant amount of land conversion from forests, grassland, and wetlands to agricultural use could be avoided, also reducing our adverse impact on biodiversity. Further, we could decrease pesticide and fertilizer use and runoff which are potent greenhouse gas contributors; nitrous oxide from agriculture uses has a global warming potential of close to 300 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2). At the disposal end, nearly all food waste ends up in landfill, where it releases methane (CH4) which is a GHG with 20-30 times the heat trapping potential of CO2. In our purchases and in our diets, we must consider the carbon and water footprint of our diet choices. Spiritual Connection. "When we go to the supermarket, we rarely think about where our food comes from, or what it takes to process, package, and distribute it. We worry about the economic cost of groceries but not the environmental cost . Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). |
HEALTH BENEFITS OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIETS
HERE are the main documents from the board. People who eat a plant-based diet have a lower risk of dying from heart disease when compared to non-vegetarians. Plant-based diets have been proven to prevent and reverse heart disease, improve cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. Plant-based diets also can prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes, lead to weight loss, lower the risk of certain types of cancer, and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Spiritual Connection: "Each of us has the power to make a difference by leaving meat off our plates at least one day a week." Saint Francis Alliance. Faith and Food: Seeking a Just World for All God’s Creation: Why What We Eat is a Catholic Issue.
HERE are the main documents from the board. People who eat a plant-based diet have a lower risk of dying from heart disease when compared to non-vegetarians. Plant-based diets have been proven to prevent and reverse heart disease, improve cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. Plant-based diets also can prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes, lead to weight loss, lower the risk of certain types of cancer, and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Spiritual Connection: "Each of us has the power to make a difference by leaving meat off our plates at least one day a week." Saint Francis Alliance. Faith and Food: Seeking a Just World for All God’s Creation: Why What We Eat is a Catholic Issue.
REDUCING FOOD WASTE
HERE are the main documents from the board. Food waste in the U.S. is excessive - 40% of all food produced is wasted. There are many things you can do to reduce food waste - shop smarter, reduce portion size, love your leftovers, read labels, donate surplus purchases. Spiritual Connection: "Let us remember well, however, that whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor, from the hungry!" Pope Francis, General Audience, Saint Peter's Square, Wednesday, 5 June 2013. |
LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE
HERE are the main documents from the board. Locally sourced food can be more nutritious, as it spends less time in transport and more time on the plant where it ripens naturally. Taking advantage of buying from Community Sponsored Agriculture sources (CSAs) and farmers' markets also build the local economy and strengthens a sense of community.
Spiritual Connection: "Eating is a moral act. It’s not just about thinking how your food is grown but also about the men and women who are living where your food is grown. Catholics can show solidarity by supporting a food system that is local, buys from local farmers, and keeps family farmers on the land." Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers, USCCB.
HERE are the main documents from the board. Locally sourced food can be more nutritious, as it spends less time in transport and more time on the plant where it ripens naturally. Taking advantage of buying from Community Sponsored Agriculture sources (CSAs) and farmers' markets also build the local economy and strengthens a sense of community.
Spiritual Connection: "Eating is a moral act. It’s not just about thinking how your food is grown but also about the men and women who are living where your food is grown. Catholics can show solidarity by supporting a food system that is local, buys from local farmers, and keeps family farmers on the land." Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers, and Farmworkers, USCCB.
CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES
We had games and drawing for the children. To the left is a precious drawing created by one of our young parishioners. Spiritual Connection: "What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?" Pope Francis, Laudato Si', 160. |
CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME MINISTRY AND CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
SJN's Care for Our Common Home Ministry was started in 2016 in response to Pope Francis's enclyclical, Laudato Si'. Click HERE to download an overview of our mission, motivation, and activities. The slideshow also presents a summary of Catholic Social Teaching on the environment. We have connected with many Catholic and other faith groups (locally, nationally, and internationally) who share our desire to heed the "cry of the earth and the cry of the poor". Spiritual Connection: "Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." Pope Francis, Laudato Si', 217.
SJN's Care for Our Common Home Ministry was started in 2016 in response to Pope Francis's enclyclical, Laudato Si'. Click HERE to download an overview of our mission, motivation, and activities. The slideshow also presents a summary of Catholic Social Teaching on the environment. We have connected with many Catholic and other faith groups (locally, nationally, and internationally) who share our desire to heed the "cry of the earth and the cry of the poor". Spiritual Connection: "Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." Pope Francis, Laudato Si', 217.