Thou Shalt Not Steal – and Hunger
Thanks to Vernita Kennen of Incarnation Lutheran Church, Shoreview, for sharing these important insights in the St Paul Area Synod’s Newsletter!
Vernita wonders, ‘What does a commandment about stealing have to do with hunger?’
She lists a number of ways the connection might be made – based on the assumption that someone else is doing the stealing in an obvious way.
But then she puts the spotlight on everyday behaviors a lot of exhibit – and the data to show us just how much we waste as a result – and the connections between food waste, food shortages, and hunger.
Fortunately, she also shares a link to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s hints for preventing wasted food.
Read Kennen’s full post here.
Take a deeper dive into Good Food, Bad Waste: Let’s Eat for the Planet (Orca); every section suggests another way individuals, households, and congregations can be more intentionally sustainable with their food.
A congregation might take these hints – or create their own – and develop community learning opportunities around:
- gardening and/or composting
- call in Heidi Ferris from Growing Green Hearts for either of these
- food storage
- see Good Food, Bad Waste for the difference between best-by dates and actual expiration of food edibility, for instance
- food preservation
- canning, freezing, jams/jellies, etc.
- the great cooks in your congregation or community can teach awesome, locally-inspired, tradition-oriented classes on this
- a GREAT multi-cultural exploration: how do different people groups preserve their foods????
- community food sovereignty
- learn from Indigenous leaders what this means
- learn from Harvest Nation – a local, woman-led Indigenous organization – how to make it happen
- develop a local store in the middle of a food desert
- whatever addresses local food shortages, waste, and/or realities
Ready, set, eat your way to a deeper love for local food and a more sustainable diet for human bodies and the planet!!