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
  • 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
  • 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!!