Participant Media presents entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Behind these films and issues, there are thousands of people nationwide who work tirelessly on campaigns that use the films as inspiration to make a difference. As a member of the company’s Social Action team, which develops initiatives that are inspired by the films, I’m excited to announce the first posting of a weekly blog of Sarah’s Social Action Snapshot, which will offer the latest updates on our campaigns and offer specific actions and tools, from our campaigns, for people to get involved in issues in the news.

Food, Inc.
Do you want to know about rGBH dairy, issues facing small farmers or organic yogurt? If so, check out our recent online chats with some of the leading food advocacy organizations from our campaign and Stonyfield Yogurt.

We learned this week that obesity rates continue to climb with an expected 103 million Americans to be obese by 2018. Scary? Yes. Preventable? Yes. Take action by supporting menu labeling and check out our campaign’s 10 tips for healthy eating.

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wild turkey by stevevoght, Flickr Creative Commons

Since I wrote last year about tips for a sustainable thanksgiving meal, much has transpired in the food movement. We now have a First Family that regularly toils in their backyard to grow and harvest organic produce. The hit documentary, Food, Inc. was released this past year and is now in the running for an Academy Award. I had the pleasure of working on the Social Action campaign for the film which has given me the privilege of learning much from amazing food activists who are working daily in fields, offices, schools and boardrooms daily to help to build a more just and sustainable food system. Read the rest of this entry >>

Sometimes you meet really brilliant people who for whatever reason never got the opportunity to apply their skills to monumental tasks. Other times you meet powerful people whose brain power makes you wonder how they ended up in their position. Then you meet the occasional geniuses who are also power-brokers changing the world—people like Dr. Stephen Schneider.

Schneider’s been studying, writing and talking about global warming for four decades—long before Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore, Ed Begley, Jr. or pretty much anyone else arrived on the scene to address this crisis. A scientist on the forefront of studying the evolving science of global warming, he trots the globe speaking to captivated audiences, arguing in scientific papers and teaching university students; Schneider’s impact cannot be underestimated. Through his brilliant, humorous and thoughtful insight, he has captured the attention and inspired world leaders, fellow scientists and regular people worldwide to take action on global warming. Oh, and he shared the Nobel Prize with Al Gore and the IPCC in 2007.

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photo by Frankie Roberto, flickr Creative Commons

It’s time to forget the inaccurate stereotypical image of America’s hungry as long lines of mostly homeless men, winding down the block from a church’s soup pantry entrance, waiting for their daily meal. The times have changed, drastically. The ongoing economic recession has slowly started to show limited signs of recovery on paper and on Wall Street, but these developments haven’t reached millions of Americans. We live in an era with a 10% official national unemployment rate, coupled with rising costs of living and stagnant wages. Those shouldering the burden of this economic crisis are barely surviving. For many, they can’t even afford basics for survival, such as food. Read the rest of this entry >>

zappowbang, flickr creative commons

A recent New York Times Sunday Style section article reports on the increasingly prevalent cultural trend of cross-dressing amongst teenagers. While this isn’t new in major metropolitan cities hugging the coasts, the article cited examples of the tensions that have arisen between students and school districts in what are typically more conservative bastions of our country, such as Mississippi and Texas. Whether they’re emos, hippies, neo-1980s punks or straight edge kids, teens are craving for self-expression and identity, often through their appearance. Although there have been some legal hurdles, students are increasingly able to dress as they choose at school. What they’re not choosing to use for self-exploration and definition is their food. Read the rest of this entry >>

photo: vaXzine, flickr Creative Commons

In many ways, Barack Obama is my hero. He’s a brilliant leader who is doing amazing things to reform health care, the economy and education. He and his wife Michelle sparked much excitement when they installed an organic garden at the White House. His Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, quickly followed suit and planted a tidy green plot in front of his office building. And, like the bean stalks growing in their yard, the excitement continues to swell as Michelle is periodically photographed in the garden and speaks about the need for healthy food choices for kids. The Obamas quickly ascended to be the most visible participants in the sustainable food movement.

But, like the sudden realization that your lettuce crop has been eaten by a furry friend, I was shocked  and disappointed by recent nominations by President Obama to key posts at US Department of Agriculture (USDA) of people from at Monsanto and CropLife, two agribusinesses.  These nominations severely undermine his campaign promises and efforts to reform our industrial food system (which the Obamas are already trying to do in their backyard!). His hero status has been lowered. Read the rest of this entry >>

My friends, Andrea and Aryeh, were planning their daughter Shachar’s bat mitzvah this past summer and wanted the event to be guided by their strong commitment to social and environmental justice. We, sadly, live in an era when bar and bat mitzvahs have become night-clubs at shuls with too many stories of mega-black tie parties hosted by NFL cheerleaders, world famous musicians and budgets that could be used to purchase a McMansion. It was refreshing that Andrea and Aryeh chose to host a religious event that infused their social values throughout all aspects. What also makes this bat mitzvah so special is the sustainable practices they chose to incorporate into Shachar’s bat mitzvah can be used for any type of event. And, the greatest lesson that came of their planning is that it involved, engaged and helped to build an already thriving little community in the heart of the Los Angeles megalopolis. The family didn’t do this on their own; all members of their tiny synagogue (myself included) pitched in. Here’s a list of their inspiring, eco-friendly actions:

1. Invitations were sent via email.
2. All food was vegetarian and prepared by local restaurants.
3. Guests prepared and brought their favorite dessert.
4. All paper goods, cups and utensils were made of compostable materials.
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Thursday is International Cephalopod Day which might not have enough gravitas yet to be printed on every Hallmark calendar like Halloween and Valentines Day. But, it could be on its way there. You might want me to back up and explain what a Ceph-al-opod is before I begin touting the benefits of them and the need to have an international day of celebration in their honor, topped off with the ultimate recognition of inclusion in your mass produced annual calendar. I’ll give you a hint-for most people, they’re probably more familiar with the creatures in its golden deep fried version, served with a lemon wedge or marinara sauce at your local Italian restaurant.

Cephalopods are more than just the dish consumed after garlic bread and before fettucini alfredo. They’re the wavy-gravys of the ocean. The undulating tentacle-strung invertebrates glide throughout the deepest depths of the oceans with delicate fluttering motions that defy their sophisticated systems of highly developed brains and nervous systems. While there are 800 of types of them, the most commonly known ones are squid, octopus and cuttlefish. An octopus in its whole, living form, is a bit like those fuzzy neo-teddy bears known as Ugly Dolls; bizarre shapes and colors that are so ugly they’re actually mesmerizing and enticing.

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photo: quimby flickr, creative commons

The anti-BPA movement, of which I’m a proud member, has received much deserved fanfare in the past week after Sigg, the metal water bottle company, disclosed that it’s pre-August 2008 bottles were lined with BPA, a known endocrine disruptor. As I’ve written about before, I, like thousands of other consumers purchased Sigg bottles as an alternative to plastic water bottles which are toxic to humans and our planet. However, unknowing consumers like me were really alarmed and disappointed to find out that Sigg bottles were lined with BPA despite previously denials.

It’s nice to read now that the company’s CEO, Steve Wasik, has admitted it was wrong of Sigg to not inform customers of the contents of their products, especially when they are toxic. After contacting the company last week to return my bottle, I received a form letter which reminded me (as has Steve Wasik) that I should “please know that your SIGG bottles are proven non-leaching, this means they do not leach anything [including BPA] into the beverages that have been poured into them. Extensive independent testing shows this and are located here for your discernment.” Sigg  is missing the point. BPA is a known endocrine-disruptor and it’s not for the company to decide whether or not consumers believe their product is safe (I never would have purchased the bottle had I known it had BPA). I know they’re trying to do damage control, rather than digging a deeper hole they should just stop with a simple apology.

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Photo taken when I visited a Seattle farmers market in July

Food, Inc., the widely celebrated documentary that continues to expand nationwide as quickly as GMO seeds infect organic crops,  is topping the box office in documentary sales. It is  more than just a great documentary, though. It is also helping to reshape our agricultural and eating landscape nationwide. The thoughtful analysis of our complex industrial food system is introduced to viewers in simple, bite-sized portions that make it easy for viewers to understand the issues. My analysis of the residual effects of Food, Inc. are not scientific and merely based on my informal discussions with people, combined with scouring twitter and blogs for anecdotes. But, there is plenty of evidence that people are leaving theaters and walking out with a determination to make significant changes.

#foodinc has become synonymous on Twitter with posts about sustainable agriculture and they are rampant. Following this phrase on the site brings up numerous postings from enthusiastic fans about new openings of the film and plenty of tweets about sustainable agriculture issues that have nothing to do directly with the film but everything to do with the subject matter. #foodinc now means sustainable, healthy agriculture to tweeters. The media coverage for the film stretches from one end of the spectrum to the other with accolades and condemnations from advocates and foes of industrial agriculture. It has become a default-topic in food discussions (see the recent Time cover story). Huffington Post devoted a special section with interviews of some of its food bloggers about the film. Read the rest of this entry >>