Fresh off the Shelf: A conversation on food sustainability

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Hungry for information about food security and sustainability? Join Caitlin Press, the Vancouver Public Library, and the Vancouver Park Board for a special Sustenance Festival event.


The right to food—and the means to access it—is a human right. But in the current economic, political, and social skyline, that doesn’t look the same for every citizen. For a low-income household, purchasing both nutritious and sustainable food is not always feasible. With questions of affordability and accessibility in mind, join authors Jane Reid and Jan DeGrass for a conversation about food sustainability and the co-op food movement in Vancouver.

For Jane Reid, author of "Freshly Picked: A Locavore’s Love Affair with BC’s Bounty", the issue of food accessibility was raised from an environmental angle. Taking inspiration from recent movements such as the 100-mile diet and foodie culture, Jane recognized how food production and transportation impacts the environment. Considering the carbon footprint of importing food products, Jane began to focus on seeking out the harvests of local farmers and developing foraging skills, such as berries gathered traditionally by Indigenous Peoples.

Journalist and author Jan DeGrass shares her journey, along with other like-minded Vancouverites, to re-imagine the food industry in BC in "The Co-op Revolution: Vancouver's Search for Food Alternatives". But before the phrases “fair trade” and “rainforest friendly” were common terms, food co-ops in the 70s recognized the unavailability of ethnic foods and dedicated efforts to bring in natural or co-operatively produced foods from many parts of the world.

Buying homegrown food and supporting your neighbourhood businesses helps keep money in the local economy. Join Jane Reid and Jan DeGrass for an illuminating conversation on the past and present of co-ops and local food—along with tips and ideas to eat local more often.

Links

• RSVP on Facebook facebook.com
• Caitlin Press caitlin-press.com
• Sustenance Festival sustenancefestival.ca

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Caitlin Press

Presented by Caitlin Press in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library and Vancouver Park Board for the Sustenance Festival