Posted On: Aug 21, 09
Join Kokua Hawai’i Foundation and Slow Food O’ahu on Labor Day Weekend as we gather to support local and wholesome food in schools and in our broader community! Time for Lunch is a national movement organized by Slow Food USA asking parents, teachers and every citizen to speak up and tell our leaders that change can’t wait: It’s time to provide our children with more local, fresh, and healthy food in schools—in Hawai’i and across the US.
On O’ahu, we have several events celebrating Time for Lunch:
Time for Lunch Eat-In Potluck
Saturday, 9/5, 12:30 to 2 p.m. at BYU Hawai’i Cafeteria Lawn, La’ie
* All are invited! Bring your picnic blankets and and a home-cooked dish to share!
* Add your voice to those supporting more local, fresh, and healthy food in schools
* See what local elementary schools and BYUH are doing with school gardens and food programs
* Reduce waste by bringing your own reusable plates, forks, and cups.
Screenings of the Film Food, Inc. and Discussion with Local Farmers and Food Advocates
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it’s produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here. See the trailer at www.foodincmovie.com. *Due to some graphic factory farming scenes, this film may not be appropriate for young children under the age of 12. Parental discretion is advised.
Join us to:
* See the film that everyone’s talking about
* Hear from local farmers and food advocates about Hawai’i's most pressing food issues
* Discuss actions we can take locally and nationally to improve our food system
Saturday, 9/5, 2:30 p.m. Food, Inc. Screening at the BYU Hawai’i Auditorium, La’ie
Stay after the Eat-In to see the film and take part in a lively discussion. A keiki-friendly film and activity will be provided nearby during the film screening.
Monday, 9/7, 4:00 p.m. Food, Inc. Screening at Punahou School’s Thurston Memorial Chapel, Honolulu
Wrap up your holiday weekend with this great film that will start off with a food tasting provided by Town Restaurant’s Ed Kenney.
*Seating is limited
Not on O’ahu? There are three other Time for Lunch Eat-Ins planned for Hawai’i on Labor Day—two on Hawai’i Island and one on Maui.
To show support, sign the Time for Lunch petition, read the Time for Lunch platform for updating the National School Lunch Program, or to find the locations of other Eat-Ins in Hawai’i and the US, visit www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch.
For more information about these Time For Lunch and Food, Inc. events, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Posted On: Aug 01, 09
Warm weather, farm fresh fruit, iced beverages, and the sounds of children running about all day are sure indicators that it has been a great summer! As the end of our great summer adventures merge with the start of a new school year, families are gearing their children up for their new learning experiences. Back-to-School shopping is a ritual ripe for reconsideration. We can send our children off to school with supplies that keep them and our world safe and healthy by brushing up on our purchase choices. Steer clear from advertisements pushing new versions of the same product you have from last year. Here are some thoughts for making your back to-to-school experience as sustainable as it is educational:
- You may not need to buy at all. Consider just how much new stuff you really need to buy, chances are it’s less than you think! Reuse supplies from previous years, or find a new purpose for something old. New American Dream offers a Back to School Reality Check that can help you assess your needs.
- Check your local thrift store or other sources for recycled items.
- If you buy, buy smart. Be a Conscious Consumer by eliminating hazardous products and replacing them with healthier alternatives. Also check out the Green School Buying Guide offered by the Green Schools Initiative.
- New or used, beware of products made from soft vinyl plastics (PVC), including notebooks, pencil cases, backpacks, and lunchboxes. The production of PVC involves the use of cancer-causing chemicals that contaminate the air and water of surrounding communities. These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, and cadmium which may be toxic to your child’s health. Check out The Center for Health, Environment, and Justice’s (CHEJ) downloadable PDF* Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies *This is the newest version posted by CHEJ, 8.4.09
- Test for lead in lunchboxes. The Center for Environmental Health offers some helpful tips to Test for Lead.
- Bottle your child’s daily beverage in stainless steel water bottles or BPA-free containers. Bisphenol-A or BPA can leach out of materials that contain it and is an endocrine disruptor. Visit our Plastic Free Hale’iwa sourcelist for ideas.
- Avoid disposable supplies and look for sustainable options like refillable pens, rechargeable batteries, dispenser-less tape, and similar items.
- Buy in bulk to save money and choose products that use the least amount of packaging.
Attention Hawai’i DOE teachers! Funds available for Environmental Education Field Trips and Mini-Grants now. The application deadline for the 2009-2010 school year is March 31, 2010.
Posted On: Aug 01, 09
Food, Inc. Opens in Honolulu on Friday, 7/31 at the Kahala 8 Theatres
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it’s produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here. View the trailer and learn more about issues the film address at www.FoodIncMovie.com.
Join Kanu Hawaii’s Eat Local Challenge
Kanu Hawaii is challenging everyone to eat local during the week of August 8 to 15. Join the Campaign by committing to eat entirely locally grown food for a day or the whole week. Gather with friends and throw an Eat Local party on August 15! Visit KanuHawaii.org to become part of the action.
Sign the Time For Lunch Petition and Join us for an Eat-In
Slow Food USA’s Time For Lunch campaign asks parents, teachers and every responsible citizen to speak up and tell our nation’s leaders that change can’t wait: It’s time to provide our children with REAL FOOD at school. On Labor Day, thousands of people will gather in their communities for “Eat-Ins” to show their support for better school food. Kokua and Slow Food O’ahu will be hosting an Eat-In in Honolulu (more details coming soon!). Join us for a potluck gathering of people who want fresher, more local options in school lunches across the US. Visit www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch to sign the Time For Lunch petition, find other Eat-Ins, learn how to organize an Eat-In in your community, and find other ways to get involved.