Food Tank

Food belongs in every classroom. It connects science, history, culture, climate, health, economics, agriculture, and so much more. Yet for too long, food education has been treated as something extra instead of something essential. It’s time to change that. As Danielle Nierenberg says, “Food might be the most interdisciplinary subject we have.”

Food education belongs everywhere. In classrooms. In cafeterias. In school gardens. On farms. And in the communities where young people are learning how the choices they make connect to their health, the planet, and one another. “You can teach any subject through food,” says Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn of Pilot Light. “Food makes learning relevant.” And Shanon Morris, MS, RD, CDN of Harlem Grown reminds us why this matters: “The food system is flawed; it’s no secret. It’s important to remind ourselves—and our kids—that they are a part of a change. It’s important that we plant those seeds.” Those seeds can be literal ones. “The power of bringing people together for shared experiences is transformational,” says Lyndsey Waugh of Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “Human connections spark around food.” And as Rev. Linda Carmen Bryant of San Antonio Million Gardens Project and Grant Community AME Church told us: “If we get the kids excited (about growing food), they will lead us.” This is about more than understanding where food comes from. It is about giving young people the knowledge, skills, confidence, and resources to shape the food system they will inherit. As Amanda Torres of P.S. 072 Dr. William Dorney put it: “We all have the power to change. Don’t wait on anyone to change for you.” So grateful to Pilot Light for partnering with Food Tank on this conversation during Climate Week NYC, with support from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. Read more and watch the conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gfWi88Qr #ClimateWeekNYC

For decades, Marion Nestle has helped us understand a deceptively simple truth: Food is political. She has challenged powerful industries, followed the money, asked uncomfortable questions, mentored generations of food systems leaders, and changed the way so many of us think about what ends up on our plates. As Marion celebrates her 90th birthday, some of her friends and colleagues put her extraordinary impact into words: “Marion is a changemaker. Marion is a force of nature…She has taught us how to think about food, argue about food, question and challenge food, and how to eat.” -Jennifer Berg, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. “(Food) is sociology, agriculture, history, and community, but above all, it’s politics. Today it’s obvious, but 30 years ago, it certainly was not…It’s because of Marion that we have a new generation of food people.” -Ruth Reichl “Marion can walk into a supermarket and see an entire political economy. Marion’s voice is needed now more than ever.” -Frances Moore Lappé, Small Planet Institute “Marion, as we say in the business, gives a good quote…but she also tells the truth.” - Kim Severson, The New York Times “Marion occupies a place no one else does in our understanding of the world. Years ago I called her matchlessly lucid, and she hasn’t changed a bit.” -Corby Kummer, The Aspen Institute and The Atlantic And Renée Baran of Rodale Institute may have summed it up best: “Marion really is a total badass who, for decades, has told some of the most powerful industries in the world exactly what they didn’t want her to say, and she said it loudly—with footnotes.” We were so honored to celebrate Marion’s 90th birthday during Climate Week NYC, alongside New York University and Rodale Institute, where Marion received the Rodale Institute Organic Stewardship Award for Lifetime Achievement in Education. Happy 90th birthday, Marion. Thank you for asking the hard questions, telling the truth, and inspiring generations of us to do the same. Read more and watch the celebration: https://lnkd.in/gD4a677D #ClimateWeekNYC

Food education is not a nice-to-have. It shapes our health, our communities, and our relationship with the food system. But too many young people grow up disconnected from where their food comes from, how it is grown, and how the choices around food affect their bodies, their communities, and the planet. That’s why our final gathering of six extraordinary days at Climate Week NYC focused on “The Future of Food Education.” We heard about breaking down barriers to bringing food education into classrooms, connecting students with farms and gardens, and giving educators the tools they need. We also heard powerful perspectives on food justice, community leadership, health, and making food education accessible well beyond the classroom. Karen Washington, Marcus Samuelsson, educators, farmers, advocates, and community leaders helped us think about what it really means to raise a generation that understands food and feels empowered to shape its future. And Jenna Bainbridge and Maria Caputo brought music and artistry into the afternoon. A huge thank you to Pilot Light for partnering with us and Nielsen-Massey for supporting this important conversation. After six days of Food Tank programming at WNYC’s The Greene Space, this felt like exactly the right place to end: with the next generation. Watch the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/guVdKHB6 #ClimateWeekNYC

We cannot talk about the future of food without talking about water. What an incredible morning to close out six extraordinary days of Food Tank programming at Climate Week NYC. Our Water and Blue Foods Summit brought together leaders working across water, food, fisheries, finance, policy, science, and communities to confront one of the defining challenges of our time. We explored water bankruptcy and the growing pressure on freshwater systems. We looked to oceans and blue foods as essential parts of a resilient food future. We heard perspectives from global institutions, fishing and coastal communities, scientists, chefs, policymakers, and conservation leaders. And we talked about what it will actually take to protect the ecosystems and people our food systems depend on. The morning also included an immersive seafood tasting curated by Chef Barton Seaver, plus a beautiful musical performance from Blu Allen and Elijah Caldwell. So grateful to our partners Future Food Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Venice Climate Week for helping make this gathering possible. Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/ggp5DsmD #ClimateWeekNYC

The future of food depends on water. Rivers are shrinking. Aquifers are being depleted. Oceans are warming. And the consequences are moving through every part of our food system. “Climate change is a water story. Food security is a water story. Public health, livelihoods, biodiversity, and resilience are all water stories,” says Danielle Nierenberg. Kaveh Madani warns that we are pushing some water systems beyond their ability to recover: “Nature at the beginning is generous, resilient, but after a while it loses its resilience and can never go back to where it was.” And water connects nearly every part of the food system. David Laborde puts it simply: “You need water to grow your crops, feed your animals, process your food, and move things around.” The same urgency extends to our oceans. Aquaculture now produces more than half of the aquatic animals consumed by people globally, while warming waters and changing ecosystems are forcing us to rethink what sustainable seafood looks like. But there are solutions. Protect watersheds. Support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Help consumers make better seafood choices. Connect science with finance and policymakers. And use cities as places to test and scale what works. As Sara Roversi says: “Water is life. If we don’t start from the essentials, we’re going to miss a big part of the story.” These conversations were at the heart of Food Tank’s Water and Blue Foods Summit during Climate Week NYC, in partnership with Future Food Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Venice Climate Week. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVM-Zwc9 #ClimateWeekNYC

The future of food depends on water. “Climate change is a water story. Food security is a water story. Public health, livelihoods, biodiversity, and resilience are all water stories,” says Danielle Nierenberg of Food Tank. And the connections are everywhere. “Nature at the beginning is generous, resilient, but after a while it loses its resilience and can never go back to where it was,” says Kaveh Madani of the United Nations University. “When we talk about food, it doesn’t come from the air. We have to grow it. You need water to grow your crops, feed your animals, process your food, and move things around,” says David Laborde of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) “It’s all a system. The water is flowing from the land, so if you want to protect the water, you need to protect and sustainably manage the land,” says Brendan Shane of Trust for Public Land. And our everyday choices matter too. “To choose sustainable seafood is the easiest, most in your face, top of mind choice to make right now,” says Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly of Monterey Bay Aquarium. Sara Roversi of the Future Food Institute puts it simply: “Water is life. If we don’t start from the essentials, we’re going to miss a big part of the story.” From sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to watershed protection, climate finance, cities, and the choices consumers make, protecting our food systems means protecting our water. These were some of the powerful ideas shared during Food Tank’s Water and Blue Foods Summit at Climate Week NYC, in partnership with Future Food Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Venice Climate Week. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVM-Zwc9 #ClimateWeekNYC