The link is to an article from USA today that describes a high school senior, Philip Gant, who was choosing between Harvard and Yale. His choice was not based on the impressive alumni but on the sustainable food that Yale offers, Gant quotes, "Part of why I was so excited about coming to Yale was the way it eats."
More college students are becoming aware of the way some campus food is prepared and are not too happy about it. There is a significant student movement around the country that is demanding more sustainable food practices. At Oxy we see "local fruit" and "local vegetable" signs in the Marketplace but does that necessarily mean it's organic? No. Just because food is local it doesn't mean is was grown organically; without pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics or hormones. But time and time again many students see the word local and think, local = organic. It is important for students to be educated about campus food and if they aren't satisfied with the options available on campus then they should also know there is something they can do about it.
The food group is putting together a survey for Oxy students to see how much they value/want organic food to be offered in the Marketplace and the Cooler. The questions will range from how many meals a day do you eat on campus to what category of food do you prefer to be organic. We hope that by completing this survey it will prompt Oxy to make more of an effort to bring in a range of organic, sustainable food more often.
At Yale, like Oxy, they have a 'minifarm' on campus that students volunteer at known as 'Yale Farm'. But unlike Oxy, they have they are allowed to sell it on campus and weekly at the New Haven Farmer's Market. It would be a big step for Oxy to allow the food grown in the community garden at UEPI to be sold in the Marketplace. Talk about a local, organic AND sustainable option. In the past five years Yale has gone from spending $4.6 million a year on food to $5.6 million but has also increased the food served on campus being organic from 0% to 40%. Can Oxy compete with that? Only time will tell but I think it is a definite possibility, especially if the students voice their opinions.
I think the marketplace usually has some organic items and some local items in the salad bar. you're right that local does not mean organic and vice versa. People working on food issues have grappled with balancing the two. Local brings economic and relational benefits. Sustainable farming practices are also important. Organic isn't a panacea because there is an increasing supply of industrial and imported organic food. As you reference, if you grow it yourself at the college, you can control both!
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