give me revolution!

Yes, I know that Jamie Oliver is not the first chef to use fresh, whole foods.  He is not the first to educate and to give back to the community.  He is not the first to use his celebrity status to move an idea forward.  And he is not the first to make monumental, positive changes happen.  But I’ll tell you what…Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is inspiring and it is making a difference.  And it is happening because one person decided that he cared enough to use his resources, his know-how, and his status to do something.  And for that, I admire him tremendously.

Recently, I have been reading Fast Food Nation:  The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser.  It is a frightening account of the “evolution” of the American diet and business of fast food.  It details everything from marketing strategies targeting children, the horrors of feeding lots & slaughtering houses, the injustices found within the fast food system including poor wage, dangerous working conditions, lack of training & benefits, to the exploitation and eventual demise of hardworking and honest cattleman and farmers all for the benefit of the fast food giants that have become more popular than about any other thing that you could possibly think of.

What I love about Jamie Oliver or people like Eric Schlosser, Michael Pollan, or Wendell Berry is that they appreciate and understand the importance of our relationship with food, with the earth, and with our communities.  They understand that health and well-being comes from a holistic and natural approach and that it is vital to understand where we are, where we have been, and where we are headed if we continue down the same path.  But not only do they strive to understand, they strive to educate and involve others to promote positive and lasting change.  They understand that revolutions such as these do not happen if one is silent, but rather, they happen when one person takes a stand and says, “No more.”

Change is difficult and slow-moving sometimes.  But I find comfort in the fact that there are others out there who espouse to the same beliefs and actually motivate me to make those changes in my own life and to then look outward in order to be of help to someone else. 

There will certainly be more posts on this subject as I have rediscovered my interest in this.  But for now, check out Jamie Oliver’s show and let the beginnings of revolution stir within.