Meatless Monday: Counting Down…

…first to Food Day — this Wednesday, October 24. Last year I had the opportunity to hear Rene Redzepi, “the best chef in the world,” speak on foraging and how he transforms his local finds into unique offerings at Noma, his restaurant in Copenhagen. This year I plan to observe the day by attending Food Day - Food Action! at Yale’s Peabody Museum, celebrating “the strides being taken by the New Haven community to create better food for a better city.” Hon. Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's 3rd District, and one of Food Day 2012’s honorary co-chairs, will be a featured guest! Next Monday, check back for a report on the day’s events.

Food Day organizers hope as many people as possible across the nation will participate in Food Day events — from thoughtful meals shared with friends, to rallies, community activities, and film screenings. Click here to find an already organized event near you. 

If there are no events in your area, or you decide you’d rather host one of your own, Food Day has a rich site with all the tools and graphics you need to promote your activity. Check out the special edition Food Day newspaper for ideas and more information on what this day is all about. 

and 

…second, to Election Day, a little over two weeks away. On November 6, besides helping to elect the next president of the U.S., voters in California will consider a proposition which has been denied to residents of other states. They will have the opportunity to vote on an initiative requiring labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food sold in grocery stores in their state. If Proposition 37 passes, California will become the first state in the nation to require labels on GE food.

An intense battle is raging across the state, pitting grass roots activists and small companies against larger corporations and business associations. As of October 4, proponents of the bill had raised over $4 million dollars, compared to the nearly $34.5 million raised by the opponents, of whom Monsanto is the largest single contributor. Food Democracy Now is asking supporters to thank the small companies, the “Food Heroes,” who have come forward to support Prop 37. You can send them a note and also vote with your food dollars.

Just Label It! claims that 92% of Americans want the FDA to label genetically modified food. If consumers win this fight in California, manufacturers will likely begin to label food nationally for GE ingredients. Please vote “yes” to Prop. 37, California readers. The rest of the country is counting on you!

Happy Monday! Thanks for reading.

I often blog on food or food issues on Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”