Food, Hunger & Environment

Food democracy means the right of all to one of life’s essentials—safe, nutritious food. It also suggests fair access to land to grow food and fair return for those who labor to produce it. Food democracy concerns itself with the future as well: It implies economic rules that encourage communities to safeguard the soil, water, and wildlife on which all our lives and futures depend. Below you will find resources highlighting the key issues surrounding food democracy: hunger, agricultural production and climate change, as well as solutions to help combat the food and environmental crises facing us today.

Enjoy our interactive timeline of the food movement

In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the food movement, we—with the help of friends—have created an interactive timeline of the food movement. Check it out and explore the impressive developments of the food movement.

See the timeline

Small Planet Resources for a Sustainable Life

To connect you with the inspiration and resources to take action in your own life and in your communities. To help mitigate the climate crisis and foster nourishing, safe, fairly produced food for everyone.

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Solutions-Based Resources and Campaigns

We’ve culled the reports and studies, and scoured papers and journals to highlight some of the key issues related to food, hunger and the environment. We’ve also identified several campaigns and organizations that are helping to lead the way.

Learn more and take action

Recipes For a Sustainable Kitchen

The solutions to hunger and climate change begin at the end of your fork. Discover new sustainable recipes (and some old favorites) to help you on your journey.

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Surprising Facts

Ninety percent of Americans make less in real dollars than they did in 1973 – on average $4,000 less. The wealthiest 400 Americans now control more wealth than half the world’s people.

Worldwide, more people are members of cooperatives than own shares in publicly traded companies. Cooperatives provide a fifth more jobs than do global corporations.

More than a third of both the world’s grain and fish catch now go to feed livestock, which return to us only a fraction of the nutrients.

If the whole world moved to sustainable agriculture, a U. of Michigan study found that enough food could be grown to feed the world’s current and projected population.

An MRI study of people competing vs. cooperating found that cooperating stimulates the same parts of our brain as does eating chocolate!

America emits twice the carbon per person that Europe does. But think what’s possible: California emits 20 percent less carbon per dollar GDP than Germany; and it gets almost a quarter of its electricity from renewables!

In Washington DC, more than two dozen lobbyists push mainly corporate interests for every one representative American citizens have elected to protect our interests.

In 2011, solar use grew all over the world, soaring 54% to 28 gigawatts.

Read all and find sources…