For students attending the inaugural Green Market Fair, the message was clear: you are what you eat.
Part of the Students’ Administrative Council’s environment week, the fair had a major focus on healthy eating, but it aimed to show how food touches many other issues as well.
For Gwyneth Lonergan, a member of Amnesty International at U of T, the fair was a chance to talk about how most food comes to supermarkets with the aid of human rights violations—poorly paid farm workers, often from the developing world. Her concern was amplified by the Anti-Corporate Rule Action Group, which notes that those supplying the food are often poorly paid. They called attention to campus food supplier Sodexho, which they say fails to provide proper vegetarian, organic and kosher options on a highly diverse campus, and does not provide appropriate health and wage benefits to workers.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace targeted companies like Kraft, Lipton, Kellogg’s and President’s Choice for their use of genetically engineered products in food. They restated how dangerous it is to insert genes from bacteria, viruses and animals into crops, saying the long term effects of—for example—having fish genes in strawberries are unknown.
“If we just take a minute to look at some of the labels on the products of our supermarket shelves—and actually look at the ingredients—then this is the first step to a safer decision,” said Janet, an anti-GMO activist at the fair.
The fair also advertised a number of U of T’s food-oriented community groups. With the Gardener’s Collective, students can grow their own organic vegetables and herbs in community gardens on campus. Hart House offers a community kitchen program where students on a tight budget can develop their cooking skills and enjoy time with other students.
