This weekend continues to have a faith and values theme. I took the kids to mass this morning. They all seem very comfortable and happy n the enviroment of their church - to really feel like it is THEIR chrch and to appreciate its symbols as well as the people who smile at them and the breakfast tacos and doughnuts. I was impressed by the educational session in preparation for Lent. The class was astonishingly well designed again today - intergenerational classes dealing with complex issues of conscience - but with a thread kids could follow. Someone at that church is brilliant at curricula! While the kids were cutting out fifteen child-relevant prayers to place in fifteen Easter eggs to be prayed in order (Stations of the Cross) or individually, adults responded to questions about everything from how the U.S. should behave regarding the war in Iraq to questions of individual self care regarding food and time.

I was touched by the "green" nature of the curricula on Food Ethics. It seemed to concretize some of the concepts I've heard called "ecoKosher" in progressive Judaism. I was impressed by the eater's ethics code I copied below. I can do better than I have been regarding some of these issues, especially buying locally. I learned a new concept "food miles"- the number of miles food has to travel to get to my mouth. Fewer food miles mean fewer greenhouse gases in the air. That makes buying food locally or regionally grown seem even more important. I have a farmer's market on the bus route that I can use summer and spring if I plan right, but I haven't used it often. I think I will do better this growing season.


Eaters' Ethics in Food Choices

Human Dignity:
Support fair wages and healthy working conditions for farmers and food workers.
Universal Destination of Goods
Support fair distribution of profits, not food cartel control
Integrity of Creation
Support humane treatment of animals, restrict factory farms
Protect the environment by the food you eat
Common Good
People around the world have a right to food security.
Limit "food miles" and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Solidarity
Affirm local food production and local purchasing as a preference.
Encourage fair trade practices.
Option for the Poor
provide nutritious food for those who are hungry

used with permission, National Catholic Rural Life Commission