At the heart of this assessment is a stark warning. Human activity is putting such strain on the natural functions of Earth that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted. —2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
To Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food International, one of the great challenges we will face in the next few years is to create a sustainable community. Technology and economy should work together in harmony with nature, not interfere with it. As a world community, Petrini lays out the incredible challenge facing society at large—toward becoming an ecologically literate people.
The environmental challenges that we face, and that our food system plays an important, active role in creating, requires the understanding that societal interests (the public interest), travel hand in hand with the care and protection of the environment, and that all of life (including commerce), ultimately depend. Eschewing both consumerism (as a disease), and advertising as an educational tool designed for imbeciles, Petrini urges us to use our minds, and become co-producers in our food system. By choosing carefully the types of foods that we purchase, we can contribute to the environment, and to the well being of our local communities, and beyond.