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Food Diversity For People and The Planet
Food Diversity For People and The Planet
Adrienne Cassel
English 1209.219
3 May 2018
I was six years old when I first realized food came from plants grown in the ground. My
grandmother picked some parsley from her garden and I was amazed I was allowed to eat
something that still had dirt on it. My family never had a vegetable garden and my parents only
planted a few flowers each year, so it's curious how much I now enjoy getting my hands dirty
and growing plants. Six years ago, I moved into a giant house and decided to try my hand at
gardening and now today I have an urban farm here in Dayton, Ohio. The goal of my farm
venture is to increase soil health, sustainability, and to grow as many healthy and nutrient dense
heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables that will fit on a modest third-acre city lot.
The reason I have placed such an emphasis on growing a variety of heirloom plants is the
health benefits it has for people and ecosystems. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life (plants
and animals) who inhabit ecosystems. In the past 100 years or so, the diversity of plant and
animal species has drastically decreased. Native plants and grasses are being replaced by
traditional lawns, and the mass farming of one crop fields has taken over rural America. Last
year, I planted as many different flowers and vegetables that I could in my yard to start a seed
bank with the intention of making an individual impact on the survival of generational plant
species. Biodiversity enhances the life of people and is imperative to the health of the planet.
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Individuals have an obligation to Earth for all it provides us to protect and nurture it for future
generations.
People have been coexisting symbiotically with plants and animals for thousands of years
but that relationship is changing. The once intimate partnership humans had with the plants and
animals we consume has shifted to an aloof practice of grocery shopping. In grocery stores,
consumers are offered two types of fruits and vegetables; organic and nonorganic. One or two
varieties of a certain produce item are offered with little deviance, when in reality there are
thousands of different species of plants each one unique and with their own benefits.
Food diversity is necessary for humans to live long healthful lives, but "three-fourths of
the world's food comes from just 12 plants and five animal species"(Sethi 16). According to a
study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America titled
"Dietary Species Richness as a Measure of Food Biodiversity and Nutritional Quality of Diets",
"While an estimated 300,000 edible plant species are available to humans, more than half of the
global energy need is currently met by only four crops: rice, potatoes, wheat, and maize". The
study uses specific vitamins and minerals found in more than 6,000 people in rural areas around
the world. Nine of the same species were eaten in all the countries used but over 200 species
were eaten by the test subjects. The study found that every time a new species was introduced to
a subjects' diet, their nutritional intake increased. With health problems like diabetes, heart
disease, high cholesterol, and obesity on the rise globally and especially in the US, our farmers
and government officials should be spearheading a food revolution that teaches people how to
Food access is a growing issue for those in lower social tiers around the world and in the
US, including Dayton, Ohio. Food deserts, as they've been termed, refer to communities that
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have limited or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables. There is a multitude of implications that
lead to low nutritional diets, which is a leading health issue worldwide, but most of these
implications can be found in social inequalities (Lachat). In these food deserts, the food that is
available and affordable are foods heavy in “wheat, rice, corn, palm oil, and soybeans” (Sethi).
This food can fill stomachs but has very low nutritional value. 795 million people are suffering
from hunger but over 2 billion people are overweight or obese; "both suffer from micronutrient
malnutrition" (Sethi 16). Here in Dayton, the areas affected by limited food access are poor,
minority-heavy communities and the city doesn't seem to be taking any actions to change
circumstances. These communities also suffer greatly from diet-related food concerns and have
little access to affordable health care. To combat the health and hunger issue a varied diet
including multiple species of plants and animals both grown or domesticated and foraged or
hunted is necessary for a densely nutritious diet. This variety ties together human and
In the article "Modified Seed Fails for some 500,000 Farmers." Written by Gill Donovon in the
National Catholic Reporter in 2003, the author reveals that Monsanto was responsible for the
failure of maize crops in India and was sued. The farmers said that while they had cobs grow on
the plants, they had no kernels. The corn was "genetically modified"(GMO) in an effort to have a
larger crop and to be more unaffected by pests and diseases, but the local people feel that
Monsanto misrepresented the product and sold them bad seeds. These crop losses, the result of
the empty promises and the high costs of growing GMO plants, are contributing to farmer
suicides in India which occur every 30 minutes, usually the result of drinking pesticide ("Open
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Sesame"). The debt the farmer leaves from the failed crop is passed on to the family of the
Corn is not the only crop at risk, cotton and grape farms are also failing resulting in
farmer suicides all over India. Farmers find themselves drowning in debts as small as $150 but
this number can pass $50,000. The article "Stories of survival: Widows of India's farmer
suicides" written by Deepti Asthana in November of 2016 tells and shows the images of the
struggles faced by the family left behind from the suicides. There are many images of the women
and children who are victims of these suicides but the first photo is of a woman named Savita
and her three daughters who is one of the hundreds of widows left to support their families alone
and pay off the debts incurred by their now dead husbands. Women in India face not only
financial hardships there are also social implications for women whose husbands have committed
Monsanto is able to monopolize the agriculture industry and is so powerful because of the
patents they own. These patents contain insane descriptions of plant characteristics including
shades of colors and thousands of genetic strands. They also have farms everywhere making
buying farmland that's suitable for organic open pollinated farms almost impossible in many
areas. Because of the necessity of food in a human's life controlling the seeds means controlling
one of the greatest values of life. Is this statement an exaggeration? Absolutely not. Seeds are
Without seeds, people would go extinct because 90% of a human's daily calories start out
as a seed ("Open Sesame"). Although they claim otherwise, the truth about the plants created by
Monsanto is that they are known to be less disease and pest tolerant and require loads of
pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides to produce a crop. The chemicals used in these treatments
are harmful to people, plants, and animals and when sprayed can infect nearby farms but that
doesn't change the fact that five billion tons of pesticides are used per year ("Open Sesame").
This amount will only increase as populations grow and so does the need to grow more food to
In contrast to GMO plants, heirloom plants have had generations to slowly adapt to their
environment, so they are naturally more pest and disease resistant. Our heirloom varieties,
however, are being threatened by the way people practice agriculture. The heritage and heirloom
varieties that still exist have decreased by 90% in the past 100 years ("Open Sesame"). These
plants are the way humans have survived all these years and we have no concept of all we have
already lost. These special plants not only adapt for themselves, but also adapt to meet our
nutritional needs more efficiently and are usually more delicious because they are packed full of
Flavor is my favorite human experience because the experience of enjoying a flavorful meal
is full sensory. The colors and aromas of food stimulate the brain and encourage mouth-watering
responses, good conversation and the sounds of a kitchen feed the enticement, biting into
textures of crispy, crunchy, gooey, buttery, and creamy deliciousness force you to interact with
your food and coat your tongue for the irreplaceable crescendo of flavor. Experiencing flavors of
sweet, salty, bitter, sour, or umami or if it's really special a mixture of these, to me, is almost
religious. "Taste is a reflection of who we are, what we've been exposed to and what's expected
of us in a given group or society" (Sethi 28). The tastes people experience are the way food
communicates with us and when companies like Monsanto modify the genetics of plants they
also modify their flavor and ability to communicate with us. Heirloom plants are so full of good
nutrients and minerals that they just taste better. Eating delicious, nutritious food is not just
healthy fuel for the body; it's fuel for the soul.
Cultures are bursting with diverse regional foods and flavors and a threat to regional plant
species is a threat to cultures everywhere. With the loss of plants comes the loss of how to grow
and eat them. "It's cultural erosion that accompanies the genetic one: Our culinary traditions are
going extinct, too" (Sethi 25). Food is what brings people together. From family dinners to
business meetings, sharing a meal with someone is one of the most familiar things people do
together. People should feel like food belongs to them not just that it's needed for survival.
Heirloom foods need to be preserved to be handed down to strengthen cultural ties and identities.
In North America colonization has completely reshaped the plants and animals domesticated
today. Buffalo and wild plants were the largest portion of Native American's diets for
generations, but after colonization, everything changed. Native American cuisine all but
disappeared when fertile lands and traditional culture were taken from indigenous American's
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and replaced with Western subsidized food provisions. In an article published March 1, 2008, in
Native People’s Magazine titled “Return of the Buffalo Nation” It is said that the food provided
was high in “sugar and fat” which is in large contrast to their high protein, high nutrient, and
low-fat diets before the provisions. This diet change has continued despite the rising buffalo
populations and can be blamed for the rising native populations experiencing “diabetes, high
blood pressure and heart disease” (Blevins), especially in Lakota territory. This change is also
putting indigenous plants in trouble because they aren't being used. There is however, a Lakota
Sean Sherman is a Native American chef in Minnesota who owns the restaurant and
company The Sioux Chef. His mission is to "revitalize Native American foods and to reidentify
North American cuisine"(“The Chef Bringing Native American Food to Your Table.”). The
restaurant does not use any colonial foods like dairy, beef, pork, or chicken and instead uses wild
game animals, and many foraged food items or Native American heirloom varieties. These
ingredients include wild bergamot, rhubarb, nasturtium, elderberries, chokeberries, and lamb's
quarters to name a few. He strongly believes that this continent will be healthier and stronger if
we understand the native food systems that surround us. This is not only true in North America;
the entire world would benefit greatly to learn about the ecosystems their food is a part of and to
from GMO plants threatens heritage and heirloom plants passed down through generations by
interrupting their adaption cycle and making them susceptible to pests and disease. The way food
is produced and consumed is also contributing to a global climate change which is having
devastating effects on plant life. The climates to which they have adapted are changing at a much
more rapid pace and genetic evolution can't keep up. According to an article published by the
Yale School of Forest and Environmental studies in April of 2018, the types of crops being
grown in fast-changing climates here in North America is having to change as well as the amount
of land needed to grow and the irrigation strategies needed to water the crops. Another article
published by The New York Times written by Edward Wilson titled “The 8 Million Species We
Don't Know" states that Humans have sped up the natural climate evolution process and have
influenced the drastic numbers of endangered or extinct plant and animal varieties and to save
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our own species we have to find a solution. Saving the seeds from the "toughest" heirloom plants
is the best chance we have against the changing climate because these plants are adaptable. If we
had spent our energy all these years on saving open-pollinated seeds instead of mass producing
Biodiversity is important for the health of both global and local ecosystems. In fact, we know
that it’s important but we know little else about the implications the loss of biodiversity has. We
know that nature is connected and the animals who inhabit our planet, including ourselves, need
access to food, water, and a livable habitat to survive. 80% of the plants and animals who live on
Earth are yet to be discovered (Wilson). This includes the mostly unnoticed life that exists
around us that Wilson has termed “the little things that run the world.” These are the insects of
the land and sea that clean our air and water, provide food for other species, and do a number of
other functions for the planet that we may never understand. Because of their importance, he
Do not call these organisms “bugs” or “critters.” They too are wildlife. Let us learn their
correct names and care about their safety. Their existence makes possible our own. We
The life of these little creatures and many other animal and plant species is being threatened by a
number of human-created problems and people won't have the pleasure of discovering most of
them before they become extinct. Pesticides, climate change, and human’s lackadaisical attitude
about making lifestyle changes are the biggest threats faced by our plant and animal life today.
These pesticides sold largely by Monsanto, are known to have harmful effects on not only the
precious insect lives they are intended for but also nearby wildlife and people. One of the biggest
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implications of the pesticides is the impact they have on bees and other pollinators which are
necessary for pollinating flowers that fruit and become food for humans. The research
development page on Monsanto's website claims the company uses sustainable methods, are
working to save the bees, and try to limit their environmental impacts but the number of lawsuits
they are involved in for various reasons including poisoning farms near their testing fields proves
otherwise.
The future seems bleak, but there is hope for humans, plants, and animals yet. There are
large efforts to maintain what biodiversity is left like The "Half-Earth Project" which is
dedicated to finding the locations of the most densely diverse populations of species for
preserving to make the biggest impact. The project prefers to use conservation practices that rely
heavily on communities using aboriginal cultural traditions as examples. The best way to
understand how to preserve these areas is to understand their ecosystems and the functions
within them.
representatives regularly to voice how important having green, conservation areas is for a
community is a quick and simple way to help. Adopting an Earth-conscious lifestyle is a way to
have a larger impact. This includes recycling to help save wildlife from harm, eating less meat to
reduce methane gas emissions, researching and utilizing energy efficient alternatives to use less
natural resources, and growing more food at home to minimalize the resources used to get
grocery store food to home kitchens. Saving seeds from the plants grown and sharing them with
people helps create a dialogue about why passing down seeds is important and lengthens the
existence of a plant species at least a few more years. Finally, the most fun ways to help preserve
biodiversity is to eat! Eating and teaching people how to cook with heritage plants creates a
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market for it, which will increase the number of farmers educating themselves and growing the
plants.
It’s amazing that something as important to our planet as biodiversity doesn’t have a role
in our daily lives and conversations. Biodiversity enhances the life of people and is imperative to
the health of the planet. Individuals have an obligation to Earth for all it provides us to protect
and nurture it for future generations. Doing something small is simple, making a big impact takes
work but we should be “celebrating the fact that the solutions to the loss of agricultural
Work Cited
snakeriverseeds.com/10-reasons-to-be-a-seed-freak/.
“A North American Climate Boundary Has Shifted 140 Miles East Due to Global Warming.”
Asthana, Deepti. “Stories of Survival: Widows of India's Farmer Suicides.” | Al Jazeera, 3 Nov.
2016, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/10/stories-survival-widows-india-
Blevins, Win. "RETURN of the Buffalo Nation." Native Peoples Magazine, vol. 21, no. 2,
Donovan, Gill. "Modified Seed Fails for some 500,000 Farmers." National Catholic Reporter,
vol. 39, no. 25, 25 Apr. 2003, p. 11. EBSCOhost. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.
Lachat, Carl1, et al. "Dietary Species Richness as a Measure of Food Biodiversity and
United States of America, vol. 115, no. 1, 02 Jan. 2018, pp. 127-132. EBSCOhost,
Apr. 2018.
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Sethi, Simran. Bread, Wine, Chocolate - the Slow Loss of Foods We Love. Harpercollins
“The Chef Bringing Native American Food to Your Table.” Great Big Story, 21 Aug. 2017,
www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/monarda-bee-balm/wild-bergamot-monarda-seed-
827.html.
“Wilson, Edward O. “The 8 Million Species We Don't Know.” The New York Times, The New