Portland, OR—James Beard once said, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”  For centuries food has been used to mark the change of the seasons, to bring together a family at the end of day and as an integral part of many celebrations.  In recent years, food has grown to represent a multi-billion dollar global industry and a point of confusion for many struggling to understand the risks and benefits associated with choices such as organic vs. conventional, meat vs. vegetarian or local vs. global. Food impacts our lives and environment in so many ways, on a multitude of levels. Yet, few people take the time to weigh questions such as: “Where is my food coming from?” and “What are the implications of my food choices?” 

In response to  a growing need to consider the larger implications of our food choices and understand food’s relationship to sustainability, the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) is proud to announce the release of Menu for the Future, a six-session group study guide due to be released in April.   Menu for the Future offers people a unique opportunity to gather in small groups to examine the effects of modern industrial agriculture on both human and ecological health, explore emerging food system alternatives, and discuss how we as individuals can contribute to a more sustainable food supply.

“The Northwest Earth Institute was founded to transform an unsustainable consumer culture into a sustainable culture through the intentional practices of informed citizens,” said NWEI Executive Director Mike Mercer. “We believe Menu for the Future will inspire the provocative conversations and personal actions warranted by the human and environmental necessity of sustainable food systems.”