A new documentary from director Kip Pastor examines how food production affects our social, economic and physical health.
Filmmaker Kip Pastor (left) in a scene from his new movie, 'In Organic We Trust.' (Photo: Emma Fletcher)
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MNN: Where did you get the idea for the film?
Kip Pastor: I became a filmmaker because I believe that film is the most effective medium for disseminating big ideas and effecting change. The story for "In Organic We Trust" weaves together environmental, social and economic issues with something that we all do everyday — eat. Food provides a complete path for us to better understand our world, what we’re doing wrong, and how to create a more sustainable society. "In Organic We Trust" explores how these issues relate and impact our world and what people are doing to make a difference.
Kip Pastor: I became a filmmaker because I believe that film is the most effective medium for disseminating big ideas and effecting change. The story for "In Organic We Trust" weaves together environmental, social and economic issues with something that we all do everyday — eat. Food provides a complete path for us to better understand our world, what we’re doing wrong, and how to create a more sustainable society. "In Organic We Trust" explores how these issues relate and impact our world and what people are doing to make a difference.
Why was it important to you to tell this story?
Before I began making "In Organic We Trust," I thought that I was a healthy, conscientious eater. I looked at labels, ate fruits and veggies, and avoided fast food as much as I could. But the more and more that I learned about our agriculture system and the consequences that our systems have on public health and the environment, the more I realized how much everything is connected. Our personal choices make a difference not just for us but also for everyone else. I was compelled to show people how we can positively impact our own lives and those of our communities. I learned a tremendous amount, and it has profoundly changed my life.
Before I began making "In Organic We Trust," I thought that I was a healthy, conscientious eater. I looked at labels, ate fruits and veggies, and avoided fast food as much as I could. But the more and more that I learned about our agriculture system and the consequences that our systems have on public health and the environment, the more I realized how much everything is connected. Our personal choices make a difference not just for us but also for everyone else. I was compelled to show people how we can positively impact our own lives and those of our communities. I learned a tremendous amount, and it has profoundly changed my life.
What are some examples?
One scary thing is that while we ban some of the most harmful
chemical pesticides in this country, they are still used in other
countries where they can hurt farmers, their workers, their families and
the environment. Sometimes, they can even come back to us in
contaminated imported foods. Although certified organic is a $30 billion
enterprise, it represents only roughly 1 percent of farmland. It is not
the only way to reshape agriculture and improve public health. We have
to think bigger. Along those lines, I was blown away by the ingenious
and powerful solutions that individuals and communities are doing to
combat our agricultural and public health problems. "In Organic We
Trust" explores many of these new models at the Watkins School in
Washington, D.C., and the Calhoun School in New York City. (Check out a
trailer for the movie below.)
Have you changed your diet as a result of making the film?
I’ve changed many things in my life already and continue to change.
It has been less about the things that I don’t do anymore and more
about the things that I do more often. I shop at farmers markets more,
and I pay more attention to the restaurants that I frequent and
where/how they source their food. I don’t exclusively eat organic, but I
try very hard to only eat food that is chemical-free, in season, and
grown by someone I know. It’s important for me because I know that
pesticides are dangerous for people and the environment. By eating
seasonally, I am reducing my carbon footprint, supporting local growers,
and enjoying the diversity of every time of the year. What I eat
affects how I feel daily, and it impacts our world in the long term.
Although I was a practicing vegetarian for several years, I enjoy some
meat and fish. I try to limit the amount of red meat that I eat. I
religiously practice Meatless Mondays as a good way to start off the
week. It’s a very intentional approach to avoid meat that usually
carries over several days into each week. It’s been a great conversation
starter as well.
What do you want viewers to take away from the documentary?
The most important parts of the film are the solutions. I wanted to
make a film that examined problems and provided solutions for you and
me and society at large. We can all make different choices in our own
lives, but even more importantly, to really create change, we need to
make different choices as a society. What we eat affects our own
personal health as well as the health of the environment for generations
to come. One of the most profound things that we can do is to have
gardens in schools, teach children about nutrition by growing something,
learning how to cook it, and serve it to them for lunch. I believe that
we can fundamentally reverse many of our public health problems in one
generation if we teach kids how to grow healthy food, what to eat, and
how to prepare it. Can you imagine a world full of young farmers? That’s
the future we need. We can grow something good for everyone, and change
will happen from the soil up.
What was done during production to reduce the film's carbon footprint?
During pre-production, we made a very intentional plan to reduce
our carbon footprint wherever we could. Having worked in production for
years, I knew that filmmaking can be extremely wasteful and inefficient.
I sought out leaders in the Green Production space to advise me on how
to make a film with fewer environmental consequences. I took a class on
“How to Green Your Production” offered by the Burbank Green Alliance and
also received a Resource Management Certification from California
Resource Recovery Association. In order to take that education one step
further, I volunteered at events around Los Angeles to better understand
people’s waste patterns. There are many categories where environmental
waste and carbon usage can be reduced and made more efficient. We
focused on five: travel, food, crew, paper and electricity. We succeeded
in greatly reducing our carbon footprint by using energy-efficient
vehicles, eating seasonally and locally, hiring regionally, and
minimizing electricity usage. We tracked our carbon footprint throughout
production by keeping count of the miles traveled, paper used, and the
electricity used in production and post-production. We worked with SNP
Patagonia Sur to calculate what those emissions would total, and we
purchased carbon offsets from them. We were recently honored with a
Special Mention for the Green Award given at the Planet in Focus Film
Festival for our diligent work throughout production to reduce our
carbon footprint.
What about your personal green practices?
I do as much as I can to reduce my carbon footprint on a daily
basis. At all times, I carry a metal water bottle, cloth bags, and a
bamboo set of utensils. There is never a good reason to purchase a
plastic water bottle or use a plastic bag. Although I live in the very
car-centric city of Los Angeles, I walk as much as possible. I think
little actions can have a profound impact on the environment and other
people’s behavior. Not only am I personally reducing my carbon
footprint, but I also hope that my example helps to change the actions
of others.
Do you have another film in the works?
We are currently in the research/fundraising stage of my next film
that focuses on waste and toxicity in people and the environment. When
we throw things away, they stay in our environment and impact us. Many
of these chemicals are found in our daily lives and don’t break down in
the environment or our bodies. Like "In Organic We Trust," it will be a
solution-based film that will expose problems and offer tangible
alternatives for people as individuals and society as a whole.
DVDs of the film are also available at InOrganicWeTrust.org.
[via Mother Nature Network]
4 comments:
The organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Regards,
Vision Fresh
I agree with Andrew, that Organic Food Items are more nutritious than conventional. It is quite good for entire Eco system as it reduces exposure of harmful chemical, pesticides and fertilizers.
The most important thing is "it doesn't have any such color chemicals that are used to make food products more beautiful and attractive."
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