Rant: Starvation in Africa

"Hunger brings not alone suffering and sorrow, but fear and terror. He carries disorder and the paralysis of government, and even its downfall. He is more destructive than armies, not only in human life but in morals. All of the values of right living melt before his invasions, and every gain of civilization crumbles. But we can save these people from the worst, if we will."
(Herbert Hoover)

It seems unimaginable but approximately 25,000 people a day die of hunger, malnutrition, and related diseases. It kills more Africans than AIDS and malaria combined. How can this happen? We possess the means and technology to prevent these deaths yet why are these people still dying? It is very disturbing that we can prevent these deaths yet we have not done so.

I know you have seen those commercials with the starving children in Africa, where they ask for donations to feed the children. You are also probably aware of other efforts to raise money to buy food for the starving in Africa. Frankly, such efforts are not really that helpful. You might be helping some of the symptoms, but you are not curing the disease. So how do you cure the disease?

I found those solutions in a fascinating yet disturbing book which you definitely should read to better understand the entire, complex picture of starvation in Africa.

Enough: Why The World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty by Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman (Public Affairs, June 2009, $27.95) examines the reasons behind the famine in Africa, offering solutions to this dire problem. Roger and Scott both write for the Wall Street Journal and have written previous stores about these problems in Africa.

About forty years ago, the Green Revolution began, introducing scientific breakthroughs in agriculture which helped prevent famine in Asia and Latin America. Yet Africa did not fare as well and numerous factors contributed to that failure. To save the millions of lives that die in Africa each year due to starvation, action is urgently needed. And different actions than much that is currently done.

The necessary actions generally center on a single idea. This can best be exemplified in a common saying: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life." Far too often, all we do is help feed Africa, spending money on buying them food. So, we are forced to continue to feed them, year after year, in a vicious cycle with no end in sight.

Instead, we should be "teaching them to fish." What that means is that we need to help their agricultural development, such as teaching them how to obtain greater yields, supporting their small farms, and creating infrastructures to support their agricultural system. We have to give them the tools, knowledge and resources to feed and support themselves.

As one example, consider Ethiopia in 2003. In that year, the U.S. provided approximately $500 million in grain to feed the starving people yet the U.S. only provided them about $5 million for agricultural develpment. If more money had been allocated to agricultural development, Ethiopia's problems would be far less.

So stop feeding Africa! Instead, teach them better ways to grow and produce their own food. Give them the tools and resources to help themselves.

There Are Yaks In Vermont!

The yak burgers I recently savored came from a farm in Colorado. I was unaware though that yak were being raised locally, in two small farms in Vermont. They might be the only yak farms in the northeast region.

The Vermont Yak Company is located in Waitsfield, Vermont, (in the Mad River Valley) not too far from Burlington. Their site states: "Vermont Yak Company is introducing this spirited Tibetan animal to Vermont as a way to bring new variety to the local food movement, as a contribution to a holistic farming effort in which pasture-fed yak would fertilize fields and gardens, and as a multi-faceted revenue source – meat, agritourism, and breed stock are our three primary sales arenas."

They sell various cuts of yak meat including yak burgers, ribs, sirloins, shin steaks, porterhouses, tenderloins, and t-bones. They even sell some organ meats, such as hearts, tongues, and livers. Plus you can get yak sausages and more. Currently, their meats are available on in their local area, though they do hope to eventually expand their distribution.

You can even visit the farm. For more information, check out their Yak blog which has videos of the yaks and farm. You might also want to sign up for their Yak newsletter.

I do hope to visit their farm in the near future and I will report back once I do.

Rabelais: Feed Your Mental Hunger

I am a man of many different passions. For one, I am a voracious reader and own a veritable library of books, an eclectic assortment of thousands of paperbacks and hardcovers. So when I travel, I love to check out bookstores, hoping to find something exciting and interesting. A week does not pass without me purchasing at least one, and usually several new books.

My passion for food and wine is also quite evident. So when you combine my love of books with my love of food and wine, you create something that ignites my passions. On my recent trip to Portland, Maine, I found a place which did exactly this, Rabelais Books. Located a short distance from Duck Fat, this bookstore is a "must stop" for any food and wine lover.

Rabelais Books, which opened in April 2007, is an independent book store owned by Don and Samantha Hoyt Lindgren. Both of them were working in the store when I visited and they both seemed very pleasant and personable. Rabelais has that intimate feel of many other independent bookstores.

The store stocks new, out of print, and rare books on food, wine, beer, spirits, farming, gardening and related topics. Samantha mentioned they were concerned how the large bookstore chains would display many books but for only a short time period. If you did not happen to see the book during this brief time, then you might never learn about it. Samantha and Don wanted to give a longer shelf life to some of those books, even those that were out of print, because they felt those books were interesting and that people would like to buy and read them, if they only knew about them.

Though the store is relatively small, it is still comfortably spacious and filled with plenty of books. The books are easy to check out and most of them are organized by subject. It is the kind of place you could easily spend a couple hours browsing all the selections. I am sure you will find titles here that you probably have not seen anywhere else. I certainly found many that were new to me.

I ended up buying several books, and probably would have bought even more if I had spent additional time browsing their shelves. The diversity of their selections is excellent, and I really love their idea of giving additional life to books that come and go too quickly at large chain bookstores. Plus, you have to appreciate the personal touch you find here, store owners doing it for the passion.

Check out their website for more information about the store, including a list of upcoming events as well as their own blog. I will certainly return here the next time I am in Portland and give it my highest recommendation. If you visit Portland, make sure to stop by.

Rabelais Books

86 Middle St.

Portland, ME

Phone: 207-774-1044

Becky's Diner: Lobster Omelet

It was a sunny Saturday, just a beautiful day, so I decided to take a ride to Portland, Maine. Portland has become quite the foodie mecca and has much to offer the food and wine aficianado. Though you could eat breakfast at home before venturing up to Portland, you might want to just leave early and have breakfast there. One excellent option is Becky's Diner.

Becky's Diner is a medium-sized restaurant with numerous tables as well as two long counters where you can sit. It is not fancy but does give that homey vibe. It is certainly popular as there was a wait to get a table, though there were a few openings available at the counter. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, they have a late-night take out window.

They have a lengthy breakfast menu with all of the usual selections including egg dish, omelets, pancakes, French toast, breakfast sandwiches and fruit bowls. Prices are reasonable, especially considering the quantity of food you receive.

I had to order the Lobster & Swiss Cheese Omelet (Market Price-$13.95 when I had it) which comes with home fries and choose of bread. I was amazed at how much lobster was inside of the omelet. It certainly seemed like all of the meat from an entire lobster. It was very tasty, with plenty of cheese, and the lobster was very good. Certainly an excellent way to start off the day. The home fries were also delicious, fried cubes with a nice crunch to the exterior but soft and fluffy inside. I also tried their French toast ($5.50) which was another winner, with some cinnamon flavor on it.

Service was very good and I do recommend you check this place out. Start off your trip to Portland with a hearty breakfast.

Becky's Diner
390 Commercial St.
Portland, ME
Phone: (207) 773-7070

Boston GreenFest 2009

The Foundation for a Green Future, Inc. today announced that the second annual edition of Boston GreenFest 2009 will take place on Boston City Hall Plaza, Thursday, August 20, Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22.

Boston GreenFest 2009 will bring together community groups, corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and citizens to share new technologies and ideas that can immediately change our daily lives and help bring about a more sustainable future.

Boston GreenFest 2009, the Foundation for a Green Future, Inc., and local volunteers will seek to connect with a broad audience from across all Boston neighborhoods to bring an inspiring message of action and change. Together we will work toward sustainability through art, music, fashion, discussions and interactive exhibits. By engaging participants, young and old, we will search for new ideas to reduce our impact on our planet.

Festival-goers will learn what it means to eat and grow local organic food, improve nutrition and health care, make better decisions about what we wear and the products we use for our personal care, green our city, build healthy communities, take action politically and personally, create green jobs and engage in a sustainable, green economy.

WHEN: Entertainment and programming hours will be Thursday, Aug. 20, 5-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21 and 22, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Exhibitor hours: Friday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

ADMISSION: All events are free and open to the public.

Foundation for a Green Future, Inc. is a local nonprofit organization committed to educating the public and increasing awareness about green roofs, living walls, plants and trees as a means to improving air quality and abating global warming along with a host of other ways to create a greener path to a sustainable future in the City of Boston and elsewhere. It is the intention of this Foundation to help improve the quality of life by contributing to a healthier environment through education and specific actions.

“Boston GreenFest 2009 is a celebration of our environmental progress and a call to action for communities, citizens and corporations committed to an even brighter future,” said Karen Weber, Coordinator of Boston GreenFest 2009. “We can no longer wait for someone to tell us what to do to improve our world. We need to find the solutions ourselves. The answers are within reach and we applaud the many groups in and around Boston already making positive change worthy of celebration and recognition.”

Jim Hunt, Chief Advisor to the Mayor on Environment and Energy, writes: “Mayor Menino and the City of Boston are excited to welcome GreenFest back to City Hall Plaza. This year’s program looks to encourage and support local community development, promote health and wellness strategies, educate the public on energy conservation and alternative transportation, and update the public on sustainability initiatives that are being pursued city, state, and nationwide. The festival looks to combine educational programming with art projects and interactive components for area residents. It offers something for everyone interested in sustainability issues. The city is proud to serve as host for this event and we hope residents will take advantage of the myriad workshops, exhibits and demonstrations to learn what steps they can take to “go green”. Please join the Mayor and me at Boston GreenFest 2009. It will be a great festival and we look forward to your participation.”

Among the activities currently scheduled to take place at City Hall Plaza for Boston GreenFest 2009 are:

- 3 Stages of Multicultural Entertainment: More than 40 acts reflect Boston’s diverse cultural offerings — from West African rock, healer, dance, martial arts and puppetry to indie rock, soul and folk. We will attempt to power one stage with solar energy and another stage by pedal power! Some of the performers are: The Neighborhoods, Mamadou, The Lights Out, Boston Community Choir (annually perform gospel with the Boston Pops), Corin Ashley, Midatlantic, Am Stereo, INCUS, The Motion Sick, The Delta Generators, Michael & Marissa, Mike Verge, tem Blessed, Mighty Mystic and the Strings of Thunder, Inkas Wasi, Buck T. Edwards, Oneal Armstrong, Chocolate Fountain, Keith James and Potentials Unlimited, Yang's Martial Arts Academy, Nathan Hale School Choir, and Tibetan musicologist Gandiva Lorcan.

- Green Fashion Tent including the EcoRunway: A creative series of fashion shows featuring adults and youth who will model clothes/accessories they made from eco-conscious materials. Designers range in age from 10 yrs and up. Boston designer Sam Mendoza, Sparklle Thames, Rhonda Fazio, Franchesca Salamanca, and the Stylistas are a few of the EcoRunway leaders.

- GreenFilmFest: Free film showings throughout the festival for children and adults, portraying themes of sustainability, nature and hope, including Greening of Southie, FRESH, and Out of Balance.

- Kid Friendly Area: Jam-packed section devoted to kids including two full days of family friendly entertainment with appearances by Ruff Ruffman from WGBH’s “Fetch!,” Phineas the Dog puppetry, Sidewalk Sam, magician Darren Yong, The Yo-Yo Show, Loco Kids, storyteller Big Joe, facepainting, eco-friendly Creative Balloons, inflatables, yoga with Sadhana Studio, and ponies to pet from the Blue Hills Riding Center!

- The One Gallon Challenge: On Wednesday, August 19, an unusual group of very high efficiency cars will convene in Greenfield, MA. These “next gen” cars are unlike what the public has seen before. On Thursday, August 20, they will attempt to travel 100 miles on the energy of a single gallon of gasoline to Boston GreenFest on Boston City Hall Plaza. They will be on exhibit throughout the festival.

- EcoGallery:

- National Geographic “Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World” Exhibit: A traveling photo exhibit by the International League of Conservation Photographers, in partnership with the nonprofit Earthjustice, that reveals the effects of climate change on endangered species.

- Eco-Photo Contest: Contest for the Boston Public Schools to acknowledge the 3 schools that most succeeded in bringing awareness about the environment into their school and curriculum. Winners will be awarded $250 in gift certificates by Jamaicaway Books on Saturday, August 22 at 2 pm. Entries will be on display.

- Product giveaways and samples: Cabot Cheese, Kashi, SOYJOY, Luna, Clif Bar, and more!
- Time Tunnel: A 50’ x 10’ walk through time in which one sees the world in its beauty and bounty; then in its degradation and loss of resources; and finally a future in which everyone working together can return the world to a sustainable path. Public artist & Architect: Franziska Amacher.

- Wheel Answers: the answers you’ve been looking for may be on this special wheel set up by Johnny Monsarrat.

- Green Town Meeting: An event at the State House Grand Staircase on Thurs. Aug 13th, 10 am – 2 pm, to which everyone, including our political leaders, academic leaders, faith leaders, youth leaders, nonprofits and more are invited to discuss and sign the GreenFest Manifest — a commitment to others and ourselves.

- Green Business Breakfast: The downtown business community will join in an engaging networking session and pertinent discussion on Thurs. Aug 20th, 8-9:30 am, Boston City Hall, Curley Room (by invitation, not open to the public).

- Green Jobs: Discussion and showcase of Boston’s green job market.

- Cooking Demos: Learn how to cook with fresh vegetables from your organic garden!

- Workshops, Speakers and Presentations: Covering wide array of fascinating topics including energy efficiency, health, nutrition, beauty, gardening, textiles, greening our cities, and much more.

- Health, Fitness and Spiritual Classes and Workshops: Yoga classes by Sadhana Studio, Kung-Fu demos by Yang’s Martial Arts, walking tours with walkBoston, and more.

- GreenBus: powered by veggie oil, the Green Bus will come down from Dartmouth College to educate festival-goers about green initiatives.

- Call2Recycle: educational mobile trailer teaching about recycling rechargeable batteries and cellphones through interactive computer games.

- Traditional Drum Circle: 200 drummers will circle City Hall in the morning and evening – it will be an unforgettable experience.

- Valet Bike Parking set up by Urban Adventours.

- Walking Tours: A Taste of Boston! Join walkBoston for quick 20 minute tours to get to know Boston by foot.

- Healthy Delicious Food from locally-minded eateries including Bolocco, Grasshopper, and Equal Exchange Café.

- More than 200 exhibitors featuring eco-conscious vendors, green technology, urban farming, small business displays, a farmers’ market and environmentally conscious artisans featuring unique items for sale.