>> Laura: WELCOME BACK EVERYONE.

SO, THE CITY STUDY NOTED THAT 8% OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS COME FROM FOOD WASTE.

THAT IS IN ADDITION TO LIKE THE GREENHOUSE GASES LIKE ON THE FRONT END OF BIG AG, IN PARTICULAR.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF INDUSTRIAL FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD WASTE AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> Rich: YEAH, IT IS A BIG QUESTION.

I THINK THAT IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE, I THINK WE HAVE KNOWN FOR DECADES IT IS NOT BENEFITING PEOPLE OR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS THERE, RIGHT, FROM CARBON EMISSIONS TO DISRESPECTING LABOR.

I THINK THAT WE NEED AN OVERHAUL.

AND I THINK MOST OF US AT THE TABLE WOULD PROBABLY AGREE THAT SMALL SCALE AGRICULTURE IS BETTER AT FEEDING PEOPLE, IT IS LESS WASTEFUL AND CAN BE MORE RESPECTFUL TO OUR WORKERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO SAY IS THE ONLY PERSON YOU NEED THREE TIMES A DAY IS A FARMER AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS NEGOTIABLE.

SO, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A STEP BACK LOOKING AT OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND THINK ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FEEDING US, HARVESTING OUR FOOD EVERYDAY NEED TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE POLICY TABLE.

I THINK ALSO WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FOOD COSTS, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THESE LARGE SCALE AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS GET SUBSIDIES FOR MONO CROPPING, WHILE OUR SMALL SCALE FARMERS OFTEN DO NOT.

AND SO IT IS ALWAYS CONFUSING TO ME WHEN I SEE THE HIGH PRICE OF FOOD IN THE SUPERMARKET COMPARED TO THE FARMERS MARKET.

AND I WONDER, WELL, AS A FARMER MYSELF I KNOW HOW MUCH LABOR GOES INTO GROWING AND HARVESTING THIS, AND I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE, AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT GETTING A SUBSIDY OF THE LARGER SCALE CORPORATION, WHY THERE IS SUCH SIMILARITY IN PRICES OR WHY GROCERY STORES WOULD EVEN BE HIGHER SOMETIMES.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALSO THE FACTOR I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER, WITH TRUCKING PRODUCE FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION.

THE MORE LOCAL WE CAN GET, WE KNOW WE ARE REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINT AND THEN I THINK THE WASTE IN THE LANDFILL, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF METHANE IS CREATED IN OUR LANDFILL FROM FOOD WASTE.

AT EVERY LEVEL KEEPING THINGS LOCAL AND KEEPING THINGS CLOSED LOOP IS GOING TO BE BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GROWING OUR FOOD EVERYDAY.

>> West: EPA JUST PUT OUT A REPORT LAST FALL IN OCTOBER FOUND MET THE IMPACTS OF FOOD WASTE ON LANDFILLS, SPECIFICALLY THE METHANE GENERATION, AND THEY FOUND THAT 58% OF EMISSIONS, WHAT THEY CALL FUGITIVE EMISSIONS, ITEMS THAT ARE RELEASED FROM THE LANDFILL IS FROM FOOD WASTE.

THAT IS OVER HALF.

SO, THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO BE FOCUSING EFFORTS.

>> Laura: DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT?

>> Becker: GOING OFF WHAT AMANDA WAS SAYING, THE MORE WE CAN LOCALIZE IT AND START TO GET SORT OF INVESTMENT FROM LARGER INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE SPACES WITHIN OUR URBAN ENVIRONMENTS SO THAT FOOD IS DIRECTLY COMING FROM A COMMUNITY INTO THAT COMMUNITY, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT CAREERS AND JUST A MYRIAD OF OTHER ISSUES BY KEEPING IT LOCALIZED AND KEEPING IT WITH FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY SUPPORTING THAT AND KIND OF PRIORITIZING THAT OVER TRUCKING IT IN THESE GREAT DISTANCES.

>> Laura: WE HEAR ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE CRISIS IN FARMING, AND FARMERS ARE GETTING OLDER AND OLDER AND YOU AND MANY OTHERS WITH PROJECT FEED THE HOOD KIND OF BELIE THAT AND SHOW THAT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS ARE FULL OF YOUNG PEOPLE, RIGHT?

>> Becker: AND WE NEED MORE, AND I THINK JUST BROADLY THERE IS NOT MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO YOUTH EDUCATION AS TO HOW TO GROW FOOD AND SPACES IN WHICH TO DO SO.

SO, THAT IS A BEG PRIORITY FOR US GETTING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED AND KIND OF SETTING THEM ON A PATH OF DEVELOPMENT TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO SPACES AND MANAGE THE LAND AND STEWARD THEIR COMMUNITIES AND FEED THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> Laura: PEOPLE WANT TO ACTUALLY BE DOING THIS WORK.

WE WANT TO EAT GOOD FOOD.

WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ALL BE FED WITH GOOD AND HEALTHY FOOD.

HOW DO PEOPLE PUSH BACK AGAINST THE GLOBAL INDUSTRIALIZED FOOD SYSTEM?

>> Rich: WE VOTE EVERYDAY WITH OUR COLLARS AND WHERE WE SHOP.

WE HAVE OUR LARGEST FARMERS MARKET IN THE STATE STARTING THIS WEEKEND.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY WE CAN SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCERS AND GROWERS.

THIS SATURDAY AT THE DOWNTOWN GROWERS MARKET.

WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF GREAT FARMERS MARKETS AND A REALLY INCREDIBLE FARMING COMMUNITY IN NEW MEXICO.

REALLY FULL OF YOUNGER FOLKS AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF GROWERS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW MEXICANS TO EAT THE BOUNTY OF NEW MEXICO.

SO, I THINK THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS WE ARE ON A GOOD TRAJECTORY WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GROWERS.

I THINK THE OTHER THING I THINK ABOUT A LOT IS HOW DO WE FEED OURSELVES THROUGH THE WINTER.

WE HAVE LIKE A WINTER SEASON HERE.

SO, HOW ARE WE EXTENDING THE HARVEST?

ARE WE THINKING ABOUT FOOD PRESERVATION AND ONE OF THE EXCITING PARTS OF MY JOB IS TO WORK WITH LOCAL GROWERS TO THINK ABOUT CREATING VALUE OUT OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE SHELF STABLE, THAT CAN CREATE AN INCOME STREAM FOR THEM IN THE WINTER BUT ALSO CAN BE A TOOL FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT.

WHILE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF WASTE ON THESE SMALL SCALE FARMS, THERE MIGHT BE A TOOL TO LIKE DEHYDRATE OR PRESERVE OR PICKLE A PRODUCT SO THAT THEIR PRODUCE CAN EXTEND LONGER INTO THE WINTER.

>> Laura: I AM WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE INTENTIONALITY OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOOD.

I LOVE THE WORK THAT THREE SISTERS KITCHENS DOES ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO CULTURALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT OR TREAT FOOD, WHETHER EATING ALONE OR IN COMMUNITIES?

>> Rich: YEAH, I THINK THAT ONE THING WE REALLY LOVE TO DO IS HONOR PEOPLES' FOOD TRADITIONS.

I MEAN KNOWING THAT FOOD IS A CULTURAL UNIVERSAL RIGHT?

WE ALL NEED IT AND WE ALL HAVE FOOD TRADITIONS, RICH TRADITIONS IN OUR PAST.

I THINK ONE THING I THINK ABOUT A LOT IS THE RISTRA, SOMETIMES YOU THINK OF IT AS A DECORATION BUT IT WAS A FOOD PRESERVATION METHOD.

AS I TALK TO FOLKS IN OTHER CULTURES OR WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE PROGRAM DOING A FERMENTED PRODUCT AND IT IS LIKE, OH, THIS WAS ALSO A FOOD PRESERVATION TOOL, RIGHT?

THEY JUST WERE USING FERMENTATION RATHER THAN DEHYDRATION.

IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO DRY THINGS IN DESERT, RIGHT?

I THINK THAT INTENTIONALITY WITH FOOD, I MEAN IT REALLY PROBABLY STARTS WHEN WE ARE KIDS.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT FOOD STORY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING OF THEIR FIRST FOOD MEMORIES OR TALKING ABOUT FOOD TRADITIONS, SO MUCH OF THIS IS PASSED ON TO US, RIGHT, FROM OUR CULTURE AND FAMILIES.

SO THINKING ABOUT FOOD NOT JUST AS SOMETHING THAT IS FUEL TO GET ME THROUGH MY NEXT THING, BUT REALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS GIVEN BY SOMEONE.

THE SEED WAS PLANTED.

IT WAS TENDED, IT WAS WEEDED, IT WAS HARVESTED AND SOMEHOW PACKAGED AND BROUGHT TO YOU TO EAT, I THINK IS A PERSPECTIVE THAT THE MORE WE HAVE IT AND THE MORE WE'LL START TO FEEL CONNECTED AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE DOES THIS COME FROM AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF PURCHASING THIS THING THAT MIGHT BE FROM FAR AWAY OR FROM EXPLOITED LABOR.

>> Laura: I FEEL LIKE THE MORE WE LOOK AT THE FOOD THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES, IT IS LIKE THE ONE THING THAT EVERYDAY YOU LOOK AT AND YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE WATER THAT WENT INTO IT, THE PEOPLE WHO HAD TO HARVEST THE FOOD, THE TRANSPORTATION AND THE FOSSIL FUELS.

IT IS LIKE A LESSON IN EVERY MEAL FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE INTERCONNECTED PIECES OF THE WORLD AND SO MANY PROBLEMS.

AGAIN, LIKE ON THE SHOW WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS BUT I FEEL LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD WASTE AND FOOD JUSTICE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN ALL DO FROM THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL TO ADVOCATING FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE.

I AM CURIOUS, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH YOU, LIKE, WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU WANT EVERY AUDIENCE MEMBER TO START DOING THIS WEEK?

>> Becker: THAT IS A BIG QUESTION.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS YOU CAN GO WITH THAT, TOO.

JUST BUILDING OFF OF AMANDA'S, AS WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL THINKS YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR COMMUNITY, IS BEGIN TO GET YOUR HANDS IN THE DIRT AND BEGIN TO START GROWING YOUR OWN FOOT.

HAVE YOUR KIDS HELPING YOU GROW IN SMALL POTS AT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN OR AT HOME.

I THINK THE POWER REALLY COMES WHEN YOU GIVE SEEDS TO A YOUNG KID AND THEY ARE ABLE TO START SEEING THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM AND REALLY BEGIN TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS RECIPROCAL AND MUTUALISTIC WITH THEIR FOOD AND THE LAND AND BROADLY THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> Laura: I KNOW I ASKED YOU FOR ONE, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE COMPOSTING, EVEN IF MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE A YARD, WHAT THEY COULD DO?

>> Becker: I'LL DEFINITELY PLUG US.

WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT ALLOW US TO LET THE SORT OF IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY COMPOST THEIR FOOD SCRAPS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH EVERYDAY, WITH FOR EXAMPLE, EGGSHELLS, WHATEVER ELSE, AND SO WE TRY TO DO WORKSHOPS AS WELL, BUT I THINK GETTING INVOLVED, YEAH, WITH FARMERS, LOCAL COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT ARE COMPOSTING IS A GREAT WAY, IF YOU YOURSELF DON'T HAVE THE SPACE TO DO IT OR THE CAPACITY, JUST GET INVOLVED WITH THE VARIOUS ORGS IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT ARE REALLY PUSHING THIS WORK FORWARD.

>> Laura: SANDRA, ONE THING YOU WANT EVERY AUDIENCE MEMBER TO DO THIS WEEK, START DOING THIS WEEK?

>> West: BUILD ON THE GREAT WORK STUFF THAT ANTON SAID AND JUST SAY, LIKE, PICK THE ONE THING THAT REALLY RESONATED IN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY AND DO THAT.

JUST ONE THING.

WHETHER IT IS GOING TO A WEBSITE OR CONNECTING WITH A FARM OR LOOKING AT COMPOSTING AND OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY OR AT HOME.

SHOUT OUT TO BERNALILLO COUNTY EXTENSION MASTER COMPOSTERS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO COMPOST AT HOME.

100% VOLUNTEER RUN ORGANIZATION THAT TEACHES COMPOSTING CLASSES FOR FREE AND TONS OF RESOURCES ON THEIR WEBSITE INCLUDING THE COMPOSTING IN THE DESERT THAT I WOULD HAVE PEOPLE START WITH BECAUSE JUST FYI IF YOU WANT TO COMPOST AND YOU GOOGLE COMPOSTING, IF YOU FIND THINGS THAT HAVE LOTS OF HOLES, THAT WORKS GREAT IN WETTER CLIMATES.

IT IS GOING TO PETRIFY EVERYTHING.

IT IS JUST GOING TO PRESERVE IT.

SO WE HAVE TO SHIFT THE WAY WE COMPOST HERE BECAUSE OF OUR DRY CLIMATE.

SO DON'T GET DISCOURAGED, START WITH THE MASTER COMPOSTERS, START ON OUR WEBSITE, PICK A FOOD WASTE PREVENTION THING OR A GARDEN STARTING ITEM AND JUST PICK ONE THING AND DO IT.

WHEN THAT THING DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A LIST AND YOU'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, DO THAT.

>> Rich: I AM GOING TO SAY, EAT LOCAL, BUY LOCAL, GO FIND A FARMER, BUY HONEY OR GREENS OR TURNIPS OR RADISHES THIS WEEK.

START BY SUPPORTING SOMEONE WHO IS GROWING YOUR FOOD IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND THEN WHATEVER DON'T EAT, JUST COMPOST THE SCRAPS.

>> Laura: IN TERMS OF LIKE ADVOCATING FOR, LIKE, LARGE SCALE CHANGE, I KNOW I KEEP HARPING ON THIS, BUT, REALLY, HOW DOES ONE START TO DEFEAT THE GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL FOOD SYSTEM?

IT SEEMS SO OVERWHELMING.

>> Rich: I THINK TO SOME DEGREE IT IS DEFEATING ITSELF RIGHT NOW.

SO I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH LIKE FOOD SAFETY CRISES IN THE PAST, OH, WE PUT THIS SPANISH IN A BAG AND WE SHIP IT.

THAT CAUSES PROBLEMS, RIGHT, AND ALL THE RECALLS WE HAVE SEEN RECENTLY.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY WAKING UP TO NOT JUST THE QUALITY OF THEIR FOOD BUT ALSO SOME OF THE FOOD SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING FROM LARGE SCALE AGRICULTURE.

I THINK THAT AS WE, YOU KNOW, MOVE THROUGH THIS CLIMATE CRISIS AND START TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER, SOME OF THE PRACTICES WE ARE USING FOR LARGE SCALE PESTICIDE USE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT IS FALLING OUT OF FAVOR AND I THINK WE ARE ALSO SEEING A RISE IN DISEASE IN AREAS THAT ARE HAVING HEAVY PESTICIDE USE.

THERE WAS JUST RECENTLY THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST ROUNDUP.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PARENT COMPANY.

BUT, I THINK THAT AS THESE THINGS CONTINUE TO UNFOLD, IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY AND A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND IT CAN'T BE DENIED ANYMORE.

>> Laura: THANK YOU.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND FOR WATCHING AND FOR DOING THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO THIS WEEK.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TIPS OR RESOURCES, VISIT NMPBS.ORG/OURLAND.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.