D-Mail: Comments on November's "Mean and Green" feature

Just got a nice letter from a reader and chef in the area, in response to James O'Brien's story in the November issue...feel free to add your comments below!

Dear Editors,
As an East Bay chef and ecologist, I appreciated James O'Brien's "Mean and Green" Rant in your November issue. I agree with his premise that the radical fringe of the Sustainable Food movement can do more harm than good when it succeeds in "turning the repetitive acts of everyday life into one long string of guilt trips." As a society we need to realize that there are many paths toward green, and allow people to embrace the actions that speak to them. Only by becoming more inclusive, not more divisive, can we hope to take what is still a rare phenomenon (only 3% of U.S. produce is organic, only 1% is bought at farmers markets) and create something with lasting roots.
Aaron French
Chef, The Sunny Side Cafe, Albany

Posted at 02:13 PM in Diablo Dish | Permalink

Reader Comments:

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Dec 2, 2008 10:30 am

Posted by Anonymous

You can be as green as you wanna be. You can just recycle shopping bags at the supermarket, and that makes a difference. It's easier to be green than Kermit says it is! LOLz

Dec 2, 2008 03:15 pm

Posted by Eco-Chef

Definitely, be as green as you want to be! To discuss these issues farther, I will be giving a presentation at the Oakland Museum (http://www.museumca.org/) on the evening of February 6, as part of "FIRST FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE!"

Titled "Eating Greener: The Ecology of Food and Why it Matters," the presentation explores how understanding food ecology can help everyone make smarter eating choices.

The exact time and details are pending. More information will be posted here at Diablo Dish in January, or check www.eco-chef.com.

Chef Aaron French