Food Day- a message from Earth Day

We here at Earth Day Network know all about special dates. After all, the first Earth Day in 1970 is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Today Earth Day is observed in 192 countries and is the largest secular modern day holiday in the world. Now we're seeking to help promote another special date on the calendar, one that is equally as important--Food Day.

Food Day is October 24, 2011 - Learn how you can participate

Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life-parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes-to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. We will work with people around the country to create thousands of events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, and state capitals.

Food Day seeks to transform the American diet. It is about time that we all started eating real. Right now there are far too many people eating diets composed of salty, overly processed packaged foods clad in cardboard and plastic; high-calorie sugary drinks that pack on pounds and rot teeth, but have no nutritional benefit; and fast-food meals made of white bread, fatty grain-fed factory-farmed meat and French fries.

We want to get Americans cooking real food for their families again. We want fewer people at drive-thrus and bigger crowds at farmers' markets. We want to celebrate fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole grains-and to support the local farms and farmers that produce them. Food produced in a sustainable manner helps to keep pesticides and other toxics out of our water and ecosystems. When you buy food locally you also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation of non-local food sources.

We are committed to:

• Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
• Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
• Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
• Protect the environment & animals by reforming factory farms
• Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
• Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

We welcome you to join us in celebrating Food Day by hosting or attending an event. Transforming our diet is a big step in transforming the way we live so that we may be better stewards of the earth.

Sincerely,
The Earth Day Network Team