Food for Health & Sustainability

Food that is grown with artificial fertilizers & pesticides, with hormones, and with antibiotics to promote growth undermines the health of those who eat it and of people in the communities where it is grown. [See 'The Problem With Industrialized Agriculture' & 'Healthy Food for Healthy Communities', the work of previous interns.]

Interns will gain a strong understanding of multiple elements of sustainability and strengthen their project development and project management skills. Investigate the current situation on your campus, learn what other colleges are doing and how those ideas might be applied on your campus, build awareness of the need to become more sustainable, and help develop long-term strategies for sustainability.

Depending on community needs at the time, interns will be involved in the following activities:

• Research the latest information about the relationship of food to health and sustainability
  
• Build awareness of the need to purchase and serve food that is grown without harmful chemicals, comes from local farms, and for which food producers and workers are paid fairly [including Fair Trade]
• Develop ways to increase access to healthy, sustainably-grown food for people of all income levels
• Develop ways to reduce waste by eliminating single-use serving products, promoting more effective recycling, and working towards composting of all food waste
• Write articles or speak to groups on various aspects of food and its connections to a sustainability nd health.

These unpaid internships are eligible for academic credit, subject to requirements of your college or university. This internship will require an average of 10–12 hours per week, in addition to work that may be assigned by your faculty advisor.

Requirements: A strong interest in promoting awareness of food’s connections to personal health and long-term sustainability; personal initiative; ability to work effectively—both independently and with others—and strong interpersonal, writing, and problem-solving skills.

This internship is also available with a focus on campus dining services. Depending on the current situation at your campus, interns will be involved in the following types of activities:

• Build awareness of the need to purchase and serve food that is grown without harmful chemicals, comes from local farms, and for which food producers and workers are paid fairly
• Develop ways to reduce waste by eliminating single-use serving products and promoting more effective recycling
• Work for surplus food to be donated to local agencies and all remaining food waste to be composted
• Research the latest information about the relationship of food to health and sustainability
• Involve and work with students, faculty, and staff to develop and implement strategies for current and long-term sustainability of campus food services
• Write articles or speak to campus groups on various aspects of sustainability in food services

There are a number of related areas that would be suitable topics for independent study. Contact Peter Crownfield for more information or for support for such efforts.

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