Why Do National Parks Serve Stadium Food?
Have you visited a national park recently? They are national gems that represent some of our earliest conservation efforts and are a symbol for our environmental values. They remind us of the importance of nature and the impact of fresh air on our physical and mental health.And yet, when you step into a lodge on any national park you are served food that you would expect at a ball park. It is unhealthy, not fresh, not environmentally friendly, and tastes like crap. Frankly, modern ball parks have evolved beyond the fare being served in our national park system.
From what I learned from the folks at Food from the Parks, a nonprofit based in California, the Department of the Interior wants to make this change but the lobbying from the institutional food suppliers makes it nearly impossible.
This would be a symbolic way for President Obama to show that he is changing the way Washington works. Have our national parks set the bar for fresh, sustainable and healthy government food. Serve food from local farmers. What a natural partnership.
Who knows, it might just lead to changes in our school cafeterias and then we would really be talking about a powerful change.
Perhaps this is the kind of change the new White House Office on Social Innovation could take on. Not exactly innovative...but perhaps for DC it would count.
Or, the Administration could create another office to focus on 'duh' policy changes like this one. We could call it the 'Homer Simpson Office for Innovation.'
What an exciting idea - the government leading by example!
The essence of the idea Aaron is onto here is a shift away from profit margin and beginning to re-frame our thinking to incorporate the un-seen cost of what we consume. Yes a hot dog from a far-away farm costs only $.29, but what about animal waste produced from that farm? What about the hormones and saturated fat that will eventually create the need for expanded health care? What about the fuel used to ship that hot dog from thousands of miles away? And the plastic packaging that can't be recycled? Where does that go? So you see a hot dog doesn't cost $.29 at all, the price we pay is much higher.
Part of enjoying a park is the opportunity to revel in the natural beauty of where we live - and imagine what it was like before civilization encroached. Not only would using local, healthy and sustainable foods be good for the environment, it could provide an invaluable educational tool about local history, cuisine, farming and culture.
Why we don't do this already is beyond me. "Doh!" is right!!