1. Edible Activism! ERIK CHEVRIER AUGUST 29, 2016

2. Planting a Seed Pick a type of seed to plant. Find out about how to take care of the plant until maturity (look on the internet) Plant a seed!

3. Introduction What’s your favorite food? What kind of food do you NOT like? Do you have any food allergies? Do you have any dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian etc.) Do you have experience producing food (gardening, farming, etc.) Do you have experience transforming/processing food (cooking) Do you have experience storing food (canning, fermenting, etc.) What do you know about food waste management?

4. Edible Activism! My Goals Create a food project at Dawson Understand how to measure ‘indicators of healthy food systems’ Get to know local community food groups What are your goals?

5. Group Project Research project about the food system at Dawson Similar to the Concordia Student-Run Food Groups Research ProjectConcordia Student-Run Food Groups Research Project Create a food group at Dawson College Organize a conference connecting food activists at Dawson with food activists in the community at large

6. Reading Material We will pick at least one book and a variety of articles. -Food Activism: Agency, Democracy and Economy (2014) Carole Counihan, Valeria Siniscalchi -The Food Activist Handbook: Big & Small Things You Can Do to Help Provide Fresh, Healthy Food for Your community 2015 Ali Berlow -Edible Action; Food Activism & Alternative Economics (2008) Sally Miller -Take Back the Economy ; An Ethical Guide For Transforming Our Communities (2013) JK Gibson-Graham, Jenny Cameron, Stephen Healy -Activism and Social Change; Lessons for Community Organizing (2013) Eric Shragge

7. Specific Instructional Objectives Students will identify key ethical concerns regarding modern food practices Students will identify indicators of healthy food systems Students will know about the actions of local food organizations and activists Students will understand a variety of economic models Students will experience what it is like to be a food activist Students will create a group project

8. Teaching Methods/Learning Activities Learning by doing – We will create a project Learning by discussing and debating – We will discuss readings and documentaries Community service learning – We will learn from people involved in community food projects

9. What Food Topics Interest You? Food and gender Food and racial relations Food production Labour conditions of food producers Food and environmental sustainability Critique of current food systems Food and colonialism Food and community building Food systems Food and health Cooking Food and the economy Alternative food practices Permaculture Food policy Food security Food sovereignty Food and class relations Food and culture

10. Course Description Have you ever heard of Castoreum? Castoreum is the yellowish secretion of the castor sac (anal gland of the beaver) and is used as a flavour enhancer in candies, beverages, frozen dairy foods, baked goods, chewing gum, pudding and a variety of other processed foods. Many people are not aware that they are consuming the anal secretion of beavers because the term Castoreum does not appear on the list of ingredients. Instead, it is placed under the umbrella ‘natural flavours’. This course is designed to address ethical concerns regarding food. In this course, we will become food activists and contribute to the pursuit of a more environmentally sustainable, socially responsible, cooperative food system. We will engage with community food organizations in and around Dawson College. In particular, we will meet and participate with key players who have laid fertile ground for the development of a healthier food system. We will critically analyze how food is produced, procured, processed, distributed, stored, and transported. We will learn about the economy of food by analyzing a variety of actors, like multinational food corporations, governments and community organizations. We will discuss a variety of issues regarding food, including: food security, food privilege, food sovereignty, food customs, communal food production, and waste management. We will review food policies in Quebec, Canada and the world at large. We will work on a collective group project that will be designed to enhance the food system at Dawson College. If you are interested in food, alternative economics, activism and appalled to find out that you may have been consuming the ‘anal secretion of beavers’ for quite some time, this course is for you.

11. Evaluation Tools and Assignments Class participation Group project – everyone together Cooking project – 1 per group of 3 Reading reports – 1 per group of 3 Indicator report – 1 per person We will negotiate these possibilities in the first class

12. Videos Monsanto Lobbyist What’s Wrong With Our Food System This Computer Will Grow Your Food in the Future Obesity + Hunger = 1 Global Food Issue A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central LA A Garden in my Apartment Why Are Bees Disappearing? 3 Stories of Local Eco-entrepreneurship

13. Work out Lesson Plan Lesson plan – Edible Activism!