Nowadays, sustainability is theme of many discussions: it's a word we hear almost every day. But can we do our part, in this respect, on a daily level? Can we help the world become a better place? Let's find out.
It is estimated that, since 1950, humans have destroyed about three quarters of the agrobiodiversity that farmers had selected over the previous 10,000 years. In fact, 27,000 plant and animal species disappear every year — that's three species every hour! According to the FAO (Food and Agricolture Organization), the collapse of the world food production system may be unstoppable unless we reverse the state of affairs within the next ten years.
Food production is one of the causes of climate change: one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions are caused by food production, the transportation of food, and all that our industrial food system entails. Moreover, at the same time, food is also a victim of climate change, since it suffers its consequences (droughts, pollution of the seas, floods, etc.).
So far, many concerning data, but we do have a major issue at stake. However, in all this, there is a pivotal point which it is essential to be aware of: the human health and that of the environment are closely related. Suffice it to say that the production process that revolves around a non-sustainable food diet generates almost three times the greenhouse gases produced by a healthy, environmentally friendly diet. And this is where slow food comes in.
Slow Food, on a conceptual level, is diametrically opposed to the fast, industrial consumption of convenience foods. It promotes a gastronomic culture which, in addition to all strictly food-related aspects, also takes into account the social aspect of this matter — something that the large-scale industry does not usually do. Slow food is committed to «restoring the right value to food, respecting those who produce it, in harmony with the environment and ecosystems, thanks to the knowledge of which local areas and traditions are the custodians». (source: Slow Food Italy).
To this day, Slow Food is a global network of local communities, founded in 1989 to counter the disappearance of local food traditions and the spread of fast food culture. The goal of this movement is to ensure that as many people as possible have access to a better, cleaner and fairer food. In doing so, it will also give value to our community, rich in traditions and knowledge, and to our territory, which is able to offer good, healthy and genuine products.
Since 2020, our hotel has decided to join this movement, which in our territory is present with the name Slow Food Community for the Agricultural Development of the Altipiani Cimbri. We care about our territory, our community and our guests. And that is why, with daily commitment and driven by passion, we embrace and pursue this philosophy, trying to serve our tables flavorful, seasonal food, which respects the environment and the work of producers: all at fair prices for both buyers and sellers. The protagonists of the Slow Food Alpe Cimbra, the hub of the community, are small producers who respect nature and its rhythms and who guarantee the quality of their products by telling us in person.
It is important to know where the food on our plate comes from, because, after all, we are the food we eat (as Feuerbach said, "der Mensch ist, was er isst", man is what he eats): food is an integral part of ourselves, it defines our culture and, therefore, it also defines us as people, both from a biological and cultural point of view. Just think, here in Italy, how much food makes us Italian: it is perhaps the thing that most distinguishes us and makes us the people we are — we are the food and food is us, it is part of our culture, but it is also part of ourselves.
So here is where we can do our part, in terms of sustainability: through food education, that is, being aware of the system that regulates the production of the food we eat daily. It will do us good and the world around us as well and we will support the place where we live, fostering biodiversity and a fair and sustainable agriculture.
Be the change you wish to see in the world.
Check out our article on local producers in the Alpe Cimbra here: