Food Tank recently had the opportunity to speak with Brian Halweil, Editor and Publisher at Edible Magazines, who was one of the speakers at the 2015 Food Tank Summit in partnership with The George Washington University.
Food Tank (FT): What will your message be at the Food Tank Summit?
Brian Halweil (BH): Our global food system is fragile and prone to large-scale collapse. It may seem technologically sophisticated and economically robust, but it’s not prepared to deal with economic, ecological or social chaos, from climate change to nutritional needs. To make our food system more resilient we need to focus on diversity, decentralization and redundancy all along the food chain.
(FT): How are you contributing to building a better food system?
(BH): At Edible magazines, our mission is to celebrate and chronicle the food and drink businesses that feed our community. If we can inspire readers to know, love and support their local food and drink community, we have done our job.
(FT): What are the biggest obstacles or challenges you face in achieving your organization’s goals?
(BH): Our biggest challenge is reaching new audiences. Especially audiences ready to change their food lives and be active eaters. Food awareness is at an all-time high, but that’s not the same as changing buying habits, eating habits and food activities.
(FT): Who is your food hero and why?
(BH): Danielle Nierenberg for the amazing, engaged food community she has built in such a short time! Or, if you want another: Paul Greenberg for making the incredibly complicated and controversial topic of seafood easy to understand. And for giving people easy to follow rules of thumb around making good seafood choices.
(FT): In 140 characters or less what is the most important thing we can all do to help change the food system?
(BH): Build your diet around a diversity of small food and drink producers.
