Shared Tables

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Shared Tables: A Triangle Symposium on Global and Local Food Studies provided a forum for local and global experts to explore key issues related to food studies in an inter-disciplinary academic and community gathering. The event took place on Feb. 28th and 29th, 2012. We hope this website will now serve as a continued resource for information on global and local food studies.

The first day of the symposium on Tuesday, February 28th at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill explored key issues related to food and sustainability from a global perspective. Symposium participants from academic, business, social media, and NGO backgrounds engaged in a dialogue about global food realities, including how the globalization of the food supply impacts production, economics, practical solutions, safety, security, and sustainability. Tom Philpott of Mother Jones Magazine addressed the audience as the keynote speaker that evening, discussing the world’s most recalcitrant problem, how to feed the word in a sustainable manner.

The second day of the symposium on Wednesday, February 29th at Duke University focused on sustainable food systems and food cultures both nationally and in our local Triangle community. We heard from students, faculty, and local leaders about  policy, grassroots work, and scholarship in food, both in the humanities and social sciences.  Will Allen of  Growing Power gave the keynote address that evening entitled “The Good Food Revolution,” sharing his experience of building urban farms in Milwaukee, Chicago and beyond.

The conference also had a practical impact on the environment as we composted a total of 16.5 bags of waste, while only sending 4 bags of garbage to the landfill. Additionally, many attendees utilized public transportation, and carbon offsets were purchased for those who travelled to attend. Thank you for partnering with us to lessen our environmental footprint.