Reflective Essay: Volunteering In Chile

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As a young 21-year-old woman I am determined to make a difference in this world that will aid in my generation, and those that follow. Within the past two years I have had an increasing interest in gardening and environmental stewardship. During the summer of 2016, I volunteered on an organic farm where I learned how to properly work with real and nutritious food. Here I was able to progress my understandings in how to efficiently use farmland, rotate crops, harvest properly, and manage weeds organically. All of this work was then returned by the earth through an abundance of fruits and vegetables that I, and the other members on the farm, ate everyday to sustain our bodies. In addition, I volunteered for a week on an organic farm in Concepción, …show more content…

This was with restrictions on space, time, resources, and difficult weather conditions. With regards to my volunteering in Chile, I chose to volunteer at the Jardín Botántico where I would be learning about, and working with, indigenous plants to Chile. My main focus is in environmental activism and how connection to the earth is the primary influence of cultural and intellectual development. In accordance to my volunteering practices, I am interested in how farming and growing food promotes a more well-rounded and healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, how it liberates people from depending on the ever-changing and non-reliable system of corporate manipulation, and the genetic modification of true …show more content…

As a starting point our food system must be addressed in order to understand how it has shifted and been changed. We live in an age of instant gratification, and this way of life is not only unsustainable, but also inefficient in maintaining the longevity of our planet. It is creating a world of food that does not benefit us. A main issue is that of how we define food. The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that food, “ is a material used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy” (Merriam-Webster). Our definition of food must change in order for people have access to true nutritional sustenance. For example, Doritos are a cheap and available product. However, with the amount of sugars, high sodium levels, and fake chemical ingredients they offer no true sustaining benefits to an organism and therefore cannot be classified as real food. Furthermore, the role of Genetically Modified (GM) foods and the corporation Monsanto’s footprint within Latin America is negatively impacting the environment. In addition, there is little conclusive evidence and research on the effects that genetically modified foods will have on the human body. As the chemicals in these GM food biomagnifies within the human body systems the consequences are unknown and could directly correlate

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