Slow Food on Campus teamed up with 350, Student/Farmworker Alliance, and Real Food Challenge to create resources for student food activists interested in hosting different events geared towards drawing attention to GOOD, CLEAN, and FAIR.

We are very excited to share all of the great work that went into making these actions happen and would like to thank our chapters for participating.

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On October 24th, Slow Food on Campus chapters coordinated events across the United States to support 350's international campaign and help raise awareness for a better climate change policy. Our students set out to educate their communities by participating in bike rallies, ringing church bells 350 times, hosting cooking demonstrations that emphasized the benefits of eating locally, marching down their city centers, and convincing people to pledge a day of eating locally and/or vegetarian. The pictures from their events formed part of a lively visual petition that 350 submitted to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.

Check out some of the stories from October's focus on CLEAN below:

Slow Food Green Mountain College

"Slow Food Green Mountain College had a very rainy 350 day of action. That didn't dampen our spirits though! We spent the night making apple and pumpkin pies from almost all local ingredients. We also burnt pies full of apple peels to contrast the effects of a high CO2 emissions limit with a healthy one. Many people turned up for this evening of good music, baking and friends. Our chapter’s Vice-President manned the table along with other slow foodies. We gave pies away and distributed information about 350 during the event. Thanks to all who helped eat, bake and be a part of 350."

Slow Food Tufts

During last week of October, Slow Food Tufts displayed table tents with facts about "clean" food at two dining locations on the Boston Campus. "Our goal was to raise awareness among policy and health science students on the deep connections between food and climate change."

Slow Food Kapi'olani Community College

"Slow Food KCC supported 350.org’s International Day of Climate Change by hosting a cooking demonstration where we shared information about 350’s mission. During the demo we cooked delicious local grass-fed beef and heirloom shell beans and we were able to generate lots of support and excitement from farmers and shoppers.The event was also marked by the launch of our 350 Cookbook Project. Inspired by 350’s action ideas we have chosen to start a cookbook of 35 versatile and abundant local foods. Each will be highlighted with ten different preparation guidelines based from our recipes and from those of the local farmers and people in our community."

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In November, Slow Food on Campus chapters coordinated events across the United States to support Student Farmworker/Alliance(SFA) a national network of students working to end modern-day slavery in the fields. Our students set out to educate their communities by hosting fair trade potlucks and film screenings. Their events aimed to inspire conversation, create brainstorming platforms, and to help raise awareness on unjust farm labor practices.

Check out some of the stories from November's focus on FAIR below:

Slow Food UNT

“For our November action, Slow Food UNT held a fair food themed Thanksgiving potluck. We had a variety of items ranging from a local grass fed turkey to fair trade coffee. During the event, we played telephone Pictionary to stimulate ideas about fair food and to demonstrate how some ideas of fair food can be skewed. The game brought up great ideas and some lighthearted humor to guide a positive and hopeful discussion about fairness. Afterward, we watched some short clips about fair trade certification and discussed the movement created by the Student Farmworker Association. To further educate students about fair food, we will be hosting a fair trade coffee and tea party near campus to share the idea of slow food. This event will be sponsored by a local coffee shop that supports fair trade products.”

Slow Food UW - Madison

"Slow Food UW- Madison supported SFA by hosting a fair trade coffee tasting. “All of the coffee was provided by Just Coffee and served at Cafe Soliel. This was a time for members to hear about what it takes to make coffee, learn about the ins and outs of operating a cooperative, as well as what it means to be fair trade. We sampled three delicious coffees during our conversation! Soon we will choose a blend of coffee from Just Coffee so we can have our own fair trade coffee at Family Dinner Nights.

Also, as a collaboration effort between Slow Food UW-Madison and WISPRIG, an organization working to make Madison Fair Trade Certified, we made a fair trade flyer. We passed the information out at Family Dinner Nights to help our membership be more aware of what Fair Trade means and where they can find it in Madison."

Slow Food UVM

“Slow Food UVM had two events during the month of November to increase our awareness of the Fair qualities of the food we eat, and both were delicious successes! For our first event, we went to Shelburne Farms and visited the cheese making facilities to learn about how they make their world famous cheddar. Our discussion focused, among other things, on how the quality of their cheese is a result of keeping their employees and cows happy. We discussed the working conditions and the employee benefits, and how things may be different in other, more industrialized, cheese making facilities.

Our next event was a potluck and contra-dance that included mostly students, but members of the Burlington community as well. Educational packets were placed on every table providing information on both positive treatment and harsh treatment of farm workers across the country and in our own state. We passed out tickets with pictures of the Immokalee farm workers, and quick facts printed on the back about their working conditions and the policies that allow them to continue. The event was a "potluck", but to ensure there would be enough food, we had the event catered by a restaurant called Sugar Snap, a small locally owned place that sources a majority of their food from small local farms, including the owner's own farm. This ensured the food we got was Fair, as well as good and clean.”

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In December, Slow Food on Campus chapters focused on the pleasures of good food and the importance of community. Our chapters aim to unify their communities by hosting events where they will enjoy delicious foods, learn to explore local tastes, as well as support Slow Food USA's Time for Lunch campaign.

Slow Food URI

An outstanding new addition to the Slow Food on Campus network, Slow Food University of Rhode Island, started a chapter this fall and participated in all three months of programming. In December, Slow Food URI students participated in a “campus wide window decorating contest in the campus union. All student organizations were invited to select and decorate a glass window in the union with holiday scenes that depicted the identity of the group. Even though we are a new organization on campus, we were the first club to decorate a window and we were pretty proud of that."