The Mason REAL Food Collective challenges Mason to live sustainably

The Mason REAL Food collective promotes better living for a better world (photo courtesy of Takver/flickr)

The Mason REAL Food Collective wants to raise awareness on Mason campus of what students are eating.

Started by sophomore Christine Harris, the Mason REAL Food Collective is an organization committed to empowering the Mason community to create a diverse food system that is “healthy, sustainable, and just.” This organization intends to inform students of the problems with the campus’ food system and to inspire change.

The Mason REAL Food Collective plans to talk to Mason dining about where they get their food from, what is put in it and how healthy and sustainable this food is.

The REAL Food Collective partnered with “The REAL Food Challenge,” an organization that is active across many college campuses working to create a healthier and more sustainable food system.

Harris describes sustainability as a different mindset, that we have to realize that everything we do here on this planet has, or is, going to have an impact on our future generation. Harris wants this organization to inform students of the benefits and disadvantages of their food system. They encourage Mason to be active about limiting the negative impact that the university could have on generations to come.

The Mason REAL Food Collective is working to educate students on different food systems during Food Week, which runs Oct. 20-26 and is writing a petition to the administration to get them on board with the movement to help get better foods into our school.

The Mason REAL Food Collective presents sustainability themed films, hosts guest speakers, and runs workshops to raise the student body’s awareness. Harris encourages all students to do what they can to get in contact with a member of this group, and make it out to any of these events.

“[The REAL Food Collective] celebrates what works for our food system and challenging what does not,” Harris said.