What have you been thinking about this weekend?

I know most folks don’t give labor day a second thought. It’s a long weekend that ends the summer. Hit the beach or pool one last time, and prepare for the fall season ahead. And remember there are only 113 (or so) days until Christmas!
This Labor Day I’ve be thinking about groceries … starting with the farmworkers who plant, tend, and harvest crops. Some do so in air-conditioned tractors and combines, but many do so in the hot sun, often exposed to harmful pesticides, abusive foremen, and unsafe conditions … not to mention low pay, without much if any access to legal protection. You can learn more about farmworkers and their underpaid, under-appreciated labor here:
http://ciw-online.org
In my work with CIW, I’ve become more aware than ever that I am connected by the food I eat to everyone in the chain … from farmers and farmworkers to truckers to grocers to cooks and dishwashers. Then, I think about who I am connected to by the clothing I wear, the iphones and computers I use, the roads I drive, the car I drive. We’re all connected by our labor!
Along similar lines, Joan Warren has been thinking about the problem of food waste lately. Joan is a relatively new blogger whose work I think you’ll enjoy.