Not one-size-fits-all: Dan Joling on food security in Alaska

When food security pops up in the news, as it does frequently these days, it usually refers to having two things: a grocery store nearby and money to spend there. For Inuit people in Alaska, however, food security means something very different. The Seattle Times published this December 2015 report by Alaska-based Associated Press reporter Dan Joling.

Read it here: Joling, “Alaska’s Inuit link steady food supply to environment health”

 

1. Joling has written a news report on the release of an extensive study done by the Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska. What did the study examine? What are its recommendations? Are you able to answer these two questions with the information that Joling provides? Why or why not? What additional information might the Seattle Times presume its local audience already knows?
2. Joling mentions that the Inuit concept of secure food is vastly different from that of “people in academia and government.” What are those different concepts? Summarize them and explain why the differences are so problematic for the Inuit people.
3. How well does Joling explain why the Inuit communities of Alaska aren’t excited about increased shipping in of food? Explain your reasoning. What else, if anything, would you like to know in order to understand the situation better?
4. Read (or re-read) Michael Pollan’s essay in Chapter 18 of your text. Pollan is somewhat famous for advocating a diet of “mostly plants.” What might Pollan say about the Inuit diet? How might he respond to the issues that Inuit communities are facing with regard to their traditional diet? (Think carefully on this one; your first guess may not turn out to be right.)
5. Joling concludes his article with a quote from the chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, who states, “The people [involved in increasing shipping to urban markets in Anchorage, who are] causing the pollution have to have more responsibility and have to be expected to change their behavior, as opposed to expecting Inuit to change theirs.” Do you agree that Inuit communities should not have to absorb all of the changes? Use Joling and his sources (as well as any others) as your They Say and write an essay that takes a position on protecting Inuit food security.

Comments

[gon le]

Global warming is the cause of the food shortages in many parts of the world. The Global warming makes the ice melts, many people in cold regions get in risk of extinction and therefore, food from several sources fishermen being robbed by the environment. Besides, people are damage the environment by the smoke from factories or the oils from the sheet. In this articel, people in Alaska are lacking of food, 90% food they purcharse from other cities, the main food source is hunting fish and seals, but people are bothering them by travel on the ocean by big sheets and that sound make all animal run away.Therefore, we need to support them and work together to protect the environment, protect the food supply and even humans.

[Christopher Smith]

Joling explains why the communities of Alaska are't excited about increased shipping in food well. The reason why I say this is because it stated that first they get there food elsewhere and plus its too much food they are providing. They don't like the fact that most of the food purchased is from other cities. Also they would rather hunt for animals rather than having food shipped to them. Therefore, the communities don't like the increased shipping in food.

[Raneem]

This article talked about the largest population in Alaska. The ice seats uses sea ice to rest and birth pups. When ice breaks into floes, there is a window to leave his home. Food For the Init, who have survived for thousands of years was in the harsh climate. Now a days, Global warming was the cause for food shortage. The author explains the concept and breaks it down. It stated that they supply food from somewhere else, having too much food they provide.And they don't like how it is from other cities, when the communities are at high risks for increasing the shipping on food.

[samfowl223]

The hunting season in Alaska used to last for weeks. The Inuit people would use this time to capture seals in order feed their families until next hunting season. Now, however, the ice that the seals sit on melts much quicker, taking the seals away with it. This leaves the Inuit people with less time to hunt and, ultimately, less food to feed their people. The Inuit people want their way of gathering food to be protected. They do not want to give up this part of their culture that has been in place for millennia. They do not see the food as merely nutrients, they have worked what they eat into their traditions and see the food as a part of their lifestyle. The Inuit people feel that their right to culture needs to be preserved and that the way to do so is through protecting their food. I believe that the Inuit people do have a right to their cultural foods, however, the thing that is taking their food away from them cannot be completely controlled by the government. The ice melting faster is not something that the Alaskan government can control all on its own. The issue of global warming has to be dealt with through multiple governments and will not be solved overnight. I also believe that the Inuit people should come to understand that the Earth is changing and there isn’t much that the Alaskan government can do alone to change their situation. I do believe that culture is important, but it is not always able to be kept without minor changes. If the Inuit people accepted that this area of their culture needed to be slightly altered in some way, it would make proceedings on how to deal with the situation much easier. I believe this because, even if we found a fix for global warming tomorrow, it would still take many years for the effects to reverse themselves.

[Brandon]

The people of Inuit are going through effects of global warming. They love the culture that they've grown up with and their families before them, food is a major part of that. The effect of global warming that they are experiencing is preventing them from hunting the animals they always have. They do not like the idea of having food shipped in from other cities. I did not like the article, I thought it was too long. The writer kept repeating themselves. I think the people of Inuit need to work together to try and stop the pollution they are putting off.

[Mahogany Willis]

I see food security I thinking of Target. When Alaska thinks of food security, its bad. Global warming is causing a huge effect in many areas of the world. In Alaska global warming is making the ice melt and it is messing with the seal pups and the fisherman. Seals are main targets for fisherman out there and the ice melting earlier is causing food issues. Many whom live in Alaska get food from not so close places so when ships come in with their food it breaks up the ice and ruins the fisherman's opportunities. As a whole we all need to step it up and protect our environment before it is too late.