People around the world express their distinct histories, cultures, and values through food. These works inspire us because they illuminate the historical contexts of what we eat, why, and how that has changed over time. They help us to imagine how the context of climate change could stir change in how and what we eat in the future. As you explore this collection, consder this question: Could the evolution of our food culture help us live well as we work to stay within the constraints of our planet?
Read
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
A nonfiction book by Robin Wall Kimmerer
“Cultures of gratitude must also be cultures of reciprocity. Each person, human or no, is bound to every other in a reciprocal relationship. Just as all beings have a duty to me, I have a duty to them. If an animal gives its life to feed me, I am in turn bound to support its life. If I receive a stream’s gift of pure water, then I am responsible for returning a gift in kind. An integral part of a human’s education is to know those duties and how to perform them.”
Watch
An animated film directed by Brad Bird
“Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell. There is excellence all around you. You need only be aware to stop and savor it.” —Chef Gusteau
Listen
Gastropod: How Beef Replaced Bison on the American Plains—and Plate
A podcast by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
Try
Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower: How to Cook with Vegetables and Other Plants
A cookbook by Gill Meller
“In the kitchen, the lines between routine and rut are sometimes hard to define. In this respect, change could be a welcome thing, but eating a largely plant-based, home-cooked diet can do much more than simply break a routine; it can have a dramatic effect on how we feel.”
About Collections:
These compilations of literature, film, art, and other media have been thoughtfully selected by the Probable Futures team and our collaborators. The diversity of material included is intended to foster a deeper understanding of our planet and our civilization, challenge conventional thinking, and help us all envision ways to live well in a changing climate and world.