You’ve probably heard about Jamie Oliver’s mission by now. He’s fighting a major – and somewhat overlooked – problem: our eating habits, and the result of that, obesity. Thanks to french fries and soda, the next generation of children will probably live 6 to 10 years shorter than today. If you haven’t checked it out yet – and you really should – here’s Jamie’s prize-winning talk at the 2010 TED conference in California:
TED awarded Oliver’s passionate speech with the yearly TED prize, which means the Naked Chef has received $100,000 to spread the word about good food. Oliver is no stranger to this kind of attention. His books are bestsellers globally and America’s ABC network broadcasts a weekly show called Jamie’s Food Revolution. He has been doing the rounds at all the important talk shows and has gathered a large following as a result. Still, attitudes towards food are ingrained in any culture, and in the USA, Oliver needs all the help he can get. To put in mildly, changing the eating habits of the Western world isn’t a easy job, but there probably isn’t a person better placed to do it.
So what can we do, here, now? Next to endlessly forwarding his moving TED Talk, the key is education and awareness. Memorize some of the numbers Oliver mentions and start spreading the word. Check the food at your children’s school and take action when necessary. Make conscious food choices. Learn how to cook – healthy and appealing can go hand in hand. Read this shocking story about McDonald’s happy meals. Twitter your ass off. Anything to make sure that the next generation will be able to tell the difference between an apple and a tomato. Enough ideas to get you started?
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