Honors Theses

Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

First Advisor

Minjoo Oh

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

This thesis examines the problems with current food consumption and production practices, and proposes the implementation of school gardening programs as a possible remedy to these problems. Methods and procedures consisted of research on current publications, periodicals, internet sources and scholarly articles concerning these topics. It was found that current diet is a significant factor in widespread health problems facing populations today. This diet is intertwined with an environmentally destructive and vulnerable system of intensive industrial agriculture based on centralization, mass distribution, and standardization. School garden programs target children beginning at a young age and help to counter the culture of consumption and waste being instilled elsewhere. Such programs have been demonstrated to raise participants’ academic achievement, improve diet and eating habits, and effectively teach ecology and conservation. Ultimately, school gardening programs may prove themselves to be important agents of change within the current problematic fast food culture.

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