Your room and backpack are stocked with apples you’ve snagged from Sherman and Usdan. And why not? Apples are the perfect snack food for those long nights spent studying for exams and working on research papers. They’re delicious and nutritious, and we’ve all heard the rumor that they curb chances of cancer!
Considering that we consume an inordinate number of apples as a community, it’s important that Brandeis gets the best quality apples to ensure we’re all remaining as healthy as can be. Unfortunately, locally grown fruit is more expensive than importing fruit from other states through our campus’ food provider. But at Brandeis, we are already paying inflated prices for our fruit in our dining halls. At this point in time, Brandeis’ apples come from many other states—mostly California and Florida—but none from Massachusetts or its neighboring states. This means that the fruit requires pesticides to maintain its composure as it travels across the country. Sounds delicious, no?
Brandeis has been slowly inching its way towards providing healthier food options for us. Last semester, cage-free eggs were introduced and are now offered at every dining facility that cooks eggs. This semester, as you may or may not have noticed, Students for Environmental Action has been petitioning with their “Local Apples Campaign” to provide Brandeis with more local produce. The ultimate goal of this campaign is to bring as much local produce to Brandeis as possible, and with the exorbitant consumption of apples on campus, they felt this was an appropriate place to begin.
According to Maura Boughter-Dornfeld, the leader of SEA’s food policy committee, getting organically grown apples is, indeed, a tangible concept, “if we can get enough students to show interest. Right now SEA is in its awareness stage, promoting interest in bringing locally grown apples to campus.”
Next time you’re in Sherman or Usdan and you reach for an apple, maybe you’ll think twice about where it comes from. Feel inspired to make a change? Try attending one of SEA’s meetings and sharing your ideas! They hold meetings every Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Ridgewood Commons. Take SEA’s survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B3YBRPG) or email Maura if you have any suggestions to make acquiring local apples at Brandeis a reality. An apple a day (from a local farm) keeps the pesticides away!