Stephanie Chin, 11/22/09, design board

Sarah Timmcke, 11/16/09, Design Board

Sarah Timmcke, 11/16/09, Research Images

Sarah Timmcke, 11/16/09, Research

The slow food movement is all about eating foods that are healthy for you, the environment, and also help your local community. It goes against all the ideas that large corporations have about food manufacturing and distribution. The goal is to eat healthy foods from local sources. This is the main idea of the movement because this one act can help in so many other ways. By shopping locally you help your local farmers which are quickly dwindling. The number of American farmers has gone from almost half the population to about 1 percent, so they can use all the business they can get. Unfortunately large corporations have created this problem for farmers in America. Instead of buying from them they instead buy internationally, which believe it or not is cheaper in the long run. And it really is a “long run”; the average bite of food an American takes has traveled 1,500 miles before it even reaches their mouth. This results in a lot more carbon emissions going into the environment as well. Not only does that food have to be flown here but once it arrives it needs to get transported to different destinations by truck. 40% of truck traffic is from the shuttling of food. In order for these foods to stay fresh that long they have a ton of pesticides and hormones in them, and even then they are not as fresh as they could be. Romaine lettuce for instance, should be green, not yellow or white. So by buying from local organic farmers you are ultimately eating better.
Also shopping locally saves energy. It takes a lot of energy to create certain mass produced food. Meat is one such product. While most people do not want to quit eating meat altogether, the slow food movement suggests getting your meat from local meat farmers or eating meat less frequently.
The packaging that food is put in is also very bad for the environment. There is a lot of cardboard used to store these products while they are being shipped. Not only that, but think about how many individually wrapped products there are. Even the products that are not individually wrapped all have some sort of packaging.
Not only are there environmental and health reasons for joining the slow food movement but there are also economical ones. The money you spend on locally grown foods also stays in your community, which ends up helping you even more. Instead of shopping at large corporations that treat their employees poorly, you can help your local business owners stay in a job.
With all these things considered, I can’t think of a better object to go along with the slow food movement then a tea infuser. Tea takes awhile to steep which goes along with the whole idea of things slowing down. Also by using a tea infuser you are cutting down on all unnecessary packaging because you are using loose tea which does not use any paper products. It is also very easy to find organically grown loose tea. Tea is also very simplistic. As much as Starbucks tries to add more fluff to it, it is still just hot water and tea leaves. This simplicity is probably the one thing that ties it in to the slow food movement. The whole idea is to stop complicating our food and getting back to eating a natural, healthy diet.

Stephanie Chin, 11/10/09, research paper

Stephanie Chin

ART 118

Slow Food Movement Tea Infuser

            Fast food has become a well-known staple all around the world thanks to chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King. Fast food for some people may be the majority of their diet or at least a new and favorite food group. It’s not to say fast food is always bad and should be boycotted; I, for one, love being able to pick up french fries from the comfort of my own car on my way to school, for example. But, whatever happened to real food- the kind you make from scratch in your own garden and home? The slow food movement is an objection to fast food, genetically modified foods, pesticides, large-scale food manufacturing and processing, and various other practices that alters our food’s purity and nutrition. The slow food movement, therefore, encourages local buying and farming, encourages organics, educates individuals, promotes and preserves small family farms, and lobbies against genetic engineering. However, one of the most interesting aspects of the slow food movement is the teaching of gardening skills to students and prisoners.

            In my opinion, gardening is a lost activity in our world of convenience. Instead of growing your own vegetables, it’s the normal and much easier practice to stop by the grocery store to buy whatever it is you need. But, gardening is not part of the slow food movement just because it produces healthy food straight from the source and does not undergo various processing or manufacturing. Gardening is a way to slow down life. It can alleviate stress or tensions and can be an individual hobby or an enjoyable activity to share with others. For these reasons, the slow food movement uses the practice of teaching gardening skills to students and prisoners. Schools that have signed onto the slow food movement have gardens, which help to show children how food grows and exactly where it comes from. This learning process differs greatly from the notion that food comes from a grocery store or out of a bag. Also, it may seem strange that prisoners would learn how to garden. In my opinion, gardening can be a great outlet to relieve stress or anxiety or to re channel energy. In short, it can keep people busy instead of letting them wander into trouble. Gardening has almost a meditation quality about it although many individuals still perceive it to be work or hard labor.

            Although the slow food movement has gained popularity and notice in various countries around the world, it is still looked upon by some individuals with skepticism. Instead of making drastic changes immediately, it is encouraged that people start with small steps. For example, cooking meals at home can be a daunting idea, so it is encouraged that people start with making 1 homemade element at a time and gradually work towards preparing all parts of a meal at home without help from take out or prepared foods. The slow food movement incorporates good, healthy food and the concept of slowing down time. Mealtimes are supposed to be sources of family bonding, and research has even shown that children who eat family meals regularly do better in school. So instead of rushing through meals or eating in front of a television, why don’t people go back to the basics, back to their roots and enjoy a meal among friends or family?  

            Various cultures have different views on “time.” Americans generally live a more fast paced life under the notion that “time is money.” Therefore, we make tradeoffs between quality of food and convenience. The majority of the time though, fast food actually costs more than home cooked meals. Due to the recession, many individuals have realized how costly it is to dine out and have now opted to prepare their own meals in an effort to save money; with the recession, old time gadgets soared in popularity again, such as the slow cooker. A slow cooker is the perfect example of the slow food movement since it not only produces meals at home but also entails a wait for the food- this wait forces people to take mealtime slower instead of typically rushing through it.

            Although the slow food movement may appear to be more hassle than its worth, I believe it is worth a try and is very doable for each family, each individual, and each lifestyle. Smalls steps are all it takes to get started to a healthier life, and you may even enjoy the beauty of slowing down and taking a breath. Remember, slow food won’t kill you, but fast food could. My advice is to live in the moment, enjoy the moment, seize the moment, and enjoy life one bite at a time.   

Slow Food Movement

Jennifer Solow

November 10, 2009

Slow Food Movement

After researching the Slow Food Movement I learned that slow food is, in simplest terms: an idea, a way of living, and a way of eating. It is recognized worldwide and links the enjoyment of food with one’s community, culture and environment. The movement works to reinforce the connection between the food on our plates and the well-being of our planet. Three words that were especially used to describe slow food were good, clean and fair. Good refers to the fact that the food we eat should taste good and be made with care from healthy animals and plants. “Clean” food refers to nutritious food that is good for our bodies as well as the planet. Fair is in regards to the food being accessible to everyone, regardless of income, and is created by people who are treated well and are fairly compensated for their work.

Slow food gets its name from its main motive, to counteract fast food as well as the ‘fast life’. It hopes to bring light to the disappearance of local food traditions and the declining interest in the types of food we eat, where they come from, how they taste and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. Because we live in a society where everything is so fast-paced and hectic, many people aren’t eating healthy and just eat whatever is convenient at the time. This ultimately can be detrimental to a person’s health and well-being. The movement is a great way to try and prevent obesity, which has been said to be an epidemic in the United States; cardiovascular disease, as well as other conditions such as stress from living such fast-paced lives and psychological symptoms dealing with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other emotional disorders stemming from unmanaged stress. Eating organic, buying things fresh from local markets/producers or even growing some of our own fruits and vegetables are great ways to help our environment and at the same time our health because they you aren’t harming the environment and the food provides more wholesome nutrients. Others ways to promote this idea is through “taste education”, educating people about the risks of fast food, and teaching gardening skills.

I think the Slow Food Movement is a clever concept. It was shocking to hear that it has been around since 1989 and there are over 100,000 people in 132 countries that are a part of this movement because I had never even heard of it until now. In such a fast-paced world like the one we live in it is nice, if not sometimes necessary, to take the time to stop and appreciate the things around us, even things in our everyday lives that we may take for granted like food. Since more and more people are opting not to cook homemade meals, it may also lead to us spending less quality time sitting down with our families at the dinner table, which is something I actually enjoy doing a lot.

Another thing I particularly agreed with in the Slow Movement was that we need to be more mindful about things and pay more attention to the present moment, and just enjoy it. It’s sometimes easier said than done with the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives but in the end it could help us live more enjoyable lives. The Slow Food Movement is a great way to stop and take time to really think about where our food comes from, how it is made, what impact it may have on us and to just really appreciate the things around us that we often just take for granted.

Parissa Grantham, 11/10/09 - slow movement research paper

The slow food movement is simply the act of rejecting fast food. The convenience, consistency and cost efficiency that is found in the fast food industry has made mostly a negative impact on society and the overall health of Americans. Slow food is an attempt to stray from this problem and direct people towards eating food that is good for them. Not only will this affect the consumers, it will also impact those who actually grow the food and is meant to pose a positive influence on the environment, regarding recycling and pollution. Started in 1989, the goal of the slow food movement is to aid in the fading of certain food traditions. It works to re-instate interest in the food itself, where it comes from, and ultimately its taste and how it can affect the world, as a whole.

The way these advocates work to promote this change is by education. A more hands on approach is also effective in convincing participants to engage in activities that allow for them to gain an informative look into slow food. These activities include food and wine tasting, or listening to a guest speaker who is knowledgeable about the subject. It would also be valuable to bring education on slow food to schools and incorporate the practice into school lunches and afterschool programs. In addition, providing students with the opportunity to grow their own garden and allow for them to understand the growth of a plant, and ultimately incorporate that into the use of ingredients in the kitchen at home.

Very closely related to the slow food movement is the idea of ‘going green’. Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s aim to provide the community with organic, natural and locally farmed foods. Not only does this pertain to food, but also to many household appliances and tools. The material that these objects are made out of can be labeled as organic. Organic materials are beneficial to the environment and a person’s overall lifestyle.

In society, there are several different aspects of life that can and should be improved upon and I think the idea of slow food will substantially help these problems. Obesity is a rising problem in America, largely due to the fast food industry and one of the reasons we tend to resort to fast food as often as we do is a result of how fast-paced life has become. We, as Americans, tend to be so consumed with work, school, and other life demands that we rarely take the time to stop and enjoy our food. Instead, we drive through the drive thru for a quick, easy, and cheap meal. As a direct result of this, it is also safe to say that we are spending less quality time with family and friends by neglecting to make time to sit down and have a meal together. Spending time with family is necessary to obtain a tight bond with those individuals and losing this time together can only hurt us in the long run.

The slow food movement can be a good fix to several of life’s ongoing problems. The fast food era was recognized as a problem and people are taking the initiative to establish the slow food movement in an effort to create a better world. Educating the public will help to spread the awareness of this change and will hopefully result in a significant impact towards the improvement of society.

2 page paper 11.10.09

Allyson Keaton

11/10/09

Slow Food Movement Tea Infusers

While researching the Slow Food Movement I learned that it was created to promote good, clean, and fair food. It’s a way of living and a way of eating. The Slow Food Movement is a grassroots movement, in which thousands of people around the world link pleasure with food and a commitment to community and their environment. This program helps Americans become more aware of social, economic, and environmental impacts of food choices we make every day. It also reconnects Americans with people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils, and waters that produce our food. People believe that through education and knowledgeable programs people will be brought together to create a lasting change. The Slow Food Movement also practices the connection between people, their food, and the people who grow it. They believe in quality and pleasure in the food we eat.

From Plate to Planet is when members of the Slow Food Movement celebrate the beautiful bounty of food that is available, they work together to strengthen the connection between the food on our plates and the health of our planet. They raise public awareness, make local foods more accessible, and work hard with seasonal foods. They also work hard caring for the land and protecting biodiversity. The members of the Slow Food Movement enjoy identifying, promoting, and protecting fruits, vegetables, grains, animals, wild foods, and cooking traditions. They advocate for farmers and artisans, who grow, produce, sell, prepare, and serve wholesome food. Finally, they also love promoting celebration of food as pleasure, culture, and community.

I really enjoyed researching the Slow Food Movement it helped me become more aware of my surroundings and what I decide to put into my body. I’m totally all for organic; its just a very pretty penny. I enjoyed learning about the whole concept of the Slow Food Movement, I realize now that not everything comes so easily. People have to work hard to get a beautiful, healthy, organic product and it won’t happen the first time around.

I still live at home and whenever my mom can she will go to the local Sunday market and pick up fruits and vegetables for the week. They’re so much richer and juicier than some of the ones we buy at the supermarket. But they’re more expensive, but its worth it, my mom gets what she has been planning on making and the consumers get to live a healthier life. We enjoy buying locally free-range chickens and their eggs from a local farm up in Havre de Grace. They taste like no other kind of chicken or egg I’ve ever had before, plus they’re made with lots and lots of love! It’s enjoyable to know that we are supporting a local family, a local farmer, and a local friend.

Christine Brant, 11/9/09, Research and Brainstorming

Christine Brant
November 9, 2009
Research and Brainstorming

Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. The slow food movement is an organization that was created to fight against and try to stop fast food. Some of the objectives of the slow food movement are forming and sustaining seed banks to preserve heirloom varieties in cooperation with local food systems, preserving and promoting local and traditional food products, along with their lore and preparation, educating consumers about the risks of fast food, teaching gardening skills to students, encouraging ethical buying in local marketplaces, etc. Also, the movement wants to encourage families to get back in the tradition of cooking meals together and having more times together.
The slow food movement supports a growing cultural shift towards slowing down. It addressed how we have lost connection to most aspects of our life and to the natural world and rhythms around us, and how we can reconnect. The Slow Movement is a worldwide movement to recapture meaningful connection. The movement is gaining momentum, as more and more people recognize their discomfort at the fast pace and disconnected nature of their lives. If people become more aware of what they are eating and polluting their bodies with, the obesity rates may come down. So many people are caught up in today’s world, and are so busy and rushed all the time, they don’t have time to fix good meals. Therefore, they get fast food, which is very unhealthy, filled with saturated fat and salt. If people slow down and make time to make good, healthy meals, not only will they increase their health, but they have more time to spend and reconnect with their families.
A tea infuser is a device in which loose tea leaves are placed for brewing, usually in a cup; it is often called a teaball or tea maker. A tea infuser performs the same function as a tea bag. Most tea infusers have special bags of tea in them when purchased. The infuser is generally a small mesh or perforated metal container or covered spoon that holds tea leaves, in varying sizes to brew single or multiple servings at once. Some common shapes for infusers include spherical, conical and cylindrical. One style of infuser is a split sphere with tong-like handles to open its mesh container. Using a tea infuser, it usually takes about three minutes. But you must pay attention because if you leave it in too long your tea may become bitter. So the whole time the tea is infusing into the water, you have time to relax and observe the process.








Brainstorming Words
Healthy
Pure
Plants
No fast food
Cooking
Clean
Nutritious
Education
Farming
Culture
Fruits and Vegetables
Awareness
Connectedness
Metal
Mesh
Tea leaves
Elegant
Small
Takes time

Allie Boram

11/10/2009

Tea Infuser

When researching the slow food movement, I found this quote, “Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment” (www.slowfoodusa.org). When thinking about the slow food movement, I think natural, clean, taking your time, slowing down your everyday. When I think of colors, I think blue, green, brown, grey, tan. A problem that I am trying to solve is the elimination of fast food and all of the terrible things that go into making fast food. My intention is to make the person using the tea infuser slow down, and actually take the time to notice the tea infuser and the tea they are making. Through this tea infuser I am trying to convey a sense of the earth’s natural beauty and how to embrace it. An object can make someone slow down by having them take more time than usual to do something. If you have to use both hands to take the tea infuser from off of the top of your cup before you drink, you are taking more time. If the tea infuser is so beautiful and creative that you take more time to look at it, you are taking more time. If you have to look at it for awhile to be able to decipher what it is and then it is something really neat, you are taking more time. This last example can control the viewers eye. This can be an advantage because not only are you controlling the viewers eye, but you are controlling it to take more time and slow down to look at the piece. Materials that are relevant to my piece would be anything of a natural color. Possibly rocks, a tree shape, metal. In my piece, I will be taking a stand against fast food and for natural foods. The Slow Food USA website says, “Slow Food USA seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system. We reconnect Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food. We seek to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat” (www.slowfoodusa.org). Their motto is; Good, Clean, and Fair. In regards to Good, they say, “For Slow Food, the idea of good means enjoying delicious food created with care from healthy plants and animals. The pleasures of good food can also help to build community and celebrate culture and regional diversity” (www.slowfoodusa.org). In regards to Clean, they say, “When we talk about clean food, we are talking about nutritious food that is as good for the planet as it is for our bodies. It is grown and harvested with methods that have a positive impact on our local ecosystems and promotes biodiversity” (www.slowfoodusa.org). In regards to Fair, they say, “We believe that food is a universal right. Food that is fair should be accessible to all, regardless of income, and produced by people who are treated with dignity and justly compensated for their labor” (www.slowfoodusa.org). Through this project I would like to make something that when people look at it, they actually take their time to look at it. I would like to make something that makes people sit and think about the earth and being natural in everything they do.

brainstorming slowfoodmovementteainfuser

here is a picture of my brainstorming i tried putting it up here but it messed the way i had it in a word document up!

-Ally

-Problems I am trying to solve: I would love to have everything slow down, relax and bring nature into the picture. Everything is so fast paced. I feel like sometimes you can't take a deep breath and look around you. While drinking tea, I feel like thats a must! I intend to bring happiness and joy into someone's life through a beautiful piece of art work. I want to feel accomplished and know that I made this piece and its beautiful! I also would love to bring in natural elements. Alot of the other questions i havent focused on yet because im not quiet sure what i want exactly my piece to be.

2 page paper about slow food ideologies

I don't know if I was supposed to post this, but i figured better safe than sorry.

Stephanie Ireland

Slow food findings

Upon researching the slow food movement I found that it was started in 1989 in order to promote “good, clean, and fair food”- good meaning good for you, clean meaning good for our eco-system and/or organic, and fair meaning that the farmers who cultivate this food are paid fair and square for their efforts to provide us with healthy natural choices in food, and that anyone should be able to acquire healthy food regardless of income.

The slow food movement is also meant to keep alive the traditions of cooking; they value it as a skill and believe that it is something that everyone ought to know how to do. They also see food as a means to bring people together, to represent culture and community, and something that we need to slow down and enjoy day to day.

My response to the slow food movement is that I see it as a means to bring together the family and have them all sit around the table for dinner like the majority of families used to do. Nowadays families rarely eat together; they are constantly on the go and the importance and significant of a home cooked family meal seems to have been forgotten. Not only eating the meal together, but cooking the meal together is important; cooking is a skill that anyone can learn, but few have to opportunity to learn because the skill was not passed down through the family. My mother learned to cook from her mother, and I learned how to cook from mine. The simple act of cooking is much more than learning a skill, it is a bond, a tradition, a feeling of home, and a part of a tightly wound family.

Another part of the slow food movement is the awareness of people. The obesity rates in our country are worse than any other country in the world, and the slow food movement is out to raise awareness in the American people on how to eat healthy, and how to stray away from foods that misleadingly pronounce themselves at healthy.

What this portrays to me is that the slow food movement is also out to educate people. Eating correctly is a hard skill to master. Many people will eat things that they would assume to be healthy, but it turns out that it really isn’t. For instance a salad may be healthy but if you drown it is ranch dressing the fat outweighs the nutrition. Healthy eating is a complicated life to live, and I believe that it is yet another thing that the people of the slow food movement are aspiring to teach people.

So basically after researching the slow food movement I came to find that it is about more than taking you time eating, and organic food; it is about togetherness, tradition, culture, and health.

Stephanie Chin, 11/9/09, brainstorming

when i try to connect the dots between the slow food movement and tea infusers, the first thing that comes to mind is nature. maybe it's because of tea leaves or maybe it's something else...but i feel like nature and inspiration from such an organic concept just make more sense for a tea strainer. i've looked at various tea strainers- some very ornate- and although they're pretty to look at, they certainly don't scream slow food or even practicality to me. 

in short, i'd love to make a tea infuser that incorporates nature into a dainty/delicate form.   

brainstorming for slow food tea infuser

good food, healthy food, clean, pure, tasty, slow down and enjoy the goodness, learning to cook, eating dinner as a family around the table instead of on the go, togetherness, natural, the way it's supposed to taste. bringing people together, learning, awareness, nutrition facts, obesity rates going down....I just now got why they have a snail as the symbol....because it's slow and so is the slowfood movement XD haha. ok that was my brainstorming.

Final Exam Project Sheet

Slow Food Tea Infuser

Objective- To create a well-designed, thoughtful, and useful tea infuser inspired by the ideas of the slow food movement.

Research the Slow Food Movement and tea infusers.

Skills-include sinking, decking, riveting, piercing, connecting at least one found object, Research and Development, and Blogging

The piece must reference the slow food movement in concept or design.

BLOG- TUSlowFoodTeaInfusers.blogger.com

Blog Posts- Label each post clearly- Name, Date and Description of Post(research,design ideas,design board, final project)

To get info to the blog- take a picture and upload it, scan an image, take a picture or file from you computer or phone, "Snap" a picture from a website using shift, command, 4(mac)

Part 1- 20 points

Research Post Due by class- November10 th, 2009

Brainstorm the idea of a tea infuser and the slow food movement. Write down every word that comes to mind. What problems are you trying to solve-be specific? What is your intention? What are you trying to convey? How can an object make someone slow down? Can the composition within the piece control the viewers eye? How can you work this to your advantage? What materials are relevant to your piece? Are you taking a stand or do you want to ask a question with your piece?

Research the Slow Food Movement Tea Infusers. Write a two page paper on your findings and investigate the facts you find most interesting Post this paper and your tea strainer images to the class blog- TUSlowFoodTeaInfusers.blogger.com

Demos- Sinking and Decking

Part 2- 20 points

Idea Board Presentation and Blog post-DUE November 17th

Use your research to inform your sketches. Do at least 15 preliminary sketches(thumbnails) of possible ideas. Pick three to investigate further. Proceed to narrow your focus to one that interests you the most and do a collage, to-scale drawing, rhino or illustrator drawing, and/or rendering of your design to present to the class. The Design Board(poster board/foam core with your idea drawn from different angles with dimensions and material possibilities, ext.) should be presented as if you are a designer presenting a proposal to a company for possible production or an artist presenting to a gallery or museum for a possible exhibition opportunity. Post your Design Boards to the blog. Feel free to comment on others blog posts.

You will be presenting your ideas for feedback to the class. To make the best use of this time, have your ideas resolved, we will discuss your proposal and be able to put together a material list and plan of action for your individual piece.

If your piece changes substantially create a new idea board to post.

Start working on your piece before class on November 24th.

November 24th- Demos- recap riveting and forging- Work day

December 1st- Work Day

December 8th- Work Day- Bring Sketchbook to be graded

Post in progress shots to the blog(at least 3)

Part 4- 40 points

December 15th

Tea Infusers Due- Crit participation- 10 points

Final crit- Bring your Presentation Board and and your piece. We will be judging your piece by your ability to fulfill your intentions.

Part 5- 10 points

Final Blog Post Due

by December 17th- Post final images of your finished piece.