E01: Sophia McRae − Eating in the Anthropocene

In this episode, Sophia and I talk about her approach to veganism, meat alternatives and why dietary schemes aren’t the one silver bullet for fixing our food systems. We also discuss social justice and our relationship to food. Finally, Sophia gives us some ideas of what truly sustainable food systems could look like.
Sophia McRae is a food advocate, vegan, and sustainable food systems researcher in  Freiburg, Germany. A German-American, her food activism began in the urban agriculture movement of her hometown, Rochester, New York, where she worked with urban farms and food pantries to improve access to fresh food and green spaces in the city. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Environmental Governance at the University of Freiburg and is working on a project for sustainable food system governance in the Upperrhine region, focusing especially on the role of small, intermediary food processors and distributors in supporting vibrant regional food economies. She is passionate about food and food justice, and loves experimenting with new food recipes and food practices in her kitchen.

00:01:40 Sophia’s personal story
00:09:17 Of being vegan
00:16:14 Other approaches to eating more sustainably
00:21:06 The middle ground between individual consumerism and blaming the system
00:25:15 Greenwashing, food labels and food certificates
00:31:35 Meat substitutes: plant-based meats
00:34:10 Meat substitutes: cultured meats
00:42:43 Changing consumer preferences
00:45:13 Social justice and food systems
00:52:40 Intersectional activism
00:55:00 Avocados and Mexican Cartels
00:57:33 Rethinking our food systems
01:07:19 Fostering a personal relationship to food
01:13:27 The value of community engagement
01:10:00 Advice for adopting more sustainable eating habits
01:24:33 How we can all engage meaningfully with food
01:26:27 Closing questions