At eight years old, Birke heard a news story about mercury in high fructose corn syrup. He asked his mother what high fructose corn syrup was. Once he found out what it was and how much of our food contains it, he decided to learn what else is in our food.
Today, Birke reads labels on the food his family buys. His mother jokes that it takes two hours to grocery shop with him! Then he researches the ingredients. Now that he’s learned how many animals spend their lives in factory farms, he says he’ll have none of that.
Birke plans on being a biodynamic and organic farmer when he grows up. He’s spreading the word to kids he knows as well as doing some public speaking. This video shows Birke speaking at a TED Next Generation Asheville event.
- This article is an interview with the now famous Birke Baehr, the youngest advocate for sustainable food.
- Check out this website to learn more about healthy eating!
Topics for Discussion:
- Do you ever think about the food you eat – where it came from, how it was made, etc.?
- Birke took an interest and used it to help others. Do you have any interests that you can use to help others?
- Look at some labels on food items in your kitchen. How many ingredients do you recognize?
- Check out the Rodale Institute website to learn more about sustainable food and what you can do to promote it!