By Amy Davidson

The media has been buzzing with talk of honey bees lately—and rightly so.  These diligent little workers are an important part of the U.S. food system, contributing billions annually to U.S. crop production.  They provide incredible, edible diversity and dynamic ecosystem supports.  However, because of pesticide use, monoculture planting, habitat loss and disease, they are dying in record numbers.  Just imagine what your plate, field, or forest might look like without these hardworking little creatures.

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By Stacey Clinesmith

During the first week of the Breakthrough Leaders in Sustainable Food Systems program, we, the students, were tasked with expanding our understanding of systems, leverage points for effecting change in systems, and networks, as well as the application of these concepts to the work that each of us is doing related to food.

At the end of a week of reading articles, watching videos and discussing these topics, I kept coming back to what I saw as the ideal intersection of systems, leverage points and networks… the gut microbiome. Continue reading →