With a growing human population, climate changes, water insecurity, erosion of good soils, peak oil, and dramatic losses in biological diversity all upon us at once, how will we feed ourselves tomorrow? We can, and must, transition to an agricultural and food system that meets the “triple bottom line” of ecologically sustainable, economically viable, and socially just. But there are competing interests around land-use policies, chemical vs. biological inputs, water and property rights, genetic engineering, and control of the food system, to name a few hurdles. Learn more about the current “hot topics” surrounding our agricultural system, and discover ways to be part of the solution.

Tuesday, December 1; 6:30–8 PM
This lecture is part of the Sustainable Planet: Food Lecture Series. Advance registration recommended.
$5 per person
Lecture with Dave Henson, Executive Director, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

The history of life is commonly represented either as a ladder (scala naturae) or a tree. Although commonly associated with Charles Darwin, representations of the tree of life predate by many years the publication in 1859 of On the Origin of Species. Darwin used trees in his private notebooks over 20 years prior, but it was Jean-Baptiste Lamarck who first published an evolutionary tree of life in 1809. As strange as it may seem, trees of life in the 19th century did not always represent evolution. A number of these trees represented instead multiple creations. Discover the iconography of both evolutionary and creationist trees of life that almost certainly finds its roots in trees.

Tuesday, December 15; 6:30–8 PM
This lecture is part of the Darwin: Evolution|Revolution Lecture Series.
Advance registration recommended.
Member, Senior, Student, Military $10; Nonmember $12
Lecture with J. David Archibald, Ph.D., Curator of Mammals, San Diego State University Vertebrate Collections

Lecture with Angie Tagtow, IATP Food and Society Fellow, Advocates for Good Food

As eaters, we know that our food choices directly influence our health. But many may not realize that what we eat profoundly affects the Earth’s health and our ability to grow healthy food for future generations. Investigate the Iowa food landscape and explore the soil-to-health connection. Learn and how “good food” can boost the health of your family, farm, community, and the Earth. Take home tools that will help you examine our food system with a critical eye. Play Iowa “Good Food” trivia and receive tips on how to support a healthy, green, fair, and accessible food system.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010; 6:30–8 PM
$5 per lecture

Part of the Museum’s Sustainable Planet: Food lecture series.

Learn about a unique approach to combining natural history with food ecology to understand our food systems. Discover the truth behind current food buzzwords used in the media and in grocery stores, such as “local,” “organic,” and “sustainable.” Learn how to foster and promote sustainability in your local food region. Utilizing some original research with birds and monkeys, explore the role that diet flexibility has in shaping the eating habits of both humans and wild animals.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

This lecture is part of the Sustainable Planet: Food Lecture Series.
Advance registration recommended.
$5 per person
Lecture with Aaron French, Author and Eco-Chef

It is no surprise that montane species (growing or living in mountainous regions) are regarded as especially prone to extinctions due to global warming. What is perhaps less appreciated is the extent to which montane habitats harbor unique biological diversity. Learn about the evolutionary history of unique montane diversity in California and the tropical rainforests of Australia, and explore the evidence that climate change over the past century already has affected species ranges.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010; 6:30–8 PM
This lecture is part of the Darwin: Evolution|Revolution Lecture Series.
Advance registration recommended.
Member, Senior, Student, Military $10; Nonmember $12

Lecture with Craig Moritz, Ph.D., Director, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley

At no point in our lifetimes has the interest in gardening, urban agriculture, and local food systems been so intense. It’s coming from all fronts—economic need, challenges presented by climate change, community-development needs, health and nutrition, food security, reconnecting youth with land, changing understandings of how we use space in urban areas, and a growing desire of Americans for civic engagement and participatory democracy. The past has the ability to inform the present. Review historical case studies, learn about current national policies and models, and discover the future work needed to sustain the Victory Garden model as part of the overall local food movement. Also, learn about urban agriculture and how the local food-systems movement is addressing a wide range of challenges facing Americans today.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010; 6:30–8 PM
This lecture is part of the Sustainable Planet: Food Lecture Series. Advance registration recommended.
$5 per person
Lecture with Rose Hayden-Smith, Ph.D., Director of University of California’s Cooperative Extension, Ventura County

Global climate change, competition for use of cropland, population growth, and aging farmers all raise serious questions about our nation’s ability to feed itself over time. Moreover, the relationship between health and diet makes it essential that we focus greater attention on access to healthful, nutritious, and fresh food. Heightened media focus and public interest on food and farming, and a vast network of dynamic community-based organizations reflect that the time for change has arrived. The panel, resulting from the Developing Sustainable Foodsheds Conference in July 2009, will discuss current issues related to the development of foodsheds in the United States.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010; 6:30–8 PM
This Panel Discussion is part of the Sustainable Planet: Food Lecture Series.
Advance registration recommended.
$5 per person
Panel Discussion with members of Roots of Change, moderated by Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change