Each day, most of us are able to casually take for granted the fact that we are sustained by food. The average American can’t be bothered with questions of where the food came from, how it was cared for, what chemicals contributed to its production, what technologies were used in the growth and harvest, what conscious decisions went into the stewardship of the land it was raised on… we believe that a small and committed subset of consumers can help bring these questions top of mind for the food industry, and not just a niche market play or an afterthought.
In concert, we examine the consumption engine that our economy seems unable to survive without. Frugality and thrift are chic, but buying new is often cheaper and takes fewer cognitive resources.
We know that the seeds of change have already been planted.
The choice to buy new or to buy food that is not regionally-sourced or sustainably-grown may be an economic one today, but with climate issues looming, a geopolitical lean toward nationalism, and more frequently fractured supply chains, decisions become clearer (and may soon be made for us).
IRL Arts Foundation was born from these realizations, and our goals are:
- Change the food industry by educating the next generation of producers and chefs
- Get individuals or families to say no to one unsustainable habit or commit to adopting a sustainable habit forever after each event
IRL Arts Foundation encourages each of us to take stock of our consumption habits, to seek out and patronize those producers of regionally-sourced and sustainably-raised food and to consider used/repurposed items before buying new.
Our flagship initiative, the Los Alamos Flea, is a weekend of food and drink, documentaries, speakers, thrift, and local artisans, raising funds and awareness for our programs. We encourage you to follow along on our journey, come to the Flea, check out our virtual events, donate, and help us create a more sustainable world of conscious consumers.