Better Food Ahead

While San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors gained notoriety for putting a ban on toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals, there is a much quieter revolution going on in Isla Vista to unseat fast food and replace it with organic, local, and sustainable food. The UC Santa Barbara Student Collective wants to place an organic food cart on campus. They have a spot in mind near Storke Tower. Offering an alternative to Panda Express, Wendy’s, and other such places, the cart would be stocked with organic and local food, bagels, fruits, vegetables, and sandwiches.

“We want to make it a one-stop place to get everything you need,” said Ivette Casas, food and event director for the collective. “We want to open up the possibilities.”

With a crockpot and the lure of Tofurky meatball sandwiches, Casas and other volunteers set up a temporary stand in mid-October just to see if students seemed open to the idea. A few people turned up their noses at Tofurky, Casas said, claiming they were “meat eaters,” but overall the reception was good and the UCSB Student Collective raised $150. “A lot of students said, ‘Why aren’t you out here every day?’” Casas was happy to report. Right now, she said, finding healthier options means patronizing restaurants such as Silvergreens in I.V., or making food at home.