People Worry About the Food They Give Their Children, Say NRDC Supporters at Food for Thought Benefit
Both in Hollywood and around the country, people worry about the food they give their children. That’s just one of the reasons people get involved with the Natural Resources Defense Council, which hosted the Food for Thought dinner Thursday evening at Santa Monica’s Heritage Square.
The environmental org has huge support in Hollywood from the Los Angeles Leadership Council arm, with Dayna and Steven Bochco and Cami and Howard Gordon chairing the celebration of the org’s food and agriculture program that was also hosted by Kelly and Ron Meyer, NBCUniversal and organizers including Laurie David and Alan and Cindy Horn.
Stanford medical professor Dr. David Relman spoke about some ways the council has been instrumental in changing laws, especially reducing the amount of antibiotics used in poultry and reducing pesticide use. “We can change the poultry industry!” exclaimed Cami Gordon, after the sobering presentation about how modern farming practices can lead to food poisoning and disease-resistant bacteria. Dayna Bochco pointed out screenwriter Scott Burns in the audience, reminding everyone that his film “Contagion” was about the spread of diseases that antibiotics could not contain.
After a sustainable vegetarian dinner from Heirloom LA, Aloe Blacc performed for guests that also included Amber Valletta, Isabel Lucas, Michael Richards, Adan Canto and Teddy Sears.
“How do we get the word out?” about the dangers of factory farming, asked Horn, who was clearly affected by the film about animals kept in restrictive cages. Cami Gordon said that one way Hollywood can help promote environmental issues is through the stories it tells, whether in fiction films such as “Contagion” or through entertaining content like short film “The Majestic Plastic Bag.”
(Pictured: Alan Horn, Laurie David and NRDC president Frances Beinecke at the Food for Thought Dinner)
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