Jennifer Griffin (right), manager of Drive Organics with Karen McCarthy, assistant manager, and chef Stan Satibus

This is why I am so appreciative of the opportunity to work in the organic food movement. It allows me to meld my interests of nourishment and healing, and work actively to have a more positive impact on the social and natural environments. I believe that tolerance, harmony, and justice in society; balance in the natural environment; and personal health and well-being are interconnected links in a chain of life which stands in real jeopardy. What can be done to save the health of the social and natural fabric of life?

This question motivates my work, and has inspired the “Drive Organics” project on Commercial Drive in East Vancouver. Here I am able to bring the social and environmental dimensions of health and quality of life together in a single focus. The name arose from a conviction that an organic way of life is more than sustainable farming methods. It drives sustainability in all aspects of living, including physical, psychological, social, and environmental. “Organic” living means “organs” cooperating in an “organism” to sustain and enhance life. It is the opposite of each element in a system striving to expand its sphere of influence at the expense of other elements in the system.

This philosophy of balance and harmony in living systems is written into the very code of life. And it is this philosophy, which has informed the Drive Organics project. I have been able to employ this principle in the creation of a business model which is as organic as the products we carry. Our relationship with the East Vancouver community emphasizes cooperation and involvement in community-based initiatives related to social justice and sustainable living. Our staff are all from the local community and are sensitive to the particular challenges faced by people living in East Vancouver. Our suppliers grow and sell organic food, and we are able to feature Canadian products wherever possible.

My career has focussed on food and healing. After owning and operating a health food store, managing a country inn and restaurant, providing organic, dehydrated food for a local wilderness expedition company, and enjoying the pleasures of creative fulfillment as a musician and visual artist, it is deeply gratifying to experience the integration of each of these aspects of my working life as part of the organic food movement.

The conviction that the principles of balance and harmony are precisely what is needed at this time in history inspires me, drives me to extend myself in the hope that together, we can sustain life in this environment. The threat of war, and the carnage of excessive consumption stand as very real challenges in this endeavour. Yet, I find a sense of collegiality with those who are striving after the same principles of sustainability in the organic food movement. As the old maxim in the grocery business goes: “everyone’s got to eat”.

Responsible consumption of food is a very legitimate path in spiritual, psychological and physical integration. By itself, obviously it is not enough, but as a foundation for an overall strategy to “make a difference", to contribute in the present world situation is very real.

This is what motivates me in my work life: the notion that how we nourish ourselves is intimately linked with the future prospects for life on this planet. The organic movement gives me a context, a medium to contribute to this end. It is practical, realistic, and personal. It involves the earth, the means of food production and distribution, and the consumption patterns of the most populous species on the planet. All these issues are crucial in meeting the challenges that lie before us.

Drive Organics will soon be on the web at www.driveorganics.com. Their parent company can be found at www.wildwestorganicharvest.com.