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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Taking a bite out of global warming By Aviv Lavie and Shiri Katz tags: Likud, organic farming Members of the Likud Party did not know how to digest (in any sense of the word) the spread that awaited them at a conference at the Likud national headquarters last week. In lieu of the traditional borekas and rogalach was an extensive organic buffet: Breads, rolls, cheeses, raw vegetables and fruits, jams and chocolate spread. These refreshments caused a near stampede. Before that day, organic food was a distant canard for most participants. Suddenly it became clear that the rumour had a smell and a taste - that "organic" was not half bad. The green wave has hit the Israeli political system. Mazal Mualem recently reported on this trend in Haaretz and cited research predicting the Green party's entrance into the Knesset for the first time in the coming elections. This phenomenon has not escaped the scrutiny of Likud leaders Benjamin Netanyahu, Gideon Sa'ar and Gilad Arden, and the road from their new awareness to organizing the "Global Warming - Implications for Israel" conference was short indeed. During the conference, MKs listened to a number of lectures, from "Green Solutions for Israeli Industry" and "Dependence on Oil - The Strategic Threat," to "Global Warming as a Financial and Economic Engine." The last lecturer was Dr. Ornit Raz, head of Israel's organic farmers' association. Netanyahu expressed surprise when he learned that she was a graduate of his alma mater, the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Raz was equally surprised by the Likud leaders' serious approach to the subject matter, and the fact that they remained in their seats and were attentive even after a long series of lectures. Advertisement It was Raz who insisted on the organic refreshments. She believed this was the quickest and most efficient way to help MKs connect to the theoretical and obscure nature of the subject. Experience indicates that this works. Not long ago, we invited a couple of friends to an organic breakfast. They held a low opinion of organic produce - that is, until they crossed our threshold. The simple, tasty meal which awaited them, including breads, vegetables, dips, cheeses and one superb shakshuka did wonders. Organic food seemed far less threatening and demanding, far more accessible and, most importantly, flavorful. Weeks later, they continued to express their astonishment that their three-year-old son enjoyed gnawing one organic cracker after another. Conferences like the Likud meeting are a long-term investment. Likud MKs, who now fill opposition party seats, will one day slip into plush ministerial armchairs, and one can only hope that when they address green issues, they will remember at least some of what they learned while nibbling organic crackers. There is a tendency in public and media debate of green issues (and the content of the column you are currently reading) to place responsibility on the shoulders of private citizens, and to give the individual the sense that the fate of the planet depends on his actions: Citizens are frequently admonished to limit their use of plastic bags, save energy and water, and purchase produce clean of chemical sprays. But the real change, which would permit Israel to compensate for a generation of foot-dragging to join the family of green nations, must come from the top. We are all partners in the effort, but the actions of private individuals are nearly insignificant if they lack national backing. Recent developments in organic farming provide an good example. Some farmers report that demand for their produce has doubled, while others report a 20-30 percent increase. They say that more organic farmers are required to meet this demand, and many conventional farmers are expressing a desire to convert to organic farming methods to fill the gap. This transformation is no simple matter: Soil must be cleared of toxic substances and remain untainted for a period of three years. During that period, soil samples are frequently tested in a laboratory to rule out any lingering herbicides and pesticides. Input and investment during that period is similar to that of organic farming, but the yield is sold in the conventional market. Because many farmers suffer from chronic debt and survive on marginal profits, this loss represents a serious financial obstacle to organic farming. Most nations in the European Union offer farmers assistance, mainly in the form of monetary grants, to sustain farmers during this interim period. They base this assistance on the understanding that increasing the area of land exposed to organic farming serves the nations' ecological interests and public health. Instead of lending would-be organic farmers a hand, Israel gives them the finger. That is one reason that the increase in organically farmed, arable land in Israel lags behind the increased demand for organic produce. Thus, the price continues to rise, organic produce suffers from an elitist image and organic food fails to break the glass ceiling that is "generously" maintained over its head by the state. This vicious cycle will not be broken until the day state priorities change, and this will apparently not happen until (one can only dream) the coming elections. 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