We have spent a lot of time the past couple of months developing, refining, and editing these brief “Fresh Ideas”. Believe me, I sometimes question the value of the time spent in order to produce a couple of thousand words. But then I’ll read something like this quote from John Meynard Keynes and remember the power of ideas:
“The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else.”
 Ideas carry such significance because they provide inspiration and focus action. And innovation, a necessity for future economic growth and creating a better world, almost always starts with an idea.
Two fellows, Deb Eschmeyer and Nicole Betancourt, have Fresh Ideas that they have worked hard to turn into a reality. Deb’s collaboration with fellow Curt Ellis and others has resulted in the launching of FoodCorps, a national service program that is set to change the relationship between students, education and food. Nicole Betancourt has launched Parent Earth to use online video to provide parents with the information they need to raise healthier kids.
Other Fresh Ideas are in more of a nascent stage. Elizabeth U is launching an effort to have food entrepreneurs think as creatively about finance as they do about their food business. Fred Bahnson urges us to get out of the language of industrialization and to envision the sacredness of food.
Five years from now, some of these Fresh Ideas might appear to have been too idealistic, while others might become accepted doctrine. But the importance of taking the time to stretch our thinking and reflect on better paths for achieving our goals is always of value. Happy fresh thinking!