Just three crops (rice, maize, and wheat) account for more than 50% of the world's calories. They are cultivated as monocultures on an agro-industrial scale. This depletes soils and landscapes, and biodiversity suffers. When pests appear, the entire crop is quickly affected, requiring ever-increasing amounts of pesticides. The plants themselves lose their vitality. A vast landscape consisting solely of maize or wheat is not a pretty sight, and a walk through such nature is anything but refreshing. This monotony not only harms the climate but also the resilience of food systems.
This leads to a more monotonous diet and consequently weakens people's health. A lack of variety in the diet results in a less diverse microbiome and increased susceptibility to diet-related lifestyle diseases. Not to mention the lack of sensory stimulation and enjoyment that comes with varied, colorful, and flavorful meals.
Nevertheless, monocultures are on the rise. Every day, rainforest is cleared for soy cultivation in the agro-industry to provide animal feed for meat production. Meat consumption is increasing worldwide. In industrialized nations, it remains at a high level, while in poorer countries it usually rises with increasing income. As soon as people overcome poverty, they change their diets, moving away from staple foods rich in carbohydrates and homegrown vegetables towards animal products. Eating meat is considered desirable, and meat is seen as a high-quality commodity. Another driving force is urbanization. City dwellers tend to consume more processed meat and fast food than the rural population, which further boosts sales worldwide as more and more people move to megacities. [1]It is clear that for the planet's future, meat consumption would have to be significantly reduced.
This development leads to increasing alienation from food and its production. This extends to the destruction of natural resources. The consequences are ignored. Recently, interest in sustainable consumption, and thus in sustainable nutrition and responsibility for the planet, has even declined. A survey in Germany asked whether people would be willing to forgo some prosperity for the sake of sustainability. This willingness dropped significantly within two years, from 48.3% of respondents in 2023 to 30.2% in 2025.[2]
The focus is on personal enjoyment as an expression of individuality and social status. I can do what I want and eat what I like. This understanding of freedom, which one takes simply because one can, leads to a retreat into egoism at the expense of others. The manifold crises currently prevailing are met with isolation. On a political level, this means a strengthening of nationalism. The alternative would be to form communities that are strong and resilient because diverse skills are combined for the greater good. Everyone can and wants to contribute to the whole.
In his Philosophy of Freedom, Rudolf Steiner describes "ethical individualism" as the ideal of individual freedom.[3] This means that one freely chooses, independently of expectations or preconceived notions, to act and do things that primarily serve the common good. The motivation for action is described as the "greatest possible good of all humanity." In this way, one does not serve solely one's own ego, but rather promotes the common development and foundations of life.
A community is like an organism with various organs. Each has its own function and fulfills it independently, but always in harmony with the other organs. Together, they serve the organism, which is defined by a shell separating itself from the outside world and thus forms an entity. The organs must be healthy, strong, and vital to best serve the whole. The same is true in communities. Individuals each make their own contribution. The stronger and more independent they are, the more the community benefits.
Thus, the first step towards a sustainable community begins with each individual. Everyone can develop, follow their own calling, and authentically contribute to the community. Teamwork is characterized by mutual appreciation and respect for each other's contributions. This requires conscious individual spiritual and mental development, as well as social skills. Cultivating individual abilities is essential for contributing effectively to a community built on trust. The balance between connection and letting go is achieved particularly well when there is a shared vision that everyone supports, and when each individual possesses strong self-confidence and follows their own path. Being part of such a diverse, strong, and resilient community is enjoyable and inspires optimism.
When is development interesting? When everyone agrees? When everything is always decided harmoniously and unanimously? When everyone thinks the same? When everyone is the same? That's boring; it takes friction, encounters with differences, and even occasional conflict and crisis for things to move forward. Stimulation and tension are what drive progress. This requires strong, genuine, and well-intentioned individuals.
There's a parallel here to nutrition. Our senses and enjoyment are most stimulated when food looks beautiful, is lovingly prepared, and contains a variety of aromas—the more it represents something unique. When the individual foods we consume, be they carrots, lentils, or bread, have developed their characteristic aroma, when they are genuine and authentic, then they truly stimulate and nourish us. That is the purpose of nutrition. Biodynamic foods have this potential.
Recently, there has been much discussion about the lack of structure in highly processed foods. The structure of whole foods, from a nutritional standpoint, means that nutrients must be broken down and released gradually. This allows the body to process and digest them continuously. Highly processed, industrial foods lack this structure, and sugars and carbohydrates, for example, are immediately available. This causes a spike in blood sugar levels. The sharp rise is followed by a rapid drop, leading to renewed hunger shortly after consumption. These rapid fluctuations in concentration put a strain on the body. At the same time, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide.
The structure of a food stimulates us to engage with it during consumption and digestion. We encounter the outside world through our diet. And when the outside world offers a certain resistance, it becomes interesting and provides stimulation. This fosters the willpower needed to put ideas into action and to stand up as a strong individual for a sustainable community.
[1]https://www.greenpeace.de/biodiversitaet/landwirtschaft/tierhaltung/fleischkonsum-deutschland-geht-zurueck , accessed 20.02.2026
[2] Kortum , Carsten/ Rüschen , Stephan (2025): Attitude- Behavior Gap in the Food Retail Sector (Development 2021–2025),
Whitepaper No. 57 of DHBW Heilbronn, URL: handel-dhbw.de/schriftenreihe/
whitepaper/attitude-behavior-gap-in-leh-an-empirical-analysis-and-development-of-action-recommendations-
2021-to-2025/
[3] Steiner, Rudolf (2021): Philosophy of Freedom, Rudolf Steiner Verlag, 17th edition, Chapter 9
