Sports blog: Stamford Sports Scene
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By CHASE WRIGHT

cwright@thestamfordtimes.com


STAMFORD -- Zaac Chaves may have at one time or another knocked on your door and asked to pick a few of your lawn's edible mushrooms.

His commitment to self-sustainment is so deep, he hasn't bought food from a grocery store in over a year. Instead, he forages parks and woodlands for wild-growing plant foods and medicinals.

"I forage because I believe that healthy food is a right, not a privilege," said Chaves. "The food I find is not only higher quality than what I would be buying, but also something I am able to pass off to people who need it."

As a member of the Green party, Chaves is someone who, as a candidate for the state senate's 36th District, will give special emphasis to animals and the environment.

The 27-year-old Greenwich resident has put sustainablility, environmental clean up, education and a challenge to privilege atop the list of his priorities if elected.

Chaves would like to see less dependency on the global market and more use of local family farms, community gardens and open forest land. He'll target pollution by holding the biggest producing companies accountable, he said.

Chaves also plans to challenge privilege by first acknowledging the concrete power structures that are in place, leaving some people at more of an advantage compared to others. "Inheritance is still the primary means of getting wealthy in this country," he said. "I would like to bring about an exception locally."

Chaves' commitment to the community has come in the form of volunteerism. He offers his time and services to The Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in the Catskills and the Sun One organic farm in Bethlehem. Chaves also works to raise public awareness through the organizations Vegan Outreach and Freegan.info.

He is currently employed as a computer technician in Greenwich.

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