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The Wages of Eating
The biggest reason not to ignore the food purists is that in a lot of ways they're right. Our diet is indeed killing us, and it's killing the planet too. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta released a study revealing that nearly 27% of Americans are now considered obese (that is, more than 20% above their ideal weight), and in nine states, the obesity rate tops 30%. We eat way too much meat — up to 220 lb. per year for every man, woman and child in the U.S. — and only 14% of us consume our recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Our processed food is dense with salt and swimming in high-fructose corn syrup, two flavors we can't resist. Currently, enough food is manufactured in the U.S. for every American to consume 3,800 calories per day — we need only 2,350 in a healthy diet — and while some of that gets thrown away, most is gobbled up long before it can go stale on the shelves.
What's So Great About Organic Food?
Article Source: TIME- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (13)
Time actually did a pretty good job of touching on the costs and benefits of Organic Food.
- 3 votes
#1 - Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:02 PM EDTGreat seed Curious!
I highly recommend this documentary if you got a lazy afternoon or evening to kill...
http://www.documentary-film.net/search/video-listings.php?e=144
From the documentary's description;
This is an interesting story of a rather interesting character who lost most of his family farm, 350 acres to 22, due to an economic downturn, then reemerged some years later to build one of the most successful organic farms in America.
Damn if I don't love digging my hands in the earth and inhaling all that life....!
- 3 votes
and only 14% of us consume our recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
If I ate all the stuff the government says I'm supposed to eat, I'd be as big as a house!!!
- 3 votes
Good Seed. My mom thinks I'm a horrible mother, because we don't eat meat every day. But I'll confess to buying most of my food from the farmer's market -- not because it's organic, but just to support my neighbors.
- 4 votes
#2 - Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:34 PM EDTGood Seed. I liked that while the article talked about the health benefits of organic foods, it also acknowledged that we can't feed the country using 100% organic methods. It's just not possible to feed the country without "industrial" farming methods.
What would go a long ways toward improving the health of this country would be if people started actually cooking their meals again instead of thinking cooking involves the microwave or dumping somthing out of a pouch and heating it up. Just look in your local supermarket at all the prepackaged and preprocessed foods available versus the fresh basic essentials.
- 2 votes
#3 - Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:51 PM EDTIt's just not possible to feed the country without "industrial" farming methods.
I might argue this point, but on the whole I agree with you. Organic yields are pretty equivalent to conventional. The biggest difference is the cost shift from chemicals to labor. With the added benefit of reducing the cost of cleaning up the environment or treating the negative health affects of all those chemicals.
Thanks for commenting.
- 3 votes
The biggest difference is the cost shift from chemicals to labor.
Exactly. We would have to go back to a more agrarian society to make it work because you would need more farmers and farm laborers to produce the same amount of food we do today using "industrial" farming methods. Instead of 1 farmer farming 2000 acres, you would need 5 farmers farming 400 acres. The same would go for raising livestock. Raising livestock on the open range is more labor intensive than raising them in confinement.
Sometimes I don't think that would be such a bad idea. Of course, it would be funny watching some of the "city slickers" make the transition to farming. Remember that old TV sitcom "Green Acres"?
- 3 votes
Could go a long way towards helping our unemployment situation.
Raising livestock on the open range is more labor intensive than raising them in confinement.
But, it open range does provide for healthier animals, which is ultimately healthier for us.
- 2 votes
We would have to go back to a more agrarian society to make it work because you would need more farmers and farm laborers to produce the same amount of food we do today using "industrial" farming methods. Instead of 1 farmer farming 2000 acres, you would need 5 farmers farming 400 acres. The same would go for raising livestock. Raising livestock on the open range is more labor intensive than raising them in confinement.
Even as recently as 25 years ago, my area used to be mostly agrarian, but farmers had to sell off land to survive, so the small farms keep getting smaller; and sadly, farm land lost, is lost forever.
- 3 votes
Local and organic food often just tastes better. I picked up a pint of strawberries from a local, organic farm yesterday and they are incredible. They are tiny, but actually taste of strawberry. They weren't grown for looks or shipping but to be eaten.
Amazing concept, I know :)
I for one would rather pay more for great food and eat less of it, than buy a lot of cheap, tasteless food.
- 3 votes
#4 - Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:51 PM EDTI for one would rather pay more for great food and eat less of it, than buy a lot of cheap, tasteless food.
Amen!
- 3 votes
GOOD, quality food (even from a purely selfish standpoint) is our best value. Food is the only thing we can purchase ($ or labor) that we actually incorporate on a CELLULAR level. Everything else is rented.
- 2 votes
#5 - Sat Aug 21, 2010 9:45 PM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
