(source: terrapass.com) The reality of fertilizer is that while it supports our food systems in the world, it can contribute even more to the pollution. The byproduct and the production itself of fertilizer contribute much to the carbon foot print of the world. The ecological condition that exists involves the climate impact of food and the overall function of the… Read more »
The photos of what an American family and what an Ecuadorian family eat depicted in the photographic project Hungry Planet show sharp contrasts in the lifestyles and the food systems of those countries. Firstly, the Ecuadorian family lives in a traditional, rural village in the mountains in a thatch-roofed adobe-brick-walled hut. They don’t appear to have electricity, and their method… Read more »
In Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, Peter Menzel captures the effects of our changing world in ways that words cannot. Significant cultural and economic patterns emerge throughout the collection of photographs. Industrialization, globalization, and international trade continue to influence culture, food practices, health, and consumption behavior at the local level. The effects of globalization among families in affluent countries… Read more »
The modern world is divided economically into the global north and global south, or simply put, developed and developing nations. Due to the economic inequalities between developed and developing countries, there are vast disparities in the daily lives of the citizens of France for example, and those who call Chad home. While families in France visit a local market… Read more »
In today’s monetary world, economic troubles are due to a number of political, ecological and cultural factors, where one may seemingly blame one more than the other. The international food system and political hierarchies from leader to pawn are certainly both economically intertwined on a worldwide scale. Coming from a global background, I have been able to see the effects of… Read more »
Reading the chapter “Cheap Food, Hunger, and Obesity” from Michael Carolan’s The Real Cost of Cheap Food was particularly eye-opening with regards to the obesity epidemic in the U.S. Living in Spain, I hear plenty of commentary about “fat Americans” and their propensity for eating Big Macs. This behavior is typically blamed on individual laziness and a need to want… Read more »
What would it be like if you never ate another piece of chocolate? Would your life be any less meaningful? Would you still be able to find happiness? Or would you not be able to continue living if you couldn’t stop at the convenience store to pick up your favorite chocolate snack while filling your car with gas? I don’t… Read more »
The Western diet is an extension of our capitalist culture. We are told what to drive, where to live, what to buy, who to vote for and what/how much to eat. We have allowed the Western diet to take root because of our desire for cheap, fast, processed foods that are easy to ingest. Over-consumption is not just encouraged, it is… Read more »
The interconnectedness of the topics discussed in the course thus far offer a thought provoking global view on the future of the human species on Earth. The issues of populations growth, the recognition of the impact that we have on our ecosystem, the global food system, and the water and ecological footprint we are leaving on our planet, are huge… Read more »
With fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats set at premium prices and junk foods disproportionally priced relative to them, it is no surprise that consumers do not eat healthier. In his book The Real Cost of Cheap Food, Michael Carolan’s views cheap food as a “shorthand for understandings for grocery store prices that don’t reflect foods total costs or discussion about… Read more »