The enormous ecological footprint of large scale food production, particularly as a direct result of petroleum energy inputs stands out as the biggest deterrent to a sustainable food system. In order to generate the highest yields, factory farms are intrinsically dependent on oil, from the equipment required to cultivate and harvest, to the necessity for soil amendments that promote the… Read more »
Throughout lessons 5-7, we discussed varying topics from wide ranging areas of our world food system. Something that I could not shake off is the thought that many of the mistakes we have made as a society were encouraged by our leaders who were fully aware of what would result from their actions. For example, the Irish famine that was… Read more »
In the past three weeks, we have looked at how big of a role economics plays in the food trade. From sugar becoming more than just a luxury good to being a staple in households to planting crops for a drug enterprise because it is the only way to keep families fed. Sugar being a staple is counter-intuitive because it… Read more »