As most people walk through the supermarket, they absentmindedly grab everything on their list, not giving a second thought to where it came from. The same can be said about taking a quick trip through the McDonald’s drive through. However, it might be beneficial to think again, to think about where the things you’re eating have really come from. I became interested in food systems about a year ago after reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, doing an extensive research project on factory farming and watching documentaries, like Food Inc. (2008), by Robert Kenner. The things I discovered in all of my research were far worse than I had ever imagined and drove my interest deeper and led me to share all of the information I had learned with my family and friends. I became an advocate for purchasing local and I do all I can to purchase what’s in season from orchards and farmer’s markets along with pushing for others to buy from local butchers, rather than the meat counter at the supermarket.
Purchasing locally not only puts your mind at ease about helping to keep local producers in business, but it’s also comforting to know where your food is coming from and what was used in it’s production. When purchasing from local butchers, the animals used in the production of the product were not given steroids or hormones so that they grew larger as well as faster, unlike the animals produced by factory farms.
Those steroids and hormones that factory farmers use to create larger animals have negative side effects on the animals, which are then passed on to the consumers of the animal products. There aren’t terrible consequences all of the time, but every now and then, consuming animal products can lead to death. In the clip below, taken from Food Inc. (2008), describes some of the negative effects from not only salmonella outbreaks, but also contaminated run off from factories that affect vegetable fields, leading to e coli outbreaks (Kenner). The problem stems from the large-scale production. The fast food industry demands large-scale production in order to supply what consumers’ demand, which leads to the consolidation of factories because of the need for uniformity in products. These large factories are breeding grounds for contaminants, as the Food Inc. (2008) clip states, “as processing plants have gotten bigger and bigger, it’s just perfect for taking bad pathogens and spreading them far and wide” (Kenner).
I do keep in mind that purchasing local and fresh takes more time, effort and sometimes money than purchasing all of your groceries from a supermarket, but with all that goes on inside factory farms and slaughterhouses, the peace of mind that comes from knowing where your food comes can be rewarding.
So the question I ask you guys is, what would it take for you to make a change in your consumption habits and start buying locally, rather than from a supermarket? Or, how many of you actually do already?
Robert Kenner. 2008. Food Inc. [Motion Picture]. USA: Magnolia Pictures
So good to read about your interest in this important aspect of our lives! I want to add that with just a little bit of ground you can grow your own food! I did when I first moved here. In SF I had a roof garden and when i got here I planted corn--unsuccessfully but my spinach was abundant! Now I grow and process and store food from our garden for year round healthy eating. I hope you (all) get to do this as well soon!Illinois has possibly the best soil in the world for gardening and farming--let's use it!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to check out the Flatlander Community Kitchen Fund, especially since you like sweets!
http://flatlanderfund.org/
I can say I'm guilty of grabbing food off the shelf at the supermarket without considering where it came from or what is in it. I think it is great that you are working hard to educate your friends and family. Leading by example can be a great way to get someone else to change their habits. It is so important for communities to rally behind their local farmers. This creates a stronger sense of community and is beneficial for everyone involved. I like that you discuss purchasing meat locally. I think purchasing meat is something people don't put a lot of thought in to, when the reality is people need to educate themselves on where the meat is coming from and how it was raised. I like your example of the salmonella outbreak. It shows that people really do need to be mindful of what they are buying because it can affect their health in very serious ways.
ReplyDeleteI think that buying locally is a great way to live a more sustainable lifestyle, but admittedly I do not do it as much as I should. I think one of the things that stands in my way is ease of access. It is really easy (and cheap) to go to Walmart and grab everything I need. As a college student that is important to me, but this class is helping me change the way I think. And I am realizing that it could be worth going a little bit out of my way to buy more local and organic produce.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that your post reminded me of was buying local meat. One thing I have always found interesting is when people get together and buy a whole cow or pig and share the meat. My grandparents have done this for years, and it is a pretty neat idea. They get a large supply of meat that they can freeze and it will last a very long time. It is also bought from a local farmer, so the meat is healthier than the meat from factory farms.
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ReplyDeleteGrace,
ReplyDeleteMy parents actually started their own personal garden in our backyard, probably two summers ago. The grow quite a few different things, including tomatoes and peppers. Although these are new crops to our backyard garden, for as long as I can remember my mom has grown rhubarb, as well. My parents keep a garden mostly out of enjoyment, but they, too, believe in buying local fruits and vegetables from Farmers' Markets and supporting local farmers. Their influence was actually the initial push that got me interested in purchasing local, and the quality of products and livelihood of those producing has kept me interested.
Katherine Heppard
I think that buying locally is a great way to live a more sustainable lifestyle, eat healthier and smarter, as well as an easy way to support your local economy. However I can say that I do not buy as locally as much as I possibly could. Sometimes the quick and easy way gets the best of me and I end up doing that. In fact, my neighbors across the street from me back home grow many of their own vegetables as well as different kinds of food and supply it to most of my neighbors on our block. I find that food such as this tasts so much better than food off of the shelves. However most of us do not do this because it takes too much time, effort, and perhaps more money, as you said.
ReplyDelete-Danny Bulster
I agree with Danny, buying locally would be a great start to a more sustainable consumption habit and support the local economy too. However, this seems a lot harder to practice especially in the winter months. I know in Naperville the Naperville Park District recently purchased some land that was formally used as a parking lot and turned it into the "Garden Plots" where residents who don't have backyards can still grow their own food in a 19 x 30 foot garden. These garden plots seem to be a great idea, especially when you consider that many of Naperville's residents live in apartment complexes and condominiums where they aren't afforded a backyard.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.napervilleparks.org/webpages/index.aspx?webpageid=1000393
- Michael Trajkovich
I completely agree with Katherine' post food production. I also have read Fast Food Nation and it had an effect on the way I think about food, especially fast food. Although I no longer go near a McDonalds or Burger King, I wish I were more proactive about eating locally and growing my own vegetables.
ReplyDeleteI think the majority of us fall into the ease of getting all of our food at grocery stores like Jewel. After going to the farmers market for the first time this semester, I am eager to make a habit of going to local farmers markets. Although at first I thought it might seem to be inconvenient (limited hours, early mornings, etc.), I actually had a lot of fun. It gave me a great sense of community; something you don't get at the grocery store.
I admit i never really thought of the importance of buying locally until this class. I now see and agree that it does provide so many more benefits to not only our own personal health but also the health of your own community. I do agree that the main thing holding people back from buying more locally in convenience and money. We live in an instant gratification society and many times do not see the possible benefits in taking a few extra minutes to do something that is potentially more beneficial. I also think people dont necessarily want to know what goes into the preparation of their food. It is pretty ridiculous to thin about but we all know that what is served up in fast food restaurants is not necessarily the highest grade source for nutrients but people still eat it. Cheap meat, cheap prices and convenience are winning out over the importance of what we are ingesting.
ReplyDeleteNicole Eads
I definitely admit to going to the supermarket and grabbing something off the shelf without even thinking twice about there the product came from, how it was made, or what some of the ingredients are. While the personal experience I'm about to talk about doesn't have anything to do with meat, it does deal with the issue of what is in your food. Two people my age from my hometown started their own sports drink company. The sports drink they sell is powered by coconut water and the ingredients, after reading them, area all natural. Compared with popular names like Gatorade and Powerade, there are no preservatives in this drink. While it may be slightly more expensive, it's a much healthier choice than grabbing a sugar-driven Gatorade.
ReplyDeleteI now realize the importance of buying locally for my own health as well as the health of my community. It is understandable that people do not buy locally because of convenience purposes; however, we are making unhealthy decisions. Another part of me thinks that many Americans do not buy locally because they do not want to know what they are actually eating. Consider McDonalds. I think we all know what they're doing to the fries behind the drive-thru window, but we continue to eat them. Why? Convenience. We need to start making efforts or we'll be well aware of the negative consequences sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I have never actually been for a local market. I always go to County Market, Walmart, etc. As a college student, I do not have the time to cook as much as I would like. I think after college I would be more inclined to start using local delis and markets.
ReplyDelete