Food and the Planet - Yes, BIO IS BETTER
Thursday 7 June 2007 by Dr Maytel
The interview with Deborah Koons Garcia, writer and director of The Future of Food is a uesful starter for understanding some of the monumental issues and decisions been made about our food system, often without most people's knowledge of participation. Although it centres on the USA, with globalised food, the buck obviously doesn't stop there. It's worth knowing if you don't already. Some of the topics covered include political control of companies over food chains and regulation systems, the problem of cross-polination and gene mutations, possible health impacts, environmental impacts, and so on
And, yes some farmers are now being sued for patent infringement for the fact that genes have accidently (or not so accidently) cross-polinated with plants on their fields....not mentioned is the fact that one way companies have tried to avoid cross-polination is through incorporating the terminator gene in plants so they cannot reproduce. However, there is no evidence to say the terminator gene won't cross polinate with other plants rendering parts of the natural environment sterile....if you care about food, you should care about this
Anyway, she introduces a novel idea for bringing down organic food costs - buy raw ingredients and cook...."cooking is the new shopping"....as a friend of mine says "consumerism is so last century", I'm just waiting to see a papparzzi picture of Paris Hilton making jam.
Not that there is uniformity within the bio/organic movement, there is still healthy debate
This debate between Michael Pollen, writer of Omnivore's Dialemma and John Mackey CEO of Wholefoods illustrates some of the issues still to be addressed over what type of bio/ organic system exactly is better
Lastly here is a non-GMO product list for your next trip to the supermarket
Unfortunately, Australia seems to be taking the US's lead (again).
"Australia's Chief Scientist, Brian Peacock, in a speech to a conference two weeks ago, called opponents of GM "unprincipled minorities … self-serving organic farmers and ill-informed environmental activists".
Advice from the Age for Australians and New Zealanders and other unprincipled minorities
thanx very much for the links.
i am going to be making a lot of changes, ie no more Heinz or inhumane meat, etc, try to get my lazy ass to the farmers markets on wednesdays and saturdays ....and try to find out what I can about organic supply chain in Germany and also not ostensibly organic but possibly artisan/humane products like small company sausages at the Italian supermarket here
(I think that is going to be hard!! and that is an understatement. my german is pathetic)
(should one assume that any but especially meat product not labelled as organic is definitely not safe and humane?)
also Japanese ingredients is a hard one, it's hard enough to read the kanji on the packets anyway especially with dubious german translation stuck over top, and i think the laws or regulations around food safety & chemicals etc in Japan are very, well, different.
restaurant food is also hard, we don't eat out a lot but i don't think i can abstain from my favourite sth indian or japanese restaurants... but will make more effort to at least not eat meat at those places. if having inorganic GM lentils or tofu is actually better on the grand scale of food morality and ecological safety. (seems like it marginally is)
i guess i will have to remain somewhat hypocritical, don't think i can find the time to make japanese curries and noodles etc from scratch....but then again....
the mackey/pollen (sp?) debate was very good to watch, I feel motivated to be more critical & conscious and have a lot more respect for Mackey.
PS tofu brand called "Now & Zen" haha