“I've heard from my biology teacher that Pollan's description of C-4 plants was near hysterical, and that it's really not such a big mutation. Apparently some types of grass and other plants have the same carbon fixing process, and while it does highlight the desire of industrial agriculture to squeeze every penny it can out of each kernel of corn, it's a bit melodramatic. There are other times where I felt Pollan went a little overboard as well. Don't get me wrong, I love the book, but how much of this do you think was completely subjective, and what parts do you think he over-dramatized? ”
“I've just started reading the part about organic food. I can't believe that even if you purchase food labeled organic, you just can't win, there's going to be something wrong with it.”
“I love this book. It reframed so many things for me. I read it 2 years ago and I have given it to everyone I care about. The big question is what do we do? I shop at farmers markets and I have looked into CSA's and I read labels so I know where things grow, but there is so much we just don't know. The issues raised in this book are so complicated it is hard to know where to start. One thing is perfectly clear however, we vote with our dollars but that is not enough. Ultimately, we need to become informed and become politically active to bring about real change.”
“Great eye opener when it comes to what organic really means, where meat comes from and the rest is just interesting.”
“Thanks Jillian”
“TED talks rock, I cannot we can just watch them all for free! I can waste hours there. I am loving this book, although it does make me feel guilty in the supermarket. The locally made pasta is twice the price of the organic pasta from Italy, what to buy? I am on the last section.”
“This book is on my wish list. I have heard interviews with the author, and last night watched a great independent film relevant to this discussion called King Corn. The filmmakers, who had not farmed before, moved to Iowa to plant one acre of corn, then followed its trail to the consumer market. See more about the film here: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/.”
“Michael Pollan gave a great TED Talk as well that everyone should check out: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/214”
“you think this is bad, think about the impact of ethanol on corn production, etc. compare the "human v. automobile" costs / requirements on corn consumption, considering there's going to be a considerable rise in the adoption of vehicles in emerging nations! just trading one vice for another I suppose...”
“I loved it, but by the end, I had grown tired of Pollan's formula (see previous work) and his self congratulatory mode about the tiny slice of the food world he is not only exploring, but being sucked into. Something about the hunting segment felt a little overly excited, like a small boy. But still, so worth reading. Very few people are doing the work of examing why and how we eat as a nation. ”
