The Locavore Myth Summary

304 Words1 Page

James E. Mcwilliams stated his aversion to the locavore movement in his essay “The Locavore Myth: Why Buying from Nearby Farmers Won’t Save the Planet”. The locavore movement is the concept of buying produce, meat, and other farm-grown food locally as opposed to having your vegetables or fruits shipped from across the world. This notion believes going local reduces harm to the environment by decreasing the miles food needs to travel before landing on your plate. From the title of his essay itself, the claim would seem obvious. The locavore movement does not essentially help save the environment through lessened food mileage. Don’t be easily swayed, in short. Mcwilliams presented several grounds and data for his justification on this issue.

Show More
Related

  • The Carnivores Dilemma, by Nicolette Hahn Niman

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Millions of animals are consumed everyday; humans are creating a mass animal holocaust, but is this animal holocaust changing the climate? In the essay “ The Carnivores Dilemma,” written by Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer and livestock rancher, asserts that food production, most importantly beef production, is a global contributor to climate change. Nicolette Niman has reports by United Nations and the University of Chicago and the reports “condemn meat-eating,” and the reports also say that beef production is closely related to global warming. Niman highlights, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides are the leading greenhouses gases involved in increasing global warming. A vast majority of people across the world consumes meat and very little people are vegetarian, or the people that don’t eat meat, but are there connections between people and meat production industry when it comes to eating food and the effect it has on the climate? The greenhouse gases, methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxides are not only to blame, but we should be looking at people and industrialized farming for the leading cause of greenhouse gases in agriculture and the arm-twisting dilemma we have been lured into, which is meat production itself.

    Read More

  • Barbara Kingsolver Called Home

    1391 Words  | 3 Pages

    Moreover, this system of mass farming leads to single crop farms, which are ecologically unsafe, and the unnatural treatment of animals (Kingsolver 14). These facts are presented to force the reader to consider their own actions when purchasing their own food because of the huge economic impact that their purchases can have. Kingsolver demonstrates this impact by stating that “every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we

    Read More

  • Summary Of How Junk Food Can End Obesity

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    While shopping at a local Trader Joe’s, Freedman spots a bag of peas, which have been breaded, deep-fried and then sprinkled with salt. Upon seeing this snack, he is in shock to know that this same store, which is known for their wholesome food, would sell such a thing. With a tone of exasperation, he admits that, “I can’t recall ever seeing anything at any fast-food restaurant that represents as big an obesogenic crime against the vegetable kingdom.” It was such an unexpected situation for him to come across this small snack that represented the opposite of what the wholesome-food movement is for. To settle his own confusion, he clarifies that, “…many of the foods served up and even glorified by the wholesome-food movement are themselves chock full of fat and problem carbs.” This further proves that just because a certain food is promoted by a health fad, it does not validate that it is genuinely better than fast-food itself. A simple cheeseburger and fries from any fast-food restaurant would more than likely contain less calories than a fancy salad from the next hole-in-the-wall cafe. Not only that, but the burger and fries will be tastier and much cheaper

    Read More

  • The Omnivore's Dilemma Book Report

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many families in America can’t decide what food chain to eat from. In the book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan lists four food chains: Industrial, Industrial Organic, Local Sustainable, and Hunter-Gatherer. The Industrial food chain is full of large farms that use chemicals and factories. Industrial Organic is close to it except it doesn’t use as many chemicals and the animals have more space. Local Sustainable is where food is grown without chemicals, the animals have freedom and they eat what they were born to eat. Lastly, Hunter-Gatherer is where you hunt and grow your own food. The omnivore's dilemma is trying to figure out what food chain to eat from. Local Sustainable is the best food chain to feed the United States because it is healthy and good for the environment.

    Read More

  • Eating Green Margaret Lundberg Summary

    1226 Words  | 3 Pages

    People can be classified into two categories, meat eaters and non meat eaters. Meat eaters or carnivores are common in society so there has to be a tremendous amount of meat production to meet these needs. But has anyone ever thought about the amount of fuel and energy it takes to make it and how it would ultimately destroy the Earth? Many have and it revealed to them that the cost of being a vegan or vegetarian is far less than continuing their carnivorous ways. Two authors have their opinions to offer, even if they are on the same side of the argument and want to convert people to being a vegan. In “Eating Green” Margaret Lundberg states why becoming a vegan is healthy, not only for the person, but also the environment. John Vidal’s “10 Ways Vegetarianism Can Help Save the Planet”

    Read More

  • The Omnivore's Dilemma Sparknotes

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan challenges his readers to examine their food and question themselves about the things they consume. Have we ever considered where our food comes from or stopped to think about the process that goes into the food that we purchase to eat every day? Do we know whether our meat and vegetables picked out were raised in our local farms or transported from another country? Michael pollen addresses the reality of what really goes beyond the food we intake and how our lives are affected. He does not just compel us to question the food we consume, but also the food our “food” consumes.

    Read More

  • An Edible History Of Humanity Summary

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book tells the history of human civilization through the development of our food production and culture. A highly relevant book to present although food is a special type of natural resource or products hereof and history is a wider subject than conflict. The gradual transition towards hierarchical social order is described. Especially the significance of irrigation is compelling.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Wendell Berry's 'The Pleasure Of Eating'

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wendell Berry, an environmental activist, cultural critic and a farmer tells consumers to eat “responsibly”. That consumers should realize that eating is an agricultural act. An act that gives us freedom. Meaning that every time we make choices about what we eat and who we purchase from, we are deciding what direction our food system moves. Berry states that to make a change we need to make individual choices to live free. “We cannot be free if our food its sources are controlled by someone else” (2). Berry argues that the average consumer buys available food without any question. That we depend on commercial suppliers, we are influence by advertisements we see on TV and that interfere with our food choices. We buy what other people wants us to buy. We have been controlled by the food industry, and regard eating as just something required for our survival. Berry want consumers to realize we should get an enjoyment from eating and that can only

    Read More

  • How Junk Food Can End Obesity?

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    Michael Pollan and David Freedman are two reputable authors who have written about different types of food and why they are healthy or why they are damaging to our health. Michael Pollan wrote “Escape from the Western Diet” and David Freedman wrote “How Junk Food Can End Obesity”. Imagine Pollan’s idea of a perfect world. Everything is organic. McDonald’s is serving spinach smoothies and Walmart is supplying consumers with raw milk. The vast majority of food in this world consists of plants grown locally, because almost everyone is a farmer in order to keep up with supply and demand. How much does all this cost? What happened to all the food that is loved just because it tastes good?

    Read More

  • The Impact Of The Locavore Movement

    767 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within these past few years, more and more people have tried to use their community’s grown produce instead of large company-based products. These ‘locavores’ have grown in numbers as people have taken into account the health related, environmental, and economic consequences of choosing locally grown products. The key issues associated with the locavore movement are the economic effects and the change made in the environment of a community.

    Read More

  • Eating In The American Paradox, By Michael Pollan

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    We care so much about what the food is and how it is made that we overlook about where the food had come from. According to the reading selection, “Killing Them with Kindness?” by James McWilliams, an American history professor at Texas State University, states “animals raised in factory farms have qualities that make them worthy of our moral consideration…[and yet, we] continue to ignore the ethical considerations involved in eating meat” (311). This exhibits that when Americans are so engrossed in healthy eating, our morals about animal rights are neglected. Most of what we eat are animals, and animals like we do have emotions, interests, and possibly goals in life. We pay no heed of the animal’s interests and it should not be that way since our interests are no more important just because we are more superior, intelligent beings should not give us the right to perceive animals in such a manner. In addition to paying notice of the origin of where the animals come from, we need to be aware of what killing animals will do to the earth. In the TedTalk, “What’s Wrong with the Way We Eat,” Mark Bittman states “10 billion animals are killed each year for food and they represent 18% of the harmful greenhouse gasses” (Bittman). This reveals that our careless consumption would not only lead to the suffering of animal deaths but the suffering of our world and our imminent death. As we increase our progression with our unhealthy obsession over healthy eating, there will not be any positive effects for the body, the animals around us, or the world. If we were to be conscious about the source of our food and the consequence of eating then we will be able to eat healthily and

    Read More

  • Locavores: The Local Food Movement

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    You have probably heard of the words carnivore and herbivore, maybe even the word omnivore but you probably have never heard of the word localvore. The localvore movement is a new eating habit where people make an effort to eat only foods grown or harvested within a 100 radius of their homes. (Foodshed for Thought) The localvore movement is becoming increasingly prevalent every year due to the decline in taste of food and the uprising in the need for appetizing food that can easily be obtained from nearby farms. Localvores want their food fresh and not processed through processing plants which can cause the food taste aged and flavorless. The people who participate in this movement also believe that this cuts down on costs of shipping the products, making them cheaper and allowing the farmers to earn more for what they grow, more money for the farmer cheaper for the consumer. The localvore movement can both benefit the global market, but it can also hurt the global market.

    Read More

  • America's Local Food Movement: Rhetorical Analysis

    909 Words  | 2 Pages

    Former editor of Us News and World Report and recipient of Guggenheim Award,Stephen Budiansky in his article, “Math Lessons For Locavores”,published in August 19,2012 addresses the topic of locally grown food and argues it as a more sustainable choice in terms of freshness and seasons.I agree with Budiansky for growing food locally,however; with three other reasons: we can reduce food waste,(which will benefit the environment), and obesity(which will help an individual mentally and physically), and improve our economy. The purpose is to illustrate why locally grown foods would be a finer option for an American lifestyle. Budiansky adopts an informative,persuasive,and insightful tone for his audience,readers

    Read More

  • How to Teach the Public the New Dietary Recommendations

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... diets making our food healthier, safer, and more nutritious. The pesticides and chemicals found in our foods are known for causing many illnesses we struggle with today. Also if we buy foods that are grown organically, they are usually locally grown; therefore, we can allow them to grow to their fullest potential allowing them to produce all the nutrients they are intended to have. This allows the fruits and vegetables we eat to have their full nutritional value. By eating eco-friendly poultry and beef we eliminate genetically modified animals from our diet, which also cause health concerns for individuals. When animals are raised for mass production they are feed corn and other harmful hormones to allow them to “put on more meat”. This is unhealthy for us and unhealthy for the animal, usually leaves unhealthy conditions at the sites where the animals are raised.

    Read More

  • Cannibalism: From Dinosaurs to Modern Day Animal Participants

    1516 Words  | 4 Pages

    A cannibal is any animal that feeds on its own species (Lady Wild Life’s website).  This characteristic is rarely spoken of because it has such a negative connotation.  However, an estimate of 140 species from a large time scale, displayed cannibalistic tendencies (Lady Wild Life’s website).

    Read More

More about The Locavore Myth Summary

Open Document