Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan

Did you know that today, 2.1 billion people – nearly 30% of the world's population – are either obese or overweight because they ate unhealthy food and didn’t exercise? After reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, I have learned about all the opportunities right here in Rochester that have to do with eating more local food. We should eat more local food because it is healthier for us and it helps the environment.

We should eat local because it is healthier for us. For example, according to Onegreenplant.org it says that “When produce doesn’t travel across the country, or sometimes the world, its freshness means higher nutrient levels. Once produce is packaged its optimal nutritional level decreases, specifically some vitamins such as C, E, A and some B. There are other factors that come into play, such as exposure to artificial lights and air, and temperature changes.” Since the local foods don’t need to be preserved they keep their nutritional value and we get more nutrients from the local food than we would get from food that comes from California or Mexico. Another example is from sustainabletable.org when it says that “Meat from animals raised sustainably on

pasture is also more nutritious – for example, grass-fed beef is higher in “good” cholesterol (and lower in “bad”), higher in vitamins A and E, lower in fat, and contains more antioxidants than factory farmed beef. Sustainably produced food also means less (or no) agricultural chemicals (such as pesticides), antibiotics, and hormones, all of which are common in conventional farm products.” Well not all local food is organic it is still healthier for us. The local farmers don’t use as much of the chemicals that can hurt us as the industrial farmers use. They local farmers also use less pesticides than the industrial farmers use. Overall we should eat more local food because it is healthier than the industrial food that we buy.
We should eat local because it is better for the environment.
For example in the Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan it says that “The hens picked at the grasses but mainly they were all over the cowpats. They performed a crazy dance with their claws to scratch apart the caked manure and exposed meaty grubs. ‘I’m convinced an Eggmobile would be worth it even if the chickens never laid a single egg’ Joel told me. Because of the chickens, Joel doesn’t have to treat his cattle with toxic chemicals to get rid of parasites.” By not having to give animals antibiotics Joel is saving the environment from pollution. If he gave his cows antibiotics then when they poop then the antibiotics will go into the soil. Joel doesn’t have to do this because his chickens are like his natural antibiotics because they eat the parasites that can harm the cows.
Evidence:http://www.goodearthfoodalliance.com/
Another example, is from goodearthfoodalliance.com when it says, “Good stewards of the land grow cover crops to prevent soil erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops.

Cover crops also capture carbon emissions and help control global warming. According to some estimates, farmers who practice conservation tillage could sequester 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry.” By not using the pesticides and chemical fertilizers the farmers are reducing pollution. The left over pesticides and fertilizer will go into the ground and the rivers and will pollute them. Now the water may be unhealthy for us. If the farmers keep doing this then the soil will become toxic and they won’t be able to plant crops in that soil anymore. Overall, if we eat local we will be helping the

environment
Some people would argue that local doesn’t always mean organic because some farmers have no other way of keeping the bugs and parasites away from their crops and cattle. While this is true local farmers have a tendency of using more natural ways over pesticides to keep their crops and cattle healthy. Even if the farmer uses pesticides, the food doesn’t have to travel as far and you are still supporting the farmers more than if you bought industrial food. For example, in Mr Snyder’s Public Market video it says that, “We also have a brusher that we put our red apples on to wipe off all the spray material and stuff that is on the apples, which helps tremendously with wiping everything off.” Even though they use pesticides they are making sure that the chemicals aren’t on the food by using the brush. They don’t have to use preservatives because the food is local. Another example is from Mr Snyder’s Public Market video when it says that, “I would say this is all hydroponic this time of year. Winter it’s more efficient to do hydroponics… We grow organically but I am not certified organic because I haven’t applied for it but all of our methodology is organic. We actually don’t use pesticides like many organic’s do. We actually use biological. We buy ladybugs to go around and eat the bad bugs so we don’t have to spray any type of pesticides. Since he uses ladybugs he isn’t polluting the area and is using natural fertilizers. He uses Hydroponics which is growing crops soilless and not soil so if he did use pesticides it would only be in that water and not in other water. Even though local doesn’t always mean organic we will still be supporting the local farmers and they don’t have to use preservatives on the food because it doesn’t have to travel very far.
Overall, local farmers don’t use as much pesticides and antibiotics as industrial farmers do so the food is healthier for us and it helps the environment more. Perhaps if we didn’t eat local then we would become part of that 30% of the world population being obese.