Efficiency: Advantage or Disadvantage?

On Monday we watched Fresh, “a documentary that surveyed American farmers’ and researchers’ efforts to develop efficient systems for growing food.” Our food system is built to produce the most to survive and produce it quickly. The documentary presented a new way of thinking about what we are eating and how we are producing what we are eating. The problem from getting away from our current way of thinking though is that once we have a process or idea that works for us it becomes difficult to change and be different.

From the movie, I grasped the importance of why we should not use one model as a universal example. Our focus is built so much on faster, bigger, and cheaper that we lose our connection to the food that we eat. We lose the value we have for the food that is given and presented before us because of our production. Productivity cannot be our goal because it reduces us to treating animals inhumanely. The individuality of the animal is also lost. For some (really most) your own health can be in danger when you are not completely aware of what you are consuming.

The documentary clearly showed that industrialization is not the best choice for us and our environment. We can raise our animals without the industrial food system ways (as I saw personally, today at Kate’s house). So, is it that our culture is so focused on receiving the quickest way without the realization of the possible consequences? Do we not realize the advantages that we can have from properly raising our food or is it that we don’t want to know? Will people change when they become aware of the consequences (inhumane treatment, bad health, and detrimental to environment).

I can honestly say that before this class I never considered how the way I eat might support the current system and our views on faster, bigger and cheaper is better. Yes, by saying this I do believe that we, just as citizens, can make a difference. The food system will continue the way it is if we continue to buy, because by buying we are supporting. & NO you don’t have to start raising your own food just simply become more aware of where your food is coming from, I know I am (slowly but surely, of course).