The chapter written by Joel Salatin "Declare Your Independence" made several good points and was very detailed in his descriptions of the industrial food companies. The only part I didn't like was that the author used a lot of information that he expected the reader to already understand. A lot of his information went right over my head and I had to read some parts a couple of times before understanding. It's not that his information is hard to understand but the way he writes is a bit confusing and hard to follow. I like how he compared the diet of our ancestors to the way we eat and how we've become helpless when it comes to deciding and creating our meals. I like his proposal that we should "opt out" and stop supporting large industrial food companies that care about making money, not about their consumers' health and safety. He made a really good point that we can start with small steps and learn to cook for ourselves again. The only thing that Salatin doesn't take into consideration is the fact that a large majority of U.S. citizens don't have the financial means to purchase ingredients for a meal, let alone purchase local, and often more expensive, ingredients. It's really hard for families to rely only on local farmers and to be able to afford local foods on a regular basis. Overall I think Salatin has the right idea and he put it perfectly when he said "The people who sit on the throne tend to like things the way they are. They have no reason to change until they are forced to do so" (pg 190). It all comes down to us and our decision to opt out of supporting large industrial food companies that have no interest in the health of their buyers.
In chapter 11 I really like the layout and the simple suggestions. It is very straight-forward and helpful in giving us good advice on what to look for and what to ask the farmers. By listing the questions and giving information on each issue really helps us understand that there are much better options out there and some farmers care more about their product and customers than larger industries. I think chapter 11 is aimed at the average American who is looking to improve their consumption.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Argument Outline
Greenwashing is a method used by companies to present themselves as eco-friendly to increase sales but fail to make the necessary changes. Greenwashing can also be used as an attempt to compensate for past environmental damages caused by the company. There are many reasons why consumers and companies are looking to support green products. A main reason is to better our efforts in decreasing global warming. Another reason is for the profits these industries obtain and for consumer support. Food, personal care items, household items, and even oil companies have claimed to have turned to the green side. The biggest issue with greenwashing is that it deceives consumers who are actually trying to improve their carbon footprint and causes confusion. It is important to separate the companies that are honest about their products and those who want to attract costumers and only interested in covering up what goes on behind closed doors.
The companies that spend millions of dollars to advertise their green transformations could be using that money in areas that will actually benefit the environment. We aren't going to get very far if consumers are being lied to and don't know which product is actually recycled, sustainable, and eco-friendly. If people knew how often they are being lied to by large corporations they probably wouldn't be so supportive of their products. It's important to understand the origins and processes of what we buy and consume and how it can affect the environment, global warming, and our bodies.
I. Intro
II. Examples of Greenwashing
a) ExxonMobil
b) Personal Care Products
c) Georgia-Pacific
d) Shell
e) Monsanto
III. Agriculture
a) Organic Food- guidelines, loopholes, benefits
b) Local Farmers vs Large Corporations
IV. Enforcing the Laws of Environmental Protection & Problems
a) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- often unrealistic goals, time frames, complex & technical
b) Interplay of federal, state, and local governments in regulating statues
c) Difficult to prosecute offenders- extremely time consuming, effort and resources needed for investigation and prosecution
d) Economic and political pressures dissuade prosecutors from filing charges against large corporations
V. The Media's Role
a) internet- abundance of information; can cause confusion
b) advertisements
VI. What We Can Do as Consumers
a) investigate products, search options
b) talk to local farmers
c) boycott products out loud
VII. Conclusion
Bibliography
Exxpose Exxon. Convio, 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2010..
ExxonMobil Corporation. N.p., 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2010..
"ExxonMobil." International Rights Advocates. N.p., 2007. Web. 11 Feb. 2010.
.
GreenPeace Greenwashing. N.p., 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010..
Foster, Pamela. "Globalizing Greenwash." New Internationalist 365 (2004): 20-21. EBSCOhost. Web. 19
Feb. 2010.
Francis, Charles, et al. "Greening of Agriculture: Is It All a Greenwash of the Globalized Economy?"
Journal of Crop Improvement 19.1/2 (2007): 193-220. EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
.
"Greenwashing Screens and Green Program Development." Terrachoice Environmental Marketing. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
Holcomb, Jeanna. "Environmentalism and the Internet: Corporate Greenwashers and Environmental
Groups." Contemporary Justice Review 11.3 (2008): 203-211. EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
Loux, Renee. "Health And Beauty Products That Tread Lightly." Women's Health Magazine. N.p., Feb.
Web. 6 Feb. 2010..
Reynolds, Mike. "How does Monsanto do it? An ethnographic case study of an advertising campaign."
Text 24.3 (2004): 329-352. EBSCOhost. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
.
The companies that spend millions of dollars to advertise their green transformations could be using that money in areas that will actually benefit the environment. We aren't going to get very far if consumers are being lied to and don't know which product is actually recycled, sustainable, and eco-friendly. If people knew how often they are being lied to by large corporations they probably wouldn't be so supportive of their products. It's important to understand the origins and processes of what we buy and consume and how it can affect the environment, global warming, and our bodies.
I. Intro
II. Examples of Greenwashing
a) ExxonMobil
b) Personal Care Products
c) Georgia-Pacific
d) Shell
e) Monsanto
III. Agriculture
a) Organic Food- guidelines, loopholes, benefits
b) Local Farmers vs Large Corporations
IV. Enforcing the Laws of Environmental Protection & Problems
a) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- often unrealistic goals, time frames, complex & technical
b) Interplay of federal, state, and local governments in regulating statues
c) Difficult to prosecute offenders- extremely time consuming, effort and resources needed for investigation and prosecution
d) Economic and political pressures dissuade prosecutors from filing charges against large corporations
V. The Media's Role
a) internet- abundance of information; can cause confusion
b) advertisements
VI. What We Can Do as Consumers
a) investigate products, search options
b) talk to local farmers
c) boycott products out loud
VII. Conclusion
Bibliography
Exxpose Exxon. Convio, 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2010.
ExxonMobil Corporation. N.p., 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2010.
"ExxonMobil." International Rights Advocates. N.p., 2007. Web. 11 Feb. 2010.
GreenPeace Greenwashing. N.p., 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
Foster, Pamela. "Globalizing Greenwash." New Internationalist 365 (2004): 20-21. EBSCOhost. Web. 19
Feb. 2010.
Francis, Charles, et al. "Greening of Agriculture: Is It All a Greenwash of the Globalized Economy?"
Journal of Crop Improvement 19.1/2 (2007): 193-220. EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
"Greenwashing Screens and Green Program Development." Terrachoice Environmental Marketing. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
Holcomb, Jeanna. "Environmentalism and the Internet: Corporate Greenwashers and Environmental
Groups." Contemporary Justice Review 11.3 (2008): 203-211. EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
Loux, Renee. "Health And Beauty Products That Tread Lightly." Women's Health Magazine. N.p., Feb.
Web. 6 Feb. 2010.
Reynolds, Mike. "How does Monsanto do it? An ethnographic case study of an advertising campaign."
Text 24.3 (2004): 329-352. EBSCOhost. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Food Inc 2
The readings for today had plenty of interesting facts and continued to describe our horrible situation and how we seem to just continue to make bad decisions in relation to global warming issues. The chapter on the ethanol scam was interesting because it basically talks about how wasteful the U.S. is and how we have dug ourselves into this deep hole. This type of industry is not likely to change or stop what they've been doing. I enjoyed the previous readings much more than this week's. These chapters were extremely boring to me and I think it's really annoying that there are so many problems that I don't even know where to begin. It just makes me think that there is little hope when so many companies aren't willing to change and if they have millions or billions of dollars it doesn't really matter what small change I make because people will continue to support oil and other sources of fuel and these companies have the financial resources to back their company up.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
For the argumentative essay I am taking the side against the use of greenwashing. I would focus on the obvious signs of greenwashing and the not-so-obvious greenwashing techniques that are common among almost every industry. As in my previous paper I want to present cases of greenwashing in the oil industry, food industry (including organic), personal care products, and hopefully find some more in-depth sources of greenwashing in other areas of consumption. After watching and reading parts of Food Inc, I could probably search more and use their information about how companies can get away with greenwash and the available options for choosing more ecologically-friendly items. I think it's important for this paper to have a strong voice against the deceiving companies and reveal what they are hiding or what they are trying to compensate for. I also really would like to find sources that are reliable and helpful in educating people on what to look for and how to avoid the "fake" products and choose the product that isn't hiding anything.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Food Inc
There were many aspects of the film that really stood out and impacted the way I see our food production. First, I was amazed that these large corporations have such dominant control over the farmers that run the chicken houses, cattle, and soybean farms. I was disgusted that no one could even show the inside of the poultry houses because they feared what the company might do to them. I was shocked that these farmers invest so much of their money and time into raising chickens in this horrible way, yet they barely even make enough money to live off of, let alone keep up with the new regulations demanded by the corporations. It was really sad seeing how much the one lady struggled financially and then hearing that the company dropped her because she refused to give in to the complete dark & ventilated houses.
I was also really disturbed by the footage of the chickens helplessly lying on the dirty ground because their organs and bones can't keep up with the body's fast growth caused by the growth hormones. Also, the footage of the cows covered in thick coats of each other's feces and also struggling to get up onto their feet. I cringed several times throughout the movie but seeing animals treated that way just to make a large amount of meat is sickening and completely unnecessary.
The film continued to increase my knowledge and disgust for these companies and the government for allowing this to go on. Another big thing that stuck out to me was that our own government and FDA aren't doing anything about this. A large handful of those in charge in the FDA and other organizations responsible for overseeing our food and cattle production are former employees of these horrible meat industries, and even worse, we aren't allowed to criticize any company for their products or the way they handle it! I think the most disturbing aspect of this is that these meat companies seek out and transport illegal immigrants to work in the horrible conditions at a meat packing industry and then years later they are arrested for entering the country illegally and working here but the companies who hired the illegal immigrants who knew very well they were illegal, never get penalized or threatened for doing so.
The book includes all the aspects that were covered in the movie and more. I like how each chapter is structured differently and even though some chapters slightly repeat what was said previously, it doesn't seem repetitive at all. In the first chapter I liked how it was an interview and allowed Eric Schlosser to go in depth with his reasonings and motives behind his research. I was interested in his description of how illegal immigrants are treated like unwanted pests yet they are they ones doing the work that no one else will do and they are willing to do it for little pay and horrible working conditions. Schlosser really makes it hit home when describing that every single strawberry has to be carefully hand-picked and none of us even take into consideration the hard work put into feeding us a fruit.
The section on Food Safety Consequences of Factory Farms was really troubling but it was hard to stop reading. It pulled me in by the descriptions of all the health risks and horrible conditions the meat producing industry is causing. The movie touched on the unsanitary aspects of the poultry farms and cattle houses but this part of the book goes deeper into the risks we are taking by consuming such products. The horrible conditions they live in is really sad and what amazed me was the fact that "a dairy farm with 2,500 cows produces as much waste as a city of 411,000 people." This hurts our environment and can definitely hurt our bodies if we continue to consume fece covered animals.
What really made me queasy was the fact that these poor helpless animals are fed parts of other animals such as brains, spinal cords, and other disgusting animal tissues. It's not just the health risks that make me sick it's that these farm animals are not carnivores and are fed the lowest, cheapest, and unhealthiest feed that the farmers can come up with. It was also upsetting that pigs are forced to live in cages and often bite the tails off one another so the farmers end up cutting off their tails! Similarly, it is disgusting that many farmers cut off the beaks of chickens to prevent pecking. The chapter just really made me feel for these creatures and I was glad that it provided websites that can tell you where to get "sustainably raised meat and dairy products."
I was also really disturbed by the footage of the chickens helplessly lying on the dirty ground because their organs and bones can't keep up with the body's fast growth caused by the growth hormones. Also, the footage of the cows covered in thick coats of each other's feces and also struggling to get up onto their feet. I cringed several times throughout the movie but seeing animals treated that way just to make a large amount of meat is sickening and completely unnecessary.
The film continued to increase my knowledge and disgust for these companies and the government for allowing this to go on. Another big thing that stuck out to me was that our own government and FDA aren't doing anything about this. A large handful of those in charge in the FDA and other organizations responsible for overseeing our food and cattle production are former employees of these horrible meat industries, and even worse, we aren't allowed to criticize any company for their products or the way they handle it! I think the most disturbing aspect of this is that these meat companies seek out and transport illegal immigrants to work in the horrible conditions at a meat packing industry and then years later they are arrested for entering the country illegally and working here but the companies who hired the illegal immigrants who knew very well they were illegal, never get penalized or threatened for doing so.
The book includes all the aspects that were covered in the movie and more. I like how each chapter is structured differently and even though some chapters slightly repeat what was said previously, it doesn't seem repetitive at all. In the first chapter I liked how it was an interview and allowed Eric Schlosser to go in depth with his reasonings and motives behind his research. I was interested in his description of how illegal immigrants are treated like unwanted pests yet they are they ones doing the work that no one else will do and they are willing to do it for little pay and horrible working conditions. Schlosser really makes it hit home when describing that every single strawberry has to be carefully hand-picked and none of us even take into consideration the hard work put into feeding us a fruit.
The section on Food Safety Consequences of Factory Farms was really troubling but it was hard to stop reading. It pulled me in by the descriptions of all the health risks and horrible conditions the meat producing industry is causing. The movie touched on the unsanitary aspects of the poultry farms and cattle houses but this part of the book goes deeper into the risks we are taking by consuming such products. The horrible conditions they live in is really sad and what amazed me was the fact that "a dairy farm with 2,500 cows produces as much waste as a city of 411,000 people." This hurts our environment and can definitely hurt our bodies if we continue to consume fece covered animals.
What really made me queasy was the fact that these poor helpless animals are fed parts of other animals such as brains, spinal cords, and other disgusting animal tissues. It's not just the health risks that make me sick it's that these farm animals are not carnivores and are fed the lowest, cheapest, and unhealthiest feed that the farmers can come up with. It was also upsetting that pigs are forced to live in cages and often bite the tails off one another so the farmers end up cutting off their tails! Similarly, it is disgusting that many farmers cut off the beaks of chickens to prevent pecking. The chapter just really made me feel for these creatures and I was glad that it provided websites that can tell you where to get "sustainably raised meat and dairy products."
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