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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Just Food by James E McWilliams
Has anyone read this? The full title is Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong, and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly.
I've been reading some parts word-for-word, and skipping some sections that seems like redundant preaching. I figured it would be good for me to read something that I assumed I didn't immediately agree with. It's been interesting... I'm finding flaws and weak spots in his arguments. I agree with his chapters on how we should eat far fewer land animals and eat beef as if it were a delicacy, but not for all the reasons he cites.
Anyway, I don't want to give any spoilers, but wondering if anyone else had any thoughts on this book?
Re: Just Food by James E McWilliams
I haven't read it, but I'll add it to my list!
I'm reading The Town That Food Saved right now, and it seems to have a more questioning approach as well to the local food thing, as opposed to being just all about local is best.
The thing about this book is that the author's definition of "locavores" are people who strive to eat local food ONLY, with no other regard to being eco-conscious. He preaches over and over that food miles are only used because they're easy to calculate, but that they're not representative of the total energy used. For instance, he gives examples that a hot-house grown tomato in March in Virginia requires more energy (in terms of fossil fuels and chemicals) than a tomato grown in Mexico and shipped up on a truck with 5000 other tomatoes. He argues that this waste of energy isn't sustainable, even though the hot-house tomato is local.
But the reality is that the "local" movement is often a gateway into practicing a number of eco-conscious and sustainable alternatives. "Local" has made me learn about and slowly shift to eating organic if it makes more sense than local, eating seasonally, and eating more foods I grow and scavenge myself. Instead of buying a local hot-house tomato in January, I can buy locally-grown tomatoes in the summer (in season) and can them for use in January. Or better yet, I can grow them myself and can them.
The fact that he focuses solely on the locavore movement irritates me to no end. Although, as I may have mentioned earlier, his chapters on eating fewer land animals are pretty good.
Anyway, I would reccommend it, but only if you take it with a grain of salt. I had read some reviews before opening it up and was prepared. I think it's good for everyone to read opinions of opposing views... it certainly prepares you to defend your opinions if nothing else!