Food Autobiography
A quote that encompasses what I learned from this class as a whole is “food touches on social habits and norms; plays a role in mediating power and status; is often key to social participation and acceptance; and is expressive of collective ideas and identity” (“Link Between Meat and Climate Change”). What a person eats, how a person eats, and who a person eats with are all factors that are strongly dependent upon the culture that a person grew up within. Throughout the semester, the outside impact on what an individual eats has been greatly brought to my attention. Whether it has to do with social class, culture and traditions, the government, or simply geographic location, everything a person eats is affected by something more than his/her own preference. This newfound understanding has made me rethink my own relationship with food, how it used to be and what it’s like now. I have realized that where I grew up, who raised me, and events in my life have impacted my diet more than I ever thought they could.
I grew up in 21st century America where almost every food in the pantry had more chemicals and additives in it than I could count. Processed food had already taken over the American diet, obesity rates were on the rise, and food companies cared more about making money than the quality of their product. Companies had no regard for the health of the people consuming their product and the consumers never asked any questions. As I learned from Melanie Warner’s Pandora’s Lunchbox, a large majority of the foods that Americans consume are highly processed with little to no nutritional value. When I was younger, I would snack on these processed foods, but my sit-down meals were almost always home-cooked and nutritious. As a family, we rarely ever ate out. There are a couple possible reasons for this, one being my parents could not justify wasting money on meals that could be made at home as they are quite frugal, and another being that my mother simply loves to cook. The geographical location that I was raised in also had quite the impact on my diet.
I was raised on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and was introduced to foods that the “normal” American child in the 21st century had most likely never tried. For example, one of my favorite meals was fried puffer fish that my grandfather would catch and prepare right in front of me. Other foods that I enjoyed that weren’t part of a “normal” child’s diet would be fresh oysters, shrimp, and crab. Chicken and beef were still prominent proteins in my diet, but seafood would be served for dinner most nights due to its accessibility and affordability. Some children may wonder where their food comes from but since I saw my own family catch and prepare most of my food, I rarely had to do so. During the semester we talked about buying local and supporting local food growers in your community. While discussing those topics, I had realized that my family of hard-working fisherman were those locals who needed that support. My grandfather’s main source of income was what he would make from selling the fish that he had caught and without his buyers choosing to support local fisherman and not huge industries, he would have nothing. Since realizing this, it has made me more eager to support the local farmers and businesses here in Michigan. I believe it is important to give back the support that was given to my family all those years ago.
Growing up, I would have to be very mindful of my manners during meals. Saying please and thank you was just the beginning. I would have to be careful not to chew too loudly, keep my elbows off the table, and make sure to not hit my teeth with my fork. If I did not follow any of those practices it would be considered disrespectful and corrected immediately by my mother. I had never thought of these practices as abnormal, I expected that since my family followed them, everyone did. Since taking this class, I now know that the practice of manners is cultural, and that table manners are a common practice in southern American families. In Rachel Herz’s “That’s Disgusting”, she states “codes for eating dictate what is appropriate to eat as well as how to eat it, but they vary tremendously between cultures” (p. 14). As I got older, I had begun to realize that not everyone followed table manners as strictly as my own family. Back then I thought it was because they were gross, not because their culture had taught them differently. I am sure that my mother expected us to follow these guidelines so strictly because her mother expected the same of her when she was young. As a child, I felt as if these dinner table expectations were trivial but now that I’m older I am thankful that my parents took the time to teach me how to be respectful while enjoying a meal with others.
As we grew older, my siblings and I had packed schedules of sports and clubs, so we’d be lucky if we all got to sit down for dinner together 3 nights out of the week, which highly contrasted our younger years. This is where convenience came into play. Before taking this class, I had never thought about the extreme obsession that Americans have with things being convenient and fast. In Tim Wu’s “Tyranny of Convenience”, Wu states that convenience “has emerged as perhaps the most powerful force shaping our individual lives and our economies” (p. 1). Little did I know, this powerful force played a huge role in my own life, especially in high school. Being an athlete that would travel an hour to practice after school, four days a week, meant that time was not in abundance. “Easy is better, easiest is best” (p. 1) states Wu and he was right. My mom would buy me quick easy meals like Oscar Meyer’s protein packs or Cliff Bars to snack on during the car ride, I know that she would have rather made me a healthy home-cooked meal, but time was just never on her side. These “convenience meals” became a part of my everyday routine and I loved the quick fuel they gave me with such little effort. After my athletic days were over, my family quickly fell back into the “dinner together every night” crew that we once were. But this may not be the case for all families with busy schedules. As I’ve learned, convenience is a powerful force that captivates most American households.
In American culture we have many food taboos. Food taboos are completely based on cultural beliefs, even if we don’t realize it. Before taking this class, I had never thought that my household had any food taboos. I just assumed what we ate and how we ate it was normal. But I have now come to realize that one food taboo in my household was undercooked meat. If a steak came off the grill pink, I would refuse to eat it. I only have my mother to thank for this trait. If my dad grilled her a steak and there was any pink in it she would either put it in the microwave or would eat around it, and I followed suit. I’m not completely sure why she was so against the pink, maybe because raw meat was feared to make you sick in the larger American culture she grew up in. One food taboo that most people in the U.S. can agree on is eating dogs. It would be hard to find an American that would okay with eating their beloved Fido. In Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, he states “despite the fact that it’s perfectly legal in 44 states, eating “man’s best friend” is as taboo as a man eating his best friend” (p. 24). Foer then goes on to explain how pigs/cows/chickens are equally if not more intelligent than our four-pawed companions, but we still eat them every day. Many cultures eat dogs regularly but do not eat other animals that we eat here in America, cows and pigs for example. This is one way to highlight the extreme power one’s culture has over their thoughts and beliefs about food.
A recent transition in my life was moving away from home and living at college. This has severely impacted the way I eat. When I was living at home with my parents, I would eat 3 balanced meals a day. Since I moved to school, it is a rare occurrence for me to even eat 2 meals a day. With my busy class schedule, the stress of school work, and having to leave my room to eat, I will usually just have a few snacks throughout the day instead of 3 full meals. I know this is because at home I had my dinners cooked for me, the pantry and fridge were always stocked with my favorite foods and eating balanced was easy. College is not the same story. I can only fit so much in my mini fridge, I do not have a kitchen to cook my own meals in, and I simply do not enjoy a large majority of the food served in the dining halls. This semester we discussed how difficult it can be to eat healthily while in college. Healthy food can be more expensive and harder to make, but it does not have to be. Since being in this class, I have learned ways to make eating healthy affordable and fun. One reading in particular that helped with my new outlook was chapter 4 in Chelsea Fagan’s The Financial Diet, “How to Be Your Own Italian Grandmother”. This reading turned my fear of cooking for myself into excitement and curiosity that I look forward to continuing in the years to come.
As I have grown up, I have drifted away from my healthy, locally grown diet to the fast, convenient, and unhealthy diet that so many Americans possess. This class has helped me to understand the reasons for that drift and how to get back to my old ways. Along with teaching me about my own diet, the information I have learned this semester has allowed me to understand the dirty secrets behind industrial food. From problems with the meat industry to food insecurity, I have learned that food is much more than just something we eat. With my newfound knowledge, I plan to implement what I have learned into my own diet and continue to educate myself and others about the deep-rooted issues that lie within America’s food.
I grew up in 21st century America where almost every food in the pantry had more chemicals and additives in it than I could count. Processed food had already taken over the American diet, obesity rates were on the rise, and food companies cared more about making money than the quality of their product. Companies had no regard for the health of the people consuming their product and the consumers never asked any questions. As I learned from Melanie Warner’s Pandora’s Lunchbox, a large majority of the foods that Americans consume are highly processed with little to no nutritional value. When I was younger, I would snack on these processed foods, but my sit-down meals were almost always home-cooked and nutritious. As a family, we rarely ever ate out. There are a couple possible reasons for this, one being my parents could not justify wasting money on meals that could be made at home as they are quite frugal, and another being that my mother simply loves to cook. The geographical location that I was raised in also had quite the impact on my diet.
I was raised on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and was introduced to foods that the “normal” American child in the 21st century had most likely never tried. For example, one of my favorite meals was fried puffer fish that my grandfather would catch and prepare right in front of me. Other foods that I enjoyed that weren’t part of a “normal” child’s diet would be fresh oysters, shrimp, and crab. Chicken and beef were still prominent proteins in my diet, but seafood would be served for dinner most nights due to its accessibility and affordability. Some children may wonder where their food comes from but since I saw my own family catch and prepare most of my food, I rarely had to do so. During the semester we talked about buying local and supporting local food growers in your community. While discussing those topics, I had realized that my family of hard-working fisherman were those locals who needed that support. My grandfather’s main source of income was what he would make from selling the fish that he had caught and without his buyers choosing to support local fisherman and not huge industries, he would have nothing. Since realizing this, it has made me more eager to support the local farmers and businesses here in Michigan. I believe it is important to give back the support that was given to my family all those years ago.
Growing up, I would have to be very mindful of my manners during meals. Saying please and thank you was just the beginning. I would have to be careful not to chew too loudly, keep my elbows off the table, and make sure to not hit my teeth with my fork. If I did not follow any of those practices it would be considered disrespectful and corrected immediately by my mother. I had never thought of these practices as abnormal, I expected that since my family followed them, everyone did. Since taking this class, I now know that the practice of manners is cultural, and that table manners are a common practice in southern American families. In Rachel Herz’s “That’s Disgusting”, she states “codes for eating dictate what is appropriate to eat as well as how to eat it, but they vary tremendously between cultures” (p. 14). As I got older, I had begun to realize that not everyone followed table manners as strictly as my own family. Back then I thought it was because they were gross, not because their culture had taught them differently. I am sure that my mother expected us to follow these guidelines so strictly because her mother expected the same of her when she was young. As a child, I felt as if these dinner table expectations were trivial but now that I’m older I am thankful that my parents took the time to teach me how to be respectful while enjoying a meal with others.
As we grew older, my siblings and I had packed schedules of sports and clubs, so we’d be lucky if we all got to sit down for dinner together 3 nights out of the week, which highly contrasted our younger years. This is where convenience came into play. Before taking this class, I had never thought about the extreme obsession that Americans have with things being convenient and fast. In Tim Wu’s “Tyranny of Convenience”, Wu states that convenience “has emerged as perhaps the most powerful force shaping our individual lives and our economies” (p. 1). Little did I know, this powerful force played a huge role in my own life, especially in high school. Being an athlete that would travel an hour to practice after school, four days a week, meant that time was not in abundance. “Easy is better, easiest is best” (p. 1) states Wu and he was right. My mom would buy me quick easy meals like Oscar Meyer’s protein packs or Cliff Bars to snack on during the car ride, I know that she would have rather made me a healthy home-cooked meal, but time was just never on her side. These “convenience meals” became a part of my everyday routine and I loved the quick fuel they gave me with such little effort. After my athletic days were over, my family quickly fell back into the “dinner together every night” crew that we once were. But this may not be the case for all families with busy schedules. As I’ve learned, convenience is a powerful force that captivates most American households.
In American culture we have many food taboos. Food taboos are completely based on cultural beliefs, even if we don’t realize it. Before taking this class, I had never thought that my household had any food taboos. I just assumed what we ate and how we ate it was normal. But I have now come to realize that one food taboo in my household was undercooked meat. If a steak came off the grill pink, I would refuse to eat it. I only have my mother to thank for this trait. If my dad grilled her a steak and there was any pink in it she would either put it in the microwave or would eat around it, and I followed suit. I’m not completely sure why she was so against the pink, maybe because raw meat was feared to make you sick in the larger American culture she grew up in. One food taboo that most people in the U.S. can agree on is eating dogs. It would be hard to find an American that would okay with eating their beloved Fido. In Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, he states “despite the fact that it’s perfectly legal in 44 states, eating “man’s best friend” is as taboo as a man eating his best friend” (p. 24). Foer then goes on to explain how pigs/cows/chickens are equally if not more intelligent than our four-pawed companions, but we still eat them every day. Many cultures eat dogs regularly but do not eat other animals that we eat here in America, cows and pigs for example. This is one way to highlight the extreme power one’s culture has over their thoughts and beliefs about food.
A recent transition in my life was moving away from home and living at college. This has severely impacted the way I eat. When I was living at home with my parents, I would eat 3 balanced meals a day. Since I moved to school, it is a rare occurrence for me to even eat 2 meals a day. With my busy class schedule, the stress of school work, and having to leave my room to eat, I will usually just have a few snacks throughout the day instead of 3 full meals. I know this is because at home I had my dinners cooked for me, the pantry and fridge were always stocked with my favorite foods and eating balanced was easy. College is not the same story. I can only fit so much in my mini fridge, I do not have a kitchen to cook my own meals in, and I simply do not enjoy a large majority of the food served in the dining halls. This semester we discussed how difficult it can be to eat healthily while in college. Healthy food can be more expensive and harder to make, but it does not have to be. Since being in this class, I have learned ways to make eating healthy affordable and fun. One reading in particular that helped with my new outlook was chapter 4 in Chelsea Fagan’s The Financial Diet, “How to Be Your Own Italian Grandmother”. This reading turned my fear of cooking for myself into excitement and curiosity that I look forward to continuing in the years to come.
As I have grown up, I have drifted away from my healthy, locally grown diet to the fast, convenient, and unhealthy diet that so many Americans possess. This class has helped me to understand the reasons for that drift and how to get back to my old ways. Along with teaching me about my own diet, the information I have learned this semester has allowed me to understand the dirty secrets behind industrial food. From problems with the meat industry to food insecurity, I have learned that food is much more than just something we eat. With my newfound knowledge, I plan to implement what I have learned into my own diet and continue to educate myself and others about the deep-rooted issues that lie within America’s food.
Pandora's Lunchbox Email
Dear Joe,
I am writing this email to you as a project for my ISS 310 class on industrial food. Recently, I read the book Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner and learned countless horrifyingly eye-opening things about the foods we consistently put in our bodies. In this book, Warner investigates the factories where food is made, big corporations, food science labs, as well as other parts of the food industry (conventions, etc.) and uncovers disturbing facts about many different processed foods and even some foods that we consider healthy. Since we’re in college and eat mostly processed foods, the information that Warner provides hits close to home and actually made me really paranoid about the foods we eat every day.
I’m sure you’re wondering what the exact definition of a processed food actually is. According to Warner a processed food is “something that could not be made, with the same ingredients, in a home kitchen,” (p. xviii). So, when you look at the label on the snack you’re about to eat in between classes and you see a ton of chemical-like words taking up half of the ingredient list, its processed. There are over 5,000 additives going into the kinds food we consciously choose to eat (additives used for fillers, to mask natural flavors, to add texture, etc.), which is just unnecessary (p.99). Most people would assume that the FDA regulates what food companies are allowed to add into our food, and that is simply untrue. Warner states that “the food industry’s blistering pace of innovation... always overwhelmed those charged with reigning it in,” (p. 105). To me, this was the one of the most disheartening pieces of information in the book. The film Food Inc., states that “the food we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the last 10,000.” I realize that science has made incredible advancements very quickly and it is difficult for one agency to keep up, but there has to be a way to slow down the pace for the sake of America’s health. I had always assumed that food companies had restrictions when it comes to what they are allowed to add to foods, but for most additives that are now in processed foods, that just isn’t the case.
You and I eat cereal like it’s our job. Cereal has had a long history of processing to make it into the cereals we love to eat now. The harsh processing started with a process called “gun puffing”. Gun puffing is when you put grains like rice in cannons and apply heat, when the grains get hot a lot of pressure built up in the chamber forcing the grains to explode, turning them into airy puffs. The first company to do this was Quaker Oats Company, they considered gun puffing “the eighth wonder of the world,” (p.60). Next, came extrusion machines. These machines could mix multiple ingredients together quickly and form them in to fun shapes, like clovers, flakes, and even letters (p. 62). The extrusion process cut the required processing time and costs of cereals significantly, as well as killing bacteria “maximizing food safety,” (p. 62). These processes are extremely efficient and make breakfast cereals fun foods to eat but cause devastating nutritional losses. According to Warner, nutrients that suffer the most during processing are vitamin B1, naturally occurring fibers and phytochemicals, the degree of damage “sometimes reaching 100 percent,” (p. 63). Most of the “nutrients” that we read on the labels are synthetic and sprayed onto the cereal after processing (p. 58). I think that this information is so important because cereals are marketed as nutritious breakfast choices that will “give you energy all day” and are stocked full of “wholesome grains”, but it’s much more complicated than that. Pandora’s Lunchbox has made me think that you and I should reevaluate our #1 breakfast choice.
A fair question that Warner raises is, who’s responsible? Is it the government, the companies, or the consumer? Personally, I believe it should be a group effort. I feel as if the government needs to tighten the reins a bit on the huge corporations that make our food. I love this quote from the book: “while there are clearly policy changes that would make the job of cleaning up food a whole lot easier…the choice about what we choose to feed ourselves and our children is ultimately ours” (p. 220). When it comes down to it, the consumer controls the market, without any demand there would be no supply. You’ve taken multiple economics classes, so I’m sure you’d agree. In an article we read in class by Michael Moss, the CEO of Phillips Morris states “well, that’s what the consumer wants. We’re not holding a gun to their head to eat it,” (“The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food”). This is another statement that made me realize just how much power the consumer has. If enough people were educated on this topic and demanded healthier foods by purchasing more minimally processed foods, the market could shift towards healthier options.
Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner has completely changed my perception of what food I choose to put in my body, as well as the amount of trust I put in those who make that food. And after reading this email, I think you will feel that way too. I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to be educated on these realities of the food industry. I know that you take your health very seriously and I hope that this information will allow you to look even deeper into what you choose to fuel your body with.
Best wishes,
Leslea
I am writing this email to you as a project for my ISS 310 class on industrial food. Recently, I read the book Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner and learned countless horrifyingly eye-opening things about the foods we consistently put in our bodies. In this book, Warner investigates the factories where food is made, big corporations, food science labs, as well as other parts of the food industry (conventions, etc.) and uncovers disturbing facts about many different processed foods and even some foods that we consider healthy. Since we’re in college and eat mostly processed foods, the information that Warner provides hits close to home and actually made me really paranoid about the foods we eat every day.
I’m sure you’re wondering what the exact definition of a processed food actually is. According to Warner a processed food is “something that could not be made, with the same ingredients, in a home kitchen,” (p. xviii). So, when you look at the label on the snack you’re about to eat in between classes and you see a ton of chemical-like words taking up half of the ingredient list, its processed. There are over 5,000 additives going into the kinds food we consciously choose to eat (additives used for fillers, to mask natural flavors, to add texture, etc.), which is just unnecessary (p.99). Most people would assume that the FDA regulates what food companies are allowed to add into our food, and that is simply untrue. Warner states that “the food industry’s blistering pace of innovation... always overwhelmed those charged with reigning it in,” (p. 105). To me, this was the one of the most disheartening pieces of information in the book. The film Food Inc., states that “the food we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the last 10,000.” I realize that science has made incredible advancements very quickly and it is difficult for one agency to keep up, but there has to be a way to slow down the pace for the sake of America’s health. I had always assumed that food companies had restrictions when it comes to what they are allowed to add to foods, but for most additives that are now in processed foods, that just isn’t the case.
You and I eat cereal like it’s our job. Cereal has had a long history of processing to make it into the cereals we love to eat now. The harsh processing started with a process called “gun puffing”. Gun puffing is when you put grains like rice in cannons and apply heat, when the grains get hot a lot of pressure built up in the chamber forcing the grains to explode, turning them into airy puffs. The first company to do this was Quaker Oats Company, they considered gun puffing “the eighth wonder of the world,” (p.60). Next, came extrusion machines. These machines could mix multiple ingredients together quickly and form them in to fun shapes, like clovers, flakes, and even letters (p. 62). The extrusion process cut the required processing time and costs of cereals significantly, as well as killing bacteria “maximizing food safety,” (p. 62). These processes are extremely efficient and make breakfast cereals fun foods to eat but cause devastating nutritional losses. According to Warner, nutrients that suffer the most during processing are vitamin B1, naturally occurring fibers and phytochemicals, the degree of damage “sometimes reaching 100 percent,” (p. 63). Most of the “nutrients” that we read on the labels are synthetic and sprayed onto the cereal after processing (p. 58). I think that this information is so important because cereals are marketed as nutritious breakfast choices that will “give you energy all day” and are stocked full of “wholesome grains”, but it’s much more complicated than that. Pandora’s Lunchbox has made me think that you and I should reevaluate our #1 breakfast choice.
A fair question that Warner raises is, who’s responsible? Is it the government, the companies, or the consumer? Personally, I believe it should be a group effort. I feel as if the government needs to tighten the reins a bit on the huge corporations that make our food. I love this quote from the book: “while there are clearly policy changes that would make the job of cleaning up food a whole lot easier…the choice about what we choose to feed ourselves and our children is ultimately ours” (p. 220). When it comes down to it, the consumer controls the market, without any demand there would be no supply. You’ve taken multiple economics classes, so I’m sure you’d agree. In an article we read in class by Michael Moss, the CEO of Phillips Morris states “well, that’s what the consumer wants. We’re not holding a gun to their head to eat it,” (“The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food”). This is another statement that made me realize just how much power the consumer has. If enough people were educated on this topic and demanded healthier foods by purchasing more minimally processed foods, the market could shift towards healthier options.
Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner has completely changed my perception of what food I choose to put in my body, as well as the amount of trust I put in those who make that food. And after reading this email, I think you will feel that way too. I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to be educated on these realities of the food industry. I know that you take your health very seriously and I hope that this information will allow you to look even deeper into what you choose to fuel your body with.
Best wishes,
Leslea
Topic Explorer Project
Topic: Decline in bee population
Over the past couple decades, bee keepers all around the world have noticed a rapid decline in their bee populations. In the future (and even in the present) this decline could cause major problems for the world’s agriculture. Multiple causes for this decline have been proposed but a single problem has not been identified. It seems as if it is a combination of a number of unfortunate events. In the paragraphs below, I dive into this burning issue and attempt to learn more from experts on the topic.
Podcast Summary:
I listened to “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, How Can We Be Less Rude to Bees? with Professor James Nieh”. In this podcast, host Jonathan Van Ness, famous hairdresser and star of the television show “Queer Eye”, interviews Professor James Nieh on what’s happening to the bees. Professor Nieh is a well-respected animal behavior specialist who attended both Cornell and Harvard, and he specializes in bee behavior. Nieh states that honey bees are going through a major extinction period and discusses five major problems that are affecting honey bees around the world. These are disease, parasites, insecticides, bee management practices, and nutrition. What he means by bee management is when beekeepers travel the country with their bees to pollinate different crops in different seasons. When this happens, bees can spread diseases to other native hives that are in that area. When talking about bee nutrition, Nieh explains that bees need nutrients like pollen and nectar to survive. Due to habitat loss and lack of diversity of plants, bees are not getting the proper nutrition they need. The two also discuss the foods that are dependent on honey bee pollination as well as the process of pollination itself. To end the episode, Nieh explains the ways bee interact with one another for example dancing, using sounds, and releasing odors.
Professor James Nieh provided information that I believe can be of much value to my understanding of this topic. It was interesting to hear a bee specialist’s take on the decline in the bee population and I am trusting of his five major reasons for that decline. When Nieh explained the lack of diversity of crops hurting bees, he mentioned mass growing of corn as one of the top culprits. This piece of information made sense to me right away, since we learned in class that farmers mainly grow corn due to the government giving them money to do so. Although the part about bee interaction was interesting, I do not think that it will be much help in my understanding of the decline in the bee population.
Van Ness, J. (2018, April 17). Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness "How Can We Be Less Rude to Bees? With Professor James Nieh" [Audio blog post].
Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-can-we-be-less-rude-to-bees-with-prof-james-nieh/id1068563276?i=1000409133517&mt=2
Articles Summary:
The three articles I read are “Monitoring the Dangerous Decline of Wild Bees” by Kelsey Graham, “Declining Bee Populations Pose a Threat to Global Agriculture” by Elizabeth Grossman, and “Ten Years After the Crisis, what is Happening to the World’s Bees?” by Simon Klein. Kelsey Graham is a postdoctoral research associate here at Michigan State who is working to fill in the gaps about what is happening to wild bees. In her article, Graham discusses how the honey bee decline is important but the decline in wild bees is more concerning. Wild bees are more efficient pollinators than honey bees, depositing four times the amount of pollen on a single flower. Graham states that reasons for bumblebee decline are increased prevalence of pests, poor nutrition, and pesticide exposure. These stressors are caused by prairie lands being converted to commercial agriculture like corn and soy fields, and since bees nest in the ground, their habitats are also being destroyed. In Elizabeth Grossman’s article, she discusses the European ban on neonicotinoids, a pesticide that is suspected to be a contributing factor of Colony Collapse Disorder, and how other countries are considering the same. Beekeepers and pesticide companies are on different sides of the argument, beekeepers saying pesticides are unsafe for pollinators and pesticide companies saying that the effect on bees is “minimal”. In the article by Simon Klein, he discusses the current state of the world’s bee populations. Like Graham, Simon brings up the importance of the wild bee collapse along with the collapse of honey bees, stating that there is not as much research on wild bees as honey bees. Simon states that bee populations are still in decline, but scientists are slowly understanding more about the complexity of Colony Collapse Disorder.
Each article has the statement “one of every three bites we take depends on bees” and state how puzzling the decline in bee populations is, no one can find a specific reason for the collapse of colonies. These articles contribute many different aspects to my understanding of this topic but they all tell me this; bee populations are still declining, scientist know some but not enough about the causes of the collapse, and the world’s food supply is at great risk if we don’t figure it out soon.
Graham, K. K. (2018, May 25). Monitoring the Dangerous Decline of Wild Bees. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://psmag.com/environment/are-you-not-worried- about-the-bees
Grossman, E. (2013, April 30). Declining Bee Populations Pose a Threat to Global Agriculture. Retrieved October 11, 2018,
from https://e360.yale.edu/features/declining_bee_populations_pose_a_threat_to_global_agriculture
Klein, S., & Barron, A. (2018, September 19). Ten years after the crisis, what is happening to the world's bees? Retrieved October 11, 2018,
from http://theconversation.com/ten-years-after-the-crisis-what-is-happening-to-the-worlds-bees-77164
Book/Chapter Summary:
I read the prologue and chapter one, “Breakfast in America” of Rowan Jacobsen’s Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis. In his prologue, Jacobsen opens his books by talking about a commercial beekeeper named Dave Hackenberg. Hackenberg was the proud keeper of over 3,000 honey bee hives. One day in November of 2006 in Florida, Hackenberg was visiting his hives on a Brazilian pepper farm and realized that 368 out of 400 of his beehives had collapsed and that his bees had vanished. His beekeeper friends in other states had noticed the same thing happening to their hives. Hackenberg had lost 2,000 of his 3,000 hives and other beekeepers lost even more. Jacobsen ends the prologue by stating that by 2007 a quarter of the northern hemisphere’s honey bees had disappeared. In chapter one, titled “Breakfast in America”, Jacobsen describes the foods that are not possible without the pollinating power of honey bees and the industrial agriculture dependence on honey bees. He lists honey, apples, peaches, plums, coffee, almonds, avocados, ice cream, milk, and broccoli, just to name a few. He also talks about the process of pollination as well as how honey bees are not native to America and how they were originally brought to the new world from Europe. Jacobsen adds in how the collapsing of bee colonies is not just an American problem, but that it’s happening everywhere around the globe.
This chapter of this book contributes many valuable points to my understanding of this topic. When Jacobsen discussed the dependence that industrial agriculture has on honey bees and how detrimental their collapse would be, I quickly connected this topic back to what we have learned in class. For my understanding, this book has connected the bee population decline to my own personal life by describing just how many foods are possible because of honey bees, most of them being foods that I eat every day. I believe that this book is written in a way that allows people who are uneducated on the topic to understand just how serious the issue is.
Jacobsen, R. (2009). Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis. New York, New York: Bloomsbury.
Summary Assessment on Topic Potential:
The topic of bee population decline is most definitely complex. There are many potential factors that could be contributing to the collapse, there are thousands of species of bees to consider, and the research is still being conducted every day to help explain what is actually going on. With that being said, I think this is an incredibly important topic to be educated on because our food supply is so dependent on pollinators, bees especially.
Since our class is specifically about food, I believe that this topic would shed light on an aspect of food that most people don’t consider. We’ve talked a lot about the processes that food goes through after it has been grown but not so much about what takes place before. Bees are so important to agriculture as well as our ecosystem as a whole, and without bees, our world will face a devastating food shortage.
There is a lot more for me to learn about this topic. Since some of the research I found discussed previous years, I am intrigued to find out what the numbers are looking like today and what advancements have been made. I am eager to learn more about the different types of bee species and how they each specifically contribute to agriculture because before doing this research I did not know that there were so many different kinds. Through the research that I did, I found trends in what factors scientists consider to be contributing to the decline in bees, but I am curious to see if there are others out there who have different theories. My group and I all researched this topic, so I am looking forward to seeing all the information that they found and how they feel about the topic as a whole.
Over the past couple decades, bee keepers all around the world have noticed a rapid decline in their bee populations. In the future (and even in the present) this decline could cause major problems for the world’s agriculture. Multiple causes for this decline have been proposed but a single problem has not been identified. It seems as if it is a combination of a number of unfortunate events. In the paragraphs below, I dive into this burning issue and attempt to learn more from experts on the topic.
Podcast Summary:
I listened to “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, How Can We Be Less Rude to Bees? with Professor James Nieh”. In this podcast, host Jonathan Van Ness, famous hairdresser and star of the television show “Queer Eye”, interviews Professor James Nieh on what’s happening to the bees. Professor Nieh is a well-respected animal behavior specialist who attended both Cornell and Harvard, and he specializes in bee behavior. Nieh states that honey bees are going through a major extinction period and discusses five major problems that are affecting honey bees around the world. These are disease, parasites, insecticides, bee management practices, and nutrition. What he means by bee management is when beekeepers travel the country with their bees to pollinate different crops in different seasons. When this happens, bees can spread diseases to other native hives that are in that area. When talking about bee nutrition, Nieh explains that bees need nutrients like pollen and nectar to survive. Due to habitat loss and lack of diversity of plants, bees are not getting the proper nutrition they need. The two also discuss the foods that are dependent on honey bee pollination as well as the process of pollination itself. To end the episode, Nieh explains the ways bee interact with one another for example dancing, using sounds, and releasing odors.
Professor James Nieh provided information that I believe can be of much value to my understanding of this topic. It was interesting to hear a bee specialist’s take on the decline in the bee population and I am trusting of his five major reasons for that decline. When Nieh explained the lack of diversity of crops hurting bees, he mentioned mass growing of corn as one of the top culprits. This piece of information made sense to me right away, since we learned in class that farmers mainly grow corn due to the government giving them money to do so. Although the part about bee interaction was interesting, I do not think that it will be much help in my understanding of the decline in the bee population.
Van Ness, J. (2018, April 17). Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness "How Can We Be Less Rude to Bees? With Professor James Nieh" [Audio blog post].
Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-can-we-be-less-rude-to-bees-with-prof-james-nieh/id1068563276?i=1000409133517&mt=2
Articles Summary:
The three articles I read are “Monitoring the Dangerous Decline of Wild Bees” by Kelsey Graham, “Declining Bee Populations Pose a Threat to Global Agriculture” by Elizabeth Grossman, and “Ten Years After the Crisis, what is Happening to the World’s Bees?” by Simon Klein. Kelsey Graham is a postdoctoral research associate here at Michigan State who is working to fill in the gaps about what is happening to wild bees. In her article, Graham discusses how the honey bee decline is important but the decline in wild bees is more concerning. Wild bees are more efficient pollinators than honey bees, depositing four times the amount of pollen on a single flower. Graham states that reasons for bumblebee decline are increased prevalence of pests, poor nutrition, and pesticide exposure. These stressors are caused by prairie lands being converted to commercial agriculture like corn and soy fields, and since bees nest in the ground, their habitats are also being destroyed. In Elizabeth Grossman’s article, she discusses the European ban on neonicotinoids, a pesticide that is suspected to be a contributing factor of Colony Collapse Disorder, and how other countries are considering the same. Beekeepers and pesticide companies are on different sides of the argument, beekeepers saying pesticides are unsafe for pollinators and pesticide companies saying that the effect on bees is “minimal”. In the article by Simon Klein, he discusses the current state of the world’s bee populations. Like Graham, Simon brings up the importance of the wild bee collapse along with the collapse of honey bees, stating that there is not as much research on wild bees as honey bees. Simon states that bee populations are still in decline, but scientists are slowly understanding more about the complexity of Colony Collapse Disorder.
Each article has the statement “one of every three bites we take depends on bees” and state how puzzling the decline in bee populations is, no one can find a specific reason for the collapse of colonies. These articles contribute many different aspects to my understanding of this topic but they all tell me this; bee populations are still declining, scientist know some but not enough about the causes of the collapse, and the world’s food supply is at great risk if we don’t figure it out soon.
Graham, K. K. (2018, May 25). Monitoring the Dangerous Decline of Wild Bees. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://psmag.com/environment/are-you-not-worried- about-the-bees
Grossman, E. (2013, April 30). Declining Bee Populations Pose a Threat to Global Agriculture. Retrieved October 11, 2018,
from https://e360.yale.edu/features/declining_bee_populations_pose_a_threat_to_global_agriculture
Klein, S., & Barron, A. (2018, September 19). Ten years after the crisis, what is happening to the world's bees? Retrieved October 11, 2018,
from http://theconversation.com/ten-years-after-the-crisis-what-is-happening-to-the-worlds-bees-77164
Book/Chapter Summary:
I read the prologue and chapter one, “Breakfast in America” of Rowan Jacobsen’s Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis. In his prologue, Jacobsen opens his books by talking about a commercial beekeeper named Dave Hackenberg. Hackenberg was the proud keeper of over 3,000 honey bee hives. One day in November of 2006 in Florida, Hackenberg was visiting his hives on a Brazilian pepper farm and realized that 368 out of 400 of his beehives had collapsed and that his bees had vanished. His beekeeper friends in other states had noticed the same thing happening to their hives. Hackenberg had lost 2,000 of his 3,000 hives and other beekeepers lost even more. Jacobsen ends the prologue by stating that by 2007 a quarter of the northern hemisphere’s honey bees had disappeared. In chapter one, titled “Breakfast in America”, Jacobsen describes the foods that are not possible without the pollinating power of honey bees and the industrial agriculture dependence on honey bees. He lists honey, apples, peaches, plums, coffee, almonds, avocados, ice cream, milk, and broccoli, just to name a few. He also talks about the process of pollination as well as how honey bees are not native to America and how they were originally brought to the new world from Europe. Jacobsen adds in how the collapsing of bee colonies is not just an American problem, but that it’s happening everywhere around the globe.
This chapter of this book contributes many valuable points to my understanding of this topic. When Jacobsen discussed the dependence that industrial agriculture has on honey bees and how detrimental their collapse would be, I quickly connected this topic back to what we have learned in class. For my understanding, this book has connected the bee population decline to my own personal life by describing just how many foods are possible because of honey bees, most of them being foods that I eat every day. I believe that this book is written in a way that allows people who are uneducated on the topic to understand just how serious the issue is.
Jacobsen, R. (2009). Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis. New York, New York: Bloomsbury.
Summary Assessment on Topic Potential:
The topic of bee population decline is most definitely complex. There are many potential factors that could be contributing to the collapse, there are thousands of species of bees to consider, and the research is still being conducted every day to help explain what is actually going on. With that being said, I think this is an incredibly important topic to be educated on because our food supply is so dependent on pollinators, bees especially.
Since our class is specifically about food, I believe that this topic would shed light on an aspect of food that most people don’t consider. We’ve talked a lot about the processes that food goes through after it has been grown but not so much about what takes place before. Bees are so important to agriculture as well as our ecosystem as a whole, and without bees, our world will face a devastating food shortage.
There is a lot more for me to learn about this topic. Since some of the research I found discussed previous years, I am intrigued to find out what the numbers are looking like today and what advancements have been made. I am eager to learn more about the different types of bee species and how they each specifically contribute to agriculture because before doing this research I did not know that there were so many different kinds. Through the research that I did, I found trends in what factors scientists consider to be contributing to the decline in bees, but I am curious to see if there are others out there who have different theories. My group and I all researched this topic, so I am looking forward to seeing all the information that they found and how they feel about the topic as a whole.
Grocery Ethnography
Lansing, Michigan, is a very diverse place, socioeconomically and culturally. People from all walks of life are represented here. Since I come from a town that is predominantly Caucasian and not very culturally diverse, I had never taken the time to notice the people alongside me at the grocery store here in Lansing. I had never thought about what they were buying, how they were buying it, or why they were buying it. So, this past week, I did exactly that.
The South Lansing Farmer’s Market is a lively, yet small-knit market that takes place on Thursday’s. The market has approximately ten vendors that sell items from fresh produce to knitted mittens. The market was full of children and adults of different cultures and ethnicities. This was reflected in some of the produce. A kind Asian woman was selling Thai eggplants and odd-looking vegetable she did not know the name of but said it was “used in her country in soups”. It seemed as if everyone there knew one another as they were all friendly to and talking to each other. This could be because the farmer’s market was centrally located in a neighborhood, making it an easily accessible place for those residents to spend time with their neighbors. Or, it could be because of how small the market was, strangers tend to open up more and have conversation in situations with direct human contact (unlike larger supermarkets like Meijer). The prices were more inclusive than other farmer’s markets I have been to in my hometown, baskets of produce ranging from $0.50 to $4.00. A majority of the vendors had signs that said what types of payments were accepted listing various types of credit cards, WIC, the Bridge card, and a program called “Double Up Food Bucks”. This is a great way to allow lower-class families to have access to healthy food, something that is not available in many places. Before this project, I had always assumed that farmer’s markets were targeted toward the middle to upper-class individuals that could afford to feed their families fresh, organic produce. But the South Lansing Farmer’s Market does the opposite. It allows parents of lower-class families to have a welcoming and inviting atmosphere to shop for reasonably priced healthy foods, without feeling judged or unwanted. While also teaching children that locally grown food is beneficial to them and their community.
When you walk into the East Lansing Meijer, it is easy to tell that it is close to a college campus. Michigan State apparel lining the aisles, beer and chips are on display in preparation for this Saturday’s football game. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a handful of individuals getting off the CATA bus. It is important to note that this Meijer is on a bus route. This allows lower-income individuals who depend on public transportation to go grocery shopping at a place with quality produce, unlike a corner store that just has processed snacks. Along with the bus-riding individuals, other shoppers ranged from middle-class women in workout gear, who seem to be stopping by after their morning yoga class, to college students in their pajamas making a pit-stop before their next class. Almost every product had a sale tag on it, catching the eyes of the shoppers on a budget, most likely the college students previously mentioned. Even though, no matter how much money they have, shoppers always love a sale. One interesting thing that I saw was select products, like peanut butter and whole milk, had “WIC Approved” written next to the price tag. I had never seen this at my Meijer at home. This shows just how many families in East Lansing depend on government assistance to buy their groceries. The article “From Junk Food to Treats” states, “low-income mothers may be forced to spend all available resources on their children’s day to day safety and survival” (Chen, p. 154). By providing these labels, Meijer is allowing the moms who depend on WIC to have a less stressful shopping trip by knowing what foods are covered and what foods are not, making the hardest part of their week a little easier. Among the other shoppers, most of them were going about their business, not acknowledging others. This was a sharp contrast compared to the friendly atmosphere of the South Lansing Farmer’s Market. Large stores like Meijer allow people to shop quickly and conveniently making a shopping trip, without any direct interaction with others, a breeze. The only employee that I had come in contact with was the greeter. She was nice and welcoming, but then again, that is her job. The other employees that I saw were mainly stocking shelves, being a cashier, or simply talking to other employees. This shows how most people who go to Meijer, even the employees, know to get in and get out without any inconvenience. Overall, I think that Meijer is a supermarket that attracts shoppers from all different backgrounds and is inclusive to all. But this may not be the store for you if you are looking for a meaningful interaction with your fellow shoppers.
I had never been to a grocery store like Fresh Thyme before. The store’s motto is “Healthy Food. Healthy Values” and this is definitely reflected throughout the aisles. I believe that shopping here could be intimidating for the average shopper, due to all of the out of the ordinary choices. For example, they have cooking oils on tap, giant tubs of flour and other materials for customers to bag themselves, and even an olive bar. All of these different opportunities are not seen down the aisles of Meijer. This was my first time in the store and I was overwhelmed by the extravagance and multitude of choices. When looking at the “bag yourself” option and the oils on tap, it made me wonder why more places do not make it possible for shoppers to do this. This method allows shoppers to buy exactly how much they need while also reducing waste. It may seem flashy at first but if you actually think about it, it is brilliant and could potentially be affordable. Due to the food being mostly organic and fresh, the prices were quite high, most likely targeting middle to upper-class customers. A half-gallon of whole milk at Fresh Thyme was $2 more than a gallon of whole milk at Meijer, and the Meijer one was WIC approved. I saw no indication of government assistance being accepted for payment. A large majority of the shoppers were nicely dressed Caucasian women. Most of them were shopping alone which could possibly mean that they are young professionals who do not have families or they could be older, retired individuals, who can afford the higher prices. The American Way of Eating, by Tracie McMillan, states, “if you want people to eat healthy, why make it so expensive?” (p.5). And that statement is relevant here, I am sure lower-class families would love to enjoy the delicious foods that are offered at Fresh Thyme, but the high prices exclude them from doing so.
This project forced me to look deeper into the establishments where people purchase food and those who shop at them. While the South Lansing Farmer’s Market and Meijer do their very best to make fresh, healthy foods available to people of all cultures and social classes, Fresh Thyme is easily described as a higher-class supermarket, where only select individuals can afford to shop. I also realized stark differences between the same stores in two different towns, the Meijer in my hometown and the Meijer in East Lansing. This difference simply coming from a difference in socioeconomic status among the individuals that shop there.
The South Lansing Farmer’s Market is a lively, yet small-knit market that takes place on Thursday’s. The market has approximately ten vendors that sell items from fresh produce to knitted mittens. The market was full of children and adults of different cultures and ethnicities. This was reflected in some of the produce. A kind Asian woman was selling Thai eggplants and odd-looking vegetable she did not know the name of but said it was “used in her country in soups”. It seemed as if everyone there knew one another as they were all friendly to and talking to each other. This could be because the farmer’s market was centrally located in a neighborhood, making it an easily accessible place for those residents to spend time with their neighbors. Or, it could be because of how small the market was, strangers tend to open up more and have conversation in situations with direct human contact (unlike larger supermarkets like Meijer). The prices were more inclusive than other farmer’s markets I have been to in my hometown, baskets of produce ranging from $0.50 to $4.00. A majority of the vendors had signs that said what types of payments were accepted listing various types of credit cards, WIC, the Bridge card, and a program called “Double Up Food Bucks”. This is a great way to allow lower-class families to have access to healthy food, something that is not available in many places. Before this project, I had always assumed that farmer’s markets were targeted toward the middle to upper-class individuals that could afford to feed their families fresh, organic produce. But the South Lansing Farmer’s Market does the opposite. It allows parents of lower-class families to have a welcoming and inviting atmosphere to shop for reasonably priced healthy foods, without feeling judged or unwanted. While also teaching children that locally grown food is beneficial to them and their community.
When you walk into the East Lansing Meijer, it is easy to tell that it is close to a college campus. Michigan State apparel lining the aisles, beer and chips are on display in preparation for this Saturday’s football game. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a handful of individuals getting off the CATA bus. It is important to note that this Meijer is on a bus route. This allows lower-income individuals who depend on public transportation to go grocery shopping at a place with quality produce, unlike a corner store that just has processed snacks. Along with the bus-riding individuals, other shoppers ranged from middle-class women in workout gear, who seem to be stopping by after their morning yoga class, to college students in their pajamas making a pit-stop before their next class. Almost every product had a sale tag on it, catching the eyes of the shoppers on a budget, most likely the college students previously mentioned. Even though, no matter how much money they have, shoppers always love a sale. One interesting thing that I saw was select products, like peanut butter and whole milk, had “WIC Approved” written next to the price tag. I had never seen this at my Meijer at home. This shows just how many families in East Lansing depend on government assistance to buy their groceries. The article “From Junk Food to Treats” states, “low-income mothers may be forced to spend all available resources on their children’s day to day safety and survival” (Chen, p. 154). By providing these labels, Meijer is allowing the moms who depend on WIC to have a less stressful shopping trip by knowing what foods are covered and what foods are not, making the hardest part of their week a little easier. Among the other shoppers, most of them were going about their business, not acknowledging others. This was a sharp contrast compared to the friendly atmosphere of the South Lansing Farmer’s Market. Large stores like Meijer allow people to shop quickly and conveniently making a shopping trip, without any direct interaction with others, a breeze. The only employee that I had come in contact with was the greeter. She was nice and welcoming, but then again, that is her job. The other employees that I saw were mainly stocking shelves, being a cashier, or simply talking to other employees. This shows how most people who go to Meijer, even the employees, know to get in and get out without any inconvenience. Overall, I think that Meijer is a supermarket that attracts shoppers from all different backgrounds and is inclusive to all. But this may not be the store for you if you are looking for a meaningful interaction with your fellow shoppers.
I had never been to a grocery store like Fresh Thyme before. The store’s motto is “Healthy Food. Healthy Values” and this is definitely reflected throughout the aisles. I believe that shopping here could be intimidating for the average shopper, due to all of the out of the ordinary choices. For example, they have cooking oils on tap, giant tubs of flour and other materials for customers to bag themselves, and even an olive bar. All of these different opportunities are not seen down the aisles of Meijer. This was my first time in the store and I was overwhelmed by the extravagance and multitude of choices. When looking at the “bag yourself” option and the oils on tap, it made me wonder why more places do not make it possible for shoppers to do this. This method allows shoppers to buy exactly how much they need while also reducing waste. It may seem flashy at first but if you actually think about it, it is brilliant and could potentially be affordable. Due to the food being mostly organic and fresh, the prices were quite high, most likely targeting middle to upper-class customers. A half-gallon of whole milk at Fresh Thyme was $2 more than a gallon of whole milk at Meijer, and the Meijer one was WIC approved. I saw no indication of government assistance being accepted for payment. A large majority of the shoppers were nicely dressed Caucasian women. Most of them were shopping alone which could possibly mean that they are young professionals who do not have families or they could be older, retired individuals, who can afford the higher prices. The American Way of Eating, by Tracie McMillan, states, “if you want people to eat healthy, why make it so expensive?” (p.5). And that statement is relevant here, I am sure lower-class families would love to enjoy the delicious foods that are offered at Fresh Thyme, but the high prices exclude them from doing so.
This project forced me to look deeper into the establishments where people purchase food and those who shop at them. While the South Lansing Farmer’s Market and Meijer do their very best to make fresh, healthy foods available to people of all cultures and social classes, Fresh Thyme is easily described as a higher-class supermarket, where only select individuals can afford to shop. I also realized stark differences between the same stores in two different towns, the Meijer in my hometown and the Meijer in East Lansing. This difference simply coming from a difference in socioeconomic status among the individuals that shop there.