I wanted to share an informative and fairly objective piece in the most recent issue of National Geographic that talks about our food, where it comes from, and how it relates to population. The author does a good job of navigating the complexities, presenting the challenges, reintroducing the idea of Malthusian limits, and sharing the case for agroecology/sustainable agriculture. It's really a very good introduction to the issues involved in (and the results of) our current food production system and enormous population. I highly urge everyone to read it. And on top of it all, it's available free, online, from National Geographic.
"The End of Plenty" by Joel K. Bourne Jr.
From the story:
"It is the simplest, most natural of acts, akin to breathing and walking upright. We sit down at the dinner table, pick up a fork, and take a juicy bite, obliv ious to the double helping of global ramifications on our plate. Our beef comes from Iowa, fed by Nebraska corn. Our grapes come from Chile, our bananas from Honduras, our olive oil from Sicily, our apple juice—not from Washington State but all the way from China. Modern society has relieved us of the burden of growing, harvesting, even preparing our daily bread, in exchange for the burden of simply paying for it. Only when prices rise do we take notice. And the consequences of our inattention are profound."
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