Inquiry and Critical Thinking
Directions for assignment:
Write a 1-2 page essay explaining why or why not you think Michael Pollan’s assertion that “industrial-organic” is a contradiction of terms is correct.
Completed essay: Michael Pollan’s assertion at the end of chapter 8 in The Omnivore’s Dilemma that industrial organic is a contradiction of terms is a valid claim and is supported by what he witnesses throughout his experiences in the book. Initially, his understanding of the term “organic” was what most consumers believed it to be; foods labeled organic seem to be more environmentally sustainable and, as a result, are generally considered “better.” His findings, however, proved to be different from what he once thought, especially after spending time with Joel Salatin, a “grass farmer” who owns perennial-polyculture grasslands that actually seem to be what everyone credits organic supermarket food to be.
Paradoxically, Pollan tells us that Salatin’s farm is not considered to be organic in technical terms. The fact that his farm is so much more sustainable than “industrial organic” companies, though, is what makes one question whether or not this word – organic- really is what everyone makes it out to be. Pollan says that, “For half a century now, which is to say for as long as industrial agriculture has held sway in America, the principal alternative to its methods and general approach has gone by the name ‘organic,’ a word chosen … to imply that nature rather than the machine should supply the proper form of agriculture” (page 131). Definitions such as this one give the notion that organic foods, or foods that do not have a reliance on machinery, are automatically better for the world – both because of their environmental impacts and their nutritional contents. The problem with this is that large companies are able to sneak past regulation standards by practicing production methods that only appear to be higher-quality because of the decreased use of machinery. Salatin clears this up for us when he says, “…I would much rather use my money to keep my neighborhood productive and healthy than export my dollars five hundred miles away to get ‘pure product’ that’s really coated in diesel fuel” (page 132).
Foods labeled organic are not necessarily worse for the world than non-organic foods, but the idea that they are superior to them or healthier is falsified when factors such as the transportation of the food are taken into account. What would be more beneficial for the population to start focusing on is locally-grown food because of how much less of the population a few farms would have to feed compared to billion-dollar companies, such as Monsanto, that transport food thousands of miles to millions of people. The beginnings of the organic food industry started off with good intentions. With the large-scale demand that followed it, however, also came more and more harmful methods that would still permit the foods to be labeled organic for the sole purpose of appealing to the general public, who in recent years has become more interested in sustainability.
Industrial organic is a contradiction of terms because it does not do justice to what the basis of early organic farming was – that is, a movement which hoped to support small-scale farms for the good of the earth and our health. Instead of selling us genuine, wholesome food, most supermarkets today provide us with organically-labeled products that are just as oil-laden and artificial as their industrially-produced competitors.
Communication
Directions for assignment:
Assignment overview: Many of the claims related to both problems with the U.S. Food System and solutions to those problems are supported by quantitative analysis (i.e., the analysis of numerical data). In this assignment you will be working in teams of 2-3 to develop a research question that can be answered using quantitative analysis that can be collected by visiting a local supermarket, collect the data needed to answer your question, and present the findings of your investigation in a written report and very brief presentation to the class.
Steps in completing this assignment:
Step 1: Decide on a research question. Your group should choose from among these four research questions – note ALL research questions require collecting data:
1. How much does eating organic cost? Compare the cost of organic and non-organic versions of the same products. You might focus on a particular type of food (e.g., produce, dairy products, grains and legumes) or you might estimate the costs of switching a “typical” diet to organics.
2. How much money can one save by eating a vegetarian (or even a reduced-meat) diet? Develop a comparison of the costs of meeting one’s dietary protein requirements using animal-based proteins, plant-based proteins, and/or some combination of the two.
3. How does processing affect the cost and nutrient density of food? Develop a comparison of the nutrient density and cost of unprocessed, partially processed, and heavily processed versions of the same foods (e.g., apples, applesauce, and apple juice). You might focus your study on foods of a particular type (e.g., produce, dairy products, grains and legumes).
4. Develop your own research question and get it approved by Joe or Prof. Yeh before you collect your data. There are many extremely interesting questions out there, so be creative and also remember that the question should have some relevance to sustainability.
Step 2: Develop a data collection strategy and collect your data. We have set aside mentor lab on Wednesday, 2/23 for you to walk with your group to the downtown Safeway store @ 1010 SW Jefferson St. about 4-5 blocks from PSU. You may also use this time to go to another grocery store if that is what your group has decided. If you need additional time for data collection, you will need to arrange that outside of class.
Step 3: Analyze your group’s data and produce the graphs for your report. We will dedicate some time during mentor lab on 2/28 and/or 3/2 for this.
Step 4: Decide on what you’d like to present to the class. We have set aside mentor lab on Wednesday 3/2 to work on this.
Assignment Requirements: This assignment consists of a class presentation.
Note: This is a team-based assignment. Each person in your group must speak. Everyone on the team gets the same grade.
Class Presentations will be brief (8-10 minutes per group; at 10 minutes you will be cut off) and should include:
1) Introduction to the topic.
2) The research question that you investigated.
2) The method or approach used to collect their data.
3) The study results (you should show one or more of graphs).
4) The conclusion(s) that you can make based on your study.
There will be a 5 minute question and answer period immediately after the presentation where the audience can ask presenters questions.
Graphing tips:
Ø Label the axes and include the quantity/unit presented (for example, Cal or g/Cal).
Ø If using a black and white printer, make sure that your graphs are clear in black and
white; color graphs on the monitor don’t usually translate into clear, easily understood
graphs generated by a black and white printer.
Grading:
Your team’s presentation – 55 points
Your evaluation of other presentations – 15 points; you will evaluate all other groups (as done previously for the last presentation)
Your questions to other presentations – 5 points; each person will ask one question to another group after presentation:
Everyone in group 1 will ask a question immediately after the presentation to group 2; Everyone in group 2 will ask a question immediately after the presentation to group 3; etc. For example, Wagoner, Nteh and Manning will each come up with one question while watching group 9 present, and will ask that question immediately after the group has finished their presentation (during the question and answer period).
Completed project: How Much Does Eating Organic Cost
Diversity of the Human Experience
Directions for assignment:
Objective: We have been discussing what we eat, where it comes from, and whether it is healthy. What if you were living and eating in a completely different part of the world? Cultural diversity is an important component of sustainability: lifestyles and habitats vary widely across the globe and each culture is more or less sustainable across multiple dimensions. Food is only one of these dimensions but a critical one.
We will examine the cultural diversity of sustainability (University Studies diversity goal) by examining the implications of cultural food choices. In this assignment, we will get a better sense of how foods compare among cultures and we will compare the consequences of various diets and food sources. In addition to learning about food, this assignment is a chance to work on a variety of skills, including: collecting, manipulating, analyzing, and displaying data (math and graphing), giving presentations, and conducting teamwork. Because this assignment is a significant portion of your grade, I expect high quality work that reflects the discussions and readings completed to date.
I. Make and Graph a Meal
The class will divide into teams to investigate different diets. Each team will research two meals: 1) A typical American meal of your choice, 2) A typical meal from another culture.
The groups will be assigned one of the following 5 countries. The countries are as follows:
Vietnam: Abbott, Angus, Eichelberger, Harfst, Mandich, Nteh, Spooner, Wood
Ecuador: Ahn, Cheng, Gardner, Jay, Manning, Olson, Stehr, Zhang
India: Alhammam, Corder, Griffith, Kim, Mayers, Pasc, Turenne, Zhong
Ethiopia: Almuslim, Duong, Hanthaley, Krkyun, McCusker, Selvy, Wagoner
Turkey: Alshamsi, Durand, Hao, Kuhlman, Nguyen, Smith, Wilson
Each group will find a ‘traditional’ recipe for their culture and shop for the ingredients necessary to prepare this meal and the American meal.
With your team:
- Plan a meal [or large dish] to serve 6-10
- You have a total of $60 per team.
- Develop a comprehensive ingredients list. You must use at least 4 ingredients for each meal.
- Shop for it [Use only cash to pay for the groceries and save your receipt to return to PY].
- Record the nutritional data for each serving: calories, grams of fat, protein, vitamin A and C, and any other data you think is relevant.
- Calculate the overall cost of the meal.
- Work within your mentor group on how best to calculate, display, and analyze your data.
II. Estimate the Sustainability of the Meal
How sustainable are the two different diets based on the data you collected? What determines whether a diet is sustainable? If you had the budget to collect the necessary data, what would you measure to estimate the sustainability of each meal?
III. What does it all mean?
Your group should arrive at a synthesis that pulls together several threads regarding agriculture and sustainability. How does the American meal compare to the other countries meal? What values does this reflect? Are there lessons we can learn from other cultures that would improve our own sustainability? Are there lessons that Americans could teach the other cultures?
IV. CLASS PRESENTATIONS
There are two components to the presentation: 1) Giving a presentation, 2) Evaluating your classmates. A hand-out will be given in class to help you score your classmates presentations.
You will present on February 14 in main session.
Each group will have 15 minutes. Practice!
V. RUBRICS
Group Presentation (40/50 assignment points): I will be assessing the organization, quality of graphics, quality of analysis, and general clarity of the presentation. I expect the following components:
1) A general introduction to the diet of the assigned nation.
2) Detailed data with graphs comparing the typical American meal to the traditional meal from the country you were assigned.
3) A rough estimate of the sustainability of the meal and an estimate of how you would collect such data if you could.
4) A synthesis that explains what we can learn from other cultures in regards to food and sustainability.
5) Include at the end of the presentation a list of team members, and roles: indicate who did what (e.g. planning, shopping, cooking, making charts, etc).
Completed project: Ethiopia
Ethical Issues and Social Responsibility
Directions for assignment:
In 1-2 pages, answer the following question:
What do you think is the single biggest problem on the Portland State campus with regards to sustainability, and how would you tackle this problem?
Completed essay: In regards to sustainability, Portland State University is a relatively “green” campus and, as a result, has a rather positive reputation because of the practices that many students and staff members follow on a regular basis. Some problems linger, however, but if they were to be solved, PSU’s reputation would greatly benefit. The biggest problem PSU has that is related to sustainability is the limited availability of local eating locations that are on campus. In order to tackle this issue, the authorities of the school must put it on the top of their priority list to provide more sustainable food options.
Although there are several community restaurants, cafes, and food carts on the streets around PSU, most of the places to eat on campus are chains that get their food delivered to them from places thousands of miles away. If students and staff members want to use their dining plans, they are forced to choose between a number of eateries that can be found in any city and any state, such as Sbarro, Subway, Zoca, and Starbucks. Some food carts are often parked on the Park Blocks, but dining dollars, PSU’s pre-pay account system that allows people to purchase food around campus, are not accepted there and thus, usually attract people who are not on dining plans. Fortunately, there are those who are demanding more sustainable choices already. The Food for Thought Café is supplied with organically-produced and locally-produced foods. Its downfall is its location. Located in the basement of Smith Memorial Student Union, a seldom visited area of campus for most PSU-goers, a large percentage of people are not even aware of the café’s existence. The signs and flyers that advertise it are appealing, but the idea of walking out of the way into the basement for a quick bite is not.
Because of PSU’s perseverance to maintain an environmentally conscious atmosphere, the board that is in charge of sustainability should push for opening places similar to the Food for Thought Café in easy-to-access areas. Chain restaurants require ingredients to be shipped from factories all over the country, and the impact this has on the planet has proved to be very harmful because of pollution and other effects. In addition, locally-owned businesses would provide jobs for Portlanders who might otherwise add to the negative effects of large companies by working for them, rather than working for local businesses. Because this solution would probably take some time, it would also be advantageous for PSU to negotiate a system with the vendors of food carts and businesses around campus that would permit people to use their dining dollars. This would attract many more customers, adding to Portland owners’ profits while also supporting local citizens through more jobs.
If PSU officials were to make locally-produced foods more available and prevalent, its sustainable reputation would only become stronger and more evident. Just as the promotion of recycling, composting, and water conservation have all been presented and, in turn, become a common part of many lifestyles here, more sustainable eating habits should also be publicized in order to create a healthier and more natural environment for dining. Not only would students and staff of PSU benefit by having more eating choices, a number of local Portlanders would also have the chance to work for an ecologically-aware, community business.
selvychristine 