There is no doubt that it makes more sense, environmentally, to make an increased proportion of our diet plant- based (each stage in the flow of energy in food systems, results in a loss due to the generation of heat). Having said all that, it is clear that food producers are always attempting to give us a reason to eat their products. So I can't help but agree with some of Joanna Blythman's comments on Veganuary (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/22/veganuary-animal-foods-plant-vegan). It is certainly not the case that plant foods are uniformly good (monocultures and residue pesticides can be problems) and all animal foods bad (grazers are needed in many cases to maintain grassland habitats). Like Blythman, I do worry that in the rush to produce vegan burgers, sausage rolls and steak bakes, the consumer is often unaware of the nature of the ingredients going into their generation. It sometimes looks more like chemistry than healthy food production,
This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Thursday 23 January 2020
Planting the Idea of Food
There is no doubt that it makes more sense, environmentally, to make an increased proportion of our diet plant- based (each stage in the flow of energy in food systems, results in a loss due to the generation of heat). Having said all that, it is clear that food producers are always attempting to give us a reason to eat their products. So I can't help but agree with some of Joanna Blythman's comments on Veganuary (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/22/veganuary-animal-foods-plant-vegan). It is certainly not the case that plant foods are uniformly good (monocultures and residue pesticides can be problems) and all animal foods bad (grazers are needed in many cases to maintain grassland habitats). Like Blythman, I do worry that in the rush to produce vegan burgers, sausage rolls and steak bakes, the consumer is often unaware of the nature of the ingredients going into their generation. It sometimes looks more like chemistry than healthy food production,
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Birder's Bonus 233
Unusually, a Mute swan ( Cynus olor ) was floating on the Loughor estuary near Bynea.
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