Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dean Smith on December 17, 2009 at 6:14pm

One thing that I think of when I consider how we used to get food is the enormous amount of spoilage that occurred. Even as recently as the 1950's, I know that a large percentage of the grain harvested in the midwest where I grew up spoiled before it could get to market. I wonder if there are any figures on this. I do know that the advent of plastic wrap greatly reduced spoilage. Now, I am not a great advocate of plastic, but that is a fact we can't deny. I think it would be terrific if each region could dig up video or images like this. We should also be documenting how we so food today for the sakes of our children and grandchildren.

Permalink Reply by lane on December 17, 2009 at 8:16pm

Dean: I hope that as we become more local by necessity, we will not have to store and ship food so long and so far. And I hope our elders and in old books and periodicals we can remember how we used to live. A lot of that knowledge is being remembered and relearned.

Permalink Reply by Tamara SunSong on December 17, 2009 at 10:49pm

Neat video -- thanks!

I'm guessing the quantity of food lost to spoilage in past was nothing compared to the quantity currently lost to "shrinkage" -- produce not saleable because of tiny marks, canned goods or frozen meat that gets close to its expiration date... my partner used to work at a medium-scale organic grocery store and the amount of perfectly good food thrown out daily was shocking!

Plastic isn't necessarily completely unsustainable. It's all about the specifics. There are methods of plastic production that use plant-based (i.e., non-fossil-based) plastics and use pressure to mold them rather than heat, which means that the process takes far less energy and can be done an indefinite number of times without degrading the material. Conventional heat-based recycling can only be done once; it's really "down-cycling."

Permalink Reply by Mike Morin on December 18, 2009 at 1:17pm

With respect to thee Dean ;-) :
I mean
What you write
and the answer Lane give and part of what
Tamara
is correct
I mean right?

The following is left to post:

First let me challenge Tamara. Plastic that is not durable and reusable should be avoided as much as humanly possible.
Secondly, I don't see how her "shrinkage" is any different than Dean's "spoilage" except that the term shrinkage can also be applied to theft and other forms of unecological unethical diversions of product or service.

As an important aside, let's discuss the allocation of resources as it applies to the absurd cultural manifestation of what most likely started as a necessity, the consumption of spoiling, fermenting grains and fruits (i.e. liquor, beer, wine).

Related to that we can discuss the packaging/waste issues involved with such megalithic, unethical industries and Capitalist interests and enterprises.

That's enough for now, I guess.


In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,

Mike Morin

Permalink Reply by lane on December 18, 2009 at 1:39pm

Mike: We're trying to organize Discussions so that we don't get off track too much. I had hoped that we could discuss videos in this discussion.

Peace, Lane