Food, Inc., Watch It

I watched a documentary about a week or so ago called "Food, Inc."  Not a pretty story, but one I'm very glad I watched. (See a trailer here.)

It lifted the veil for me on some ugly realities, among them, the shameful, inhumane conditions under which many animals intended for our dinner tables are raised.

There was much more. Roger Ebert summarizes it well here, and frankly, I don't often agree with his reviews, but he's covered this one well. (Scared the bejesus out of me, too, Mr. Ebert.)

Lacking political muscle individually, the best thing we can do as consumers, is to "vote" to affect our food supply for the better by making moral, healthy and responsible choices at the cash register. Even those of us who may not be able to afford all organic and/or local products can make some effort for the good. Even if it's only contacting local school districts and looking into their school breakfast and lunch programs, and insisting on more healthy food choices if they're lacking.

Since I saw the movie, I've been very much more deliberative about what I'm buying. Have I made all the best choices in what I've bought since then? No. But I've made a start. I have absolutely made a few changes already in what I will no longer buy or eat. I will continue to adopt more changes in my purchasing as I grocery shop over the next few months, and am likely to be changing where I shop, as well.

I won't ask for any comments on this topic, lest any of us inadverdently break the Veggie Libel Laws (/eyeroll...can you believe that?!).  But that's another whole blog topic which I will leave to folks with consititutional law expertise. ;>

~M