I'm very hopeful that we'll see some change in our food system. I don't know how far we'll go, or how quickly we'll get there, but there is no question that a significant percentage of the American public is dissatisfied with the food system. Michael Pollan More Quotes by Michael Pollan More Quotes From Michael Pollan The best farming systems are ones where animals and plants are put into a synergistic relationship. Michael Pollan farming plant animal The longer I've looked at these questions, of the American diet and the public health crisis that we face because of that diet, the more I've come to the conclusion that the collapse of cooking is a big part of the problem. Michael Pollan cooking problem faces It's been a mystery to me and a disappointment why conversation about health care reform hasn't turned more attention to the subject of food. Michael Pollan reform disappointment attention If you care about the animals, actually, organic might not be the best answer because now we have organic feedlots, organic factory farms. If you care about the environment - pesticides, especially - organic is the answer. Michael Pollan care answers animal The issue of snacking is complicated. In principle, "grazing" is probably a good idea. It would even out the insulin spikes and things like that from eating large meals. The problem is it makes it harder for people to control the amount they're eating. Michael Pollan issues people ideas Everything we eat begins with a plant turning solar energy into carbohydrates. Everything. Whether we're eating meat or eating vegetables, it all begins there. So I'm always interested in taking things back to the beginning. Michael Pollan meat energy vegetables I still think we have a long way to go on rebuilding a culture of cooking. Everyday simple cooking. Michael Pollan simple long thinking One of the skills of a journalist, though, is to find people who can teach him what he needs to know. So instead of taking courses, I've been very lucky in that I found teachers - scientists, especially - who were willing to teach me what I needed to know, whether it was about genetically modified crops or how photosynthesis works, and so on. I just find my teachers and don't have to pay for my education. Michael Pollan skills teacher people I've always been interested in plants because I'm a gardener, so I have a basic understanding of botany and things like that, but it's all self-taught. Michael Pollan taught understanding self Animals die even if you eat vegetables. That is the nature of farming. There is a certain sacrifice involved. Michael Pollan sacrifice vegetables animal I have no scientific training at all. I was an English major in school. Everything I learned about science I've learned as a journalist would, finding out what I needed to know. Michael Pollan ive-learned training school It's estimated that about 30 percent of the increase in grain prices could be attributed to the decision to embrace biofuels, particularly corn-based ethanol. It has done nothing for climate change and the business is in real trouble now with the collapse of oil prices. It's completely dependent on a dollar subsidy and tariff from the government. Michael Pollan oil government real The problem is that we let special-occasion food become everyday food. That goes for soda and french fries. Michael Pollan soda everyday special I agree insofar as we eat too much meat. We're eating about 200 pounds per person per year. That's about 9 ounces a day. That's probably more than is good for us and it's certainly more than is good for the environment. Michael Pollan too-much meat years I think using waste oils as fuel makes sense. We do waste a huge amount of vegetable oil in this country and using that as a fuel source strikes me as fine. Michael Pollan oil vegetables thinking Oil companies have gas stations. There's this whole huge structure that is about finding a new liquid for the tank. And the idea that maybe there shouldn't be a liquid, that maybe the best is an electrical grid, a sustainably powered electrical grid that we all plug into, that doesn't sit well with oil companies. Michael Pollan tanks oil ideas Not that I'm against meat eating. But I think we're eating too much. Michael Pollan meat-eating too-much thinking We're spending, on average, 27 minutes a day cooking and about four minutes cleaning up, so basically about a half hour. Any one of TV shows takes twice as long to watch as that, which I think is very interesting because the main excuse people give for not cooking is they don't have time to cook, but somehow they're finding time to watch other people cook or eat on TV. Michael Pollan long people thinking The other thing that soy contributes to, of course, is hydrogenated oil. This is the main oil. This is the fast-food oil. Michael Pollan soy fast-food oil Avoid food products that make health claims. at meals and eat them only at tables. And no, a desk is not a table. Michael Pollan
