A Publication of Samantha Mudd's Spring English 308J Class.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Reactions?
As a comment below, write a little bit about your reactions to Warren's talk. What surprised you? What stood out? What are you still wrestling with?
Specifically, I'd like to hear about how you can translate what he's saying about the food industry to other aspects of your life or other things you see going on around you. What principles can you apply to your own worldview?
With regards to my question on overpopulation, I had one of those "I totally should have said this" moments just a few minutes ago. While I thought he addressed my question quite well, I have somewhat of a follow up.
He mentioned that every industrialized nation has a SURPLUS of food; more than enough to feed the starving. My follow up question is, would we still have this surplus (or would we at least break even) if we somehow managed to switch over to the sustainable and ethical model described by Warren?
Overall, I am ultimately struggling with the "onesidedness" of all the information we've gotten so far. While I actually do agree with Warren, most of Food Inc., and just about everything else we've read in class, we haven't really heard information from these so-called evil entities. We've heard a lot of "do your own research" rhetoric, but so far it seems like we've only done research into one point of view on this matter. As a skeptic, that makes me uncomfortable.
Warren was an intelligent man who knew definitely knows his shit when it comes to talking about the food industry. To my surprise he was an excellent public speaker, and the best part about everything was were his credentials. I believe he mentioned in class about going to D.C. to speak in front of councils, hanging out with best selling authors of sustainability in Italy! The list goes on and on anyway, For his views on the food industry I must say i'm torn both ways. I believe that Warren makes valid points about agent orange and rBGH. I feel that what happens to the people who are affected is horrible and nobody should have to go through that because the government is suppose to be the protector of the people, not killing them to make a quick buck. Now, with all that being said let me explain my other half. I mean I want facts I want to know how many people die of diseases from beef and dairy relation. I also want to get the numbers on how much increase in industry it's bringing in. Let's be real here, ask yourself this when was the last time you ate something and thought of e coli o157 h7. You simply just don't. If the general population cared that much something would have been done by now. Call me inhumane or something, but I firmly believe in kill a few to save a thousand.
I was surprised at how real Warren was. He didn’t try to put on a show or at least he didn’t appear to do anything that wasn’t already in his nature. He seemed very genuine and you can tell that he really believes in his work.
I also thought it was interesting at how well rounded he was. He had knowledge concerning the inside of the milk industry and yet he studied kung fu. All of these things seemed to flow into one another to create a holistic view of the world that a lot of us are missing.
Even from an engineering perspective, many of our business, industrial food practices simply don’t make sense. (There is too much poop. Oh well, let’s just not considering putting it back into the ground. We need to keep the cows locked up. We’ll just make an open feed poop to methane reactor.)
This kind of thing doesn’t just stop with the food industry. Look at our lives. We want wealth without work. Heck, our money isn’t even backed up by a real value. We have created a strange fairy world for ourselves where we have become removed from very real things. We die of overindulgence while those who toil in servitude to maintain our overindulgence die. When we reach a new economic crisis, we simply pull more monopoly money out of our proverbial asses. We are expected to spend more than we create. People go around and don’t think about their actions and say that they don’t have to have meaning but when suddenly we realize that our lives have in turn lost all meaning, we can’t seem to find where the ball was dropped.
After watching both Food Inc. and The world according to Monsanto I was left feeling somewhat defeated. The videos showed time and time again these large powerful companies using their wealth to overcome any obstacle that could possibly negatively affect their profits. Not even a credible scientist with clear evidence against one of these companies could stand in the way of the large corporations greed. It seemed quite clear that these large companies would do just about anything to accomplish their goal. It was so frustrating to me seeing how unfair our entire system was. However, being the average passive college student I was left feeling as if there really wasn’t much that I could do. I thought it was really interesting when Warren talked to us about his relationship with Kroger. It was obvious through their reaction to his sales that they were intimidated by what he was producing. I actually found it somewhat amusing that the number two largest producers of milk could possibly feel threatened by this small up and coming dairy farm. I think it was around this point when I started to think that maybe there is some hope for us little people to turn things around. It was clear that even with all the downfalls of a small company, Snowville creamery was doing really well. Its really inspiring to hear from someone who is passionate about not only providing a good product, but also about helping the environment and economy as well. I truly hope that our country can start shifting towards a society were we have more businesses like Warrens. I feel like the world would be so much better of a place if people cared a little bit more about others, rather than just themselves, which I feel is exactly what has lead us to the system we are now living in.
I really enjoyed Warren's talk. He covered a large amount of information through his own thoughts and just talking. I liked that it felt like he was really trying to inform us on what was going on and not just lecturing us on sustainability topics. He is definitely a very intelligent person and knows what he is talking about. Not only is he informed in the dairy business but also in many other issues having to do with sustainability, such as global warming and the production or corn and beans and so on. which was really interesting because they all really lead back to the same issue of sustainability and all connect. How the soil is does effect the dairy business because that is the soil that the grass grows from that their cows will eat and so on an so forth.
I thought all of his quotes were appropriate and interesting as well. He brings to question if people in the 1700s and Native Americans and monks all knew how to be sustainable or what contributed to a sustainable society how are we messing it up? We know what the problem is we just have to make a change and start making a difference. I think it is wonderful what he has done starting Snowville creamery and I really admire him for spending the time, effort and money to make things happen, not just for Athens but he is going all around the world talking about these issues and learning about better ways to live and practice sustainability. It makes me want to start making a difference if not even just for myself to live a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle and hopefully working up to helping the environment and community.
I really liked what he had to say. I liked everything about him. His personality, enthusiasm, ideals, etc.
I liked that he mentioned Ernesto Guevara and Augusto Pinochet. People in America live in this bubble and need to know about things like that. They need to take a second look at their history textbooks, which have been altered to glorify this country. Don't buy into all of the "greatest country in the world's" propaganda.
I liked that he brought to light the corruption of our government with his own examples and experiences.
I liked how he talked about the free market and how it is not so free. It can be related to the brain dead megaphone idea. Whoever has the most money runs the show. Whoever has the most money writes the laws and has the loudest voice.
I liked the list of books he encouraged people to read. He incorporated his other values into his presentation. I liked his open mindedness.
After leaving class and heading to my next one, I started to get a bit depressed. I already dislike the world and its people. Hearing some of the things he had to say made me upset. I was angry about hearing some of the injustices done. Like big dairy suing little dairy because big dairy is not making as much money. I hate greed and the materialistic society that I live in.
When the class was asking questions I almost raised mine to ask "Why shouldn't I leave?" Why shouldn't I go somewhere where I don't have to deal with this crap?
All in all, I'm very glad he came in to speak to our class. It was enlightening and encouraging.
After hearing Warren talk to the class one of the things that surprised me was why he started his business. I didn't expect him to start his business because he was angry. I found this to be very interesting for the reason why he started his business. I was also glad to see that his business his becoming successful because I believe that he is doing the right things and hopefully more people will follow in his footsteps. I was also surprised by all the knowledge and experience that Warren has about the food industry. He has been to Washington DC and he has met with many different people involved in the food industry.
After watching Food Inc. and listening to Warren, I would also like to hear the other side of the story. There has to be something good about the food industry that i don't know about. Hearing the other side would be very valuable to me.
Warren explained how a few people in the United States own a majority of the wealth in this country. If you think about your everyday life this stat makes sense. Most of the people that we interact with are middle class to lower class people. You don't usually meet someone who is very wealthy because only a small number of people have this high social status.
I really enjoyed having Warren come in and talk to us. He's so passionate about his work and I love that he hated big corporations enough to take them by the horns.
He said a lot of things that we already knew about the food industry, but what stood out to me was the graph he showed about the gap between the rich and the poor. I couldn't believe that the wealth distribution in our country has reached such a skewed state.
I think he really wanted us to be aware of what was happening. He wanted us to be angry that our rights were taken away to know what we buy and eat. Warren stressed to us multiple times that we, as the people, can not be complacent, or else we will be ruled by tyranny and repression. If we can't even know what is going into our food, how are we supposed to trust what's going on in our government at a larger level?
All of this emphasis on food and its quality is going to make me change my consumer habits. I'm going to try to make better choices when buying products at the store. Even if it means buying less, I am going to take quality over quantity. Maybe I can't make much of a difference now, but I intend to do what I can to try to better my own health and, in doing so, support sustainable practices.
Warren's talk was very insightful and I liked how he talked about the importance of quality milk and foods. I do not like how the dairy industry is contolled by 2 or 3 major companys and I feel like this is a legal way to have a monopoly. I also did not know that the government told farmers that they could not label their milk as "antibiotic free" for the first few years that the cows were injected with growth hormone. I think that this practice was manipulative and unfair to consumers. One thing that I started to do this weekend was eat foods from "mom and pop" restraunts instead of big corporate ones and I plan to plant a small garden in my backyard this weekend if the supplies are not too expensive. I wish there was an easier way for individuals to fight for cleaner, safer, and better food. After Warrens speech, I am curious how safe our foods and medicines really are here in the U.S.
I really found Warren's discussions with us in class on Tuesday to be quite enlightening. There were themes throughout the discussion relating to environmentalism as well as towards entreprenurship. He was very passionate about what he was doing in the dairy industry and I especially loved when he said "I made Snowville out of hate."
One thing that Warren discussed that I had not heard of before was the idea of carbon fixation and how great the things his cows had done for the land they grazed. I didn't get enough information to really get a firm grasp of this concept. It really made me think a lot why more people don't use this style of free grazing dairy farming. Not only was this practice good for the environment as a whole but also for the immediate localized environment of the farm. Much like Warren said,the surrounding hill top farms present throughout most the area do have trouble growing grass each year without the use of fertilizers due to the high clay content of these appalacian soils. The fact that through the practice of free grazing Warren hasn't even had to use a little fertilizers is pretty impressive. Who would have thought that eating grass could be so great for the environment.
As far as changing my purchasing habits, especially in terms of the dairy industry, I dont know how much will actually change. I have always loved Snowville milk and would love to drink that everyday instead of the processed mess I usually buy. The issue of price however is a big factor in all my purchasing habits. I cannot afford to buy a half gallon of Snowville milk at nearly $5 when I can get a gallon of the cheap bad stuff for $2.50. Maybe when I'm not a broke college student I'll be able to make the much needed and wanted change.
Warren was probably the most interesting speaker I've ever had to listen to in a class. I was most interested when he said that the world does produce enough food to feed everyone, even more actually, and that the problem was sharing it. This idea blew my mind. I also found it interesting when he spoke about carbon in the soil being replaced by weeds and other plants. This allows the soil to "recharge" and hold water even better. There really is a lot of science that goes into raising cattle.
I know that the big corporations are corrupt and operate on a very dirty level but we really haven't heard anything directly from them. I am very interested in hearing what they have to say. I don't know that they are capable of defending themselves from these claims and maybe that's why they choose not to speak out but I would really like to hear the other side's arguments.
I loved Warren's talk. He was a very interesting and animated speaker. I'm still in disbelief that our government is allowing companies like Monsanto to act the way that they do. When he asked us "do you believe that you live in a democracy?" it really hit me that, no we don't. We've grown up being taught that we live in a free country, the most democratic in the world, when in reality, we are being hoodwinked by the government. The major companies in the food industry are out to produce as much food as possible, for the least amount of money. In order for them to make profit they are willing to put American citizens' health at stake, and I am baffled that our "democratic" government allows this.
I was also intrigued by Warren's statement that the problem isn't lack of food, it's lack of sharing. He's exactly right, I've never felt starvation in my life. Yes, there's been times where I eat only Ramen Noodles for a week because I'm a broke college student, but I've never truly been hungry. How did America get to a place where we are only concerned with ourselves? Shouldn't we be concerned with helping those who can't afford food at all?
Warren really made me rethink how our entire nation operates. In this so-called democratic government I think it is time that we as citizens change it. Change has to start somewhere, and if we don't change how the food industry runs not only will the health of Americans suffer, but what's next? Where else in our lives will corruption and deceit take over. Maybe it's up to Americans my age to start this change. Warren made me feel like our generation can be the change.
Warren is very passionate about his stance towards the food industry. I like how he kept saying "I'm pissed" in a way that made you realize that everyone else should be too. His presentation did a good job of proving his point. He made me think about the inter workings of the industry and how mysterious it really is, especially with companies like Monsanto. Monsanto states that their products help save world hunger but Warren reassured the class that it wasn't a lack of food, but a lack of sharing food. I was surprised to hear that a lot of countries have 50% more food than they actually need to feed their populations. His passion is to change the food industry for the better so he started Snowville Creamery. His passion showed me that if you feel strongly that something is wrong in the world, you are not helpless. Anyone can effect the world to make positive changes with hard work and determination.
Warren Taylor is a very passionate man. He believes this country is slowly declining and we as one need to stand up to our government. What really stood out to me was he started his own business and its actually still going. He really knows what he's talking about and doing. Taylor asked the class a question and the answer was, "people are greedy." He's absolutely correct. Look at what is happening in the NFL with the potential lock out. Those people have so much money but yet they want more. These days people do not take jobs because they like what they are doing but because of the wealth that comes with it. What I really stood out to me was when Taylor had to go to court. He could have gave up and called it quiets, but he did not let them roll all over him.
I think Taylor was really trying to stretch the fact that our food industries are not what they could be. They are not very clean or healthy. Another thing he called out was how our government was being ran. He think's certain rights have been taking away and after watching Food Inc, I believe him. Our government protects these big industries because they know thats where the money is at. It is really depressing knowing that our government is not doing much to help this situation. I am watching this TV show on Net Flix called "Prison Break." It actually ties into everything we are talking about. A man was murdered so the big companies could gain more wealth and then help the vice president by giving her money to run for president.
Warren is a very intelligent and persuading man. I thought he brought up very important and interesting points that we all need to know about.
I knew from the second Warren walked in the room he was going to be a very interesting and passionate speaker and that he was. I found myself listening and locking into every word he said and by the end of his presentation I was just as PISSED as he was. The large corporations that are using inhumane methods for their food productivity are becoming more and more greedy, resulting in poorer quality of food to save a few more cents. I like how he explained being greedy is the lack of consciousness. Without this conscious of what is right/wrong the morals of people become non existent and that is how we got to where we are today in our food industry. Some of the workers involved understand the harm they are creating but have to perform their daily jobs in order to make money and be sustainable in today's world. This is a huge problem because these individuals are putting money over their own morality. Another great point by Warren is that in order to have sustainability you have to SHARE, and not gorge yourself with more than you need. Our country seems to be notorious for wasting material, food, and pretty much anything. We produce a lot more food than we consume and yet we still have people starving throughout our country and all across the world. Doesn't make much sense to me. A basic principle we are taught as child is to share and yet our high and powerful government does not follow this guideline. It's a sad and hypocritical story that needs to change. Sharing in this world would make it a much more sustainable situation.
Warren was a great speaker and seemed like an overall good guy. What I enjoyed about Warren was his passion for his beliefs. He was able to get the audiences attention, and keep it for a long period of time. One of the most interesting points that Warren brought up was the amount of food wasted in the world. We see this happening everyday. Its not so much the lack of food for some places, but the amount of food wasted in other places. This comes to my next point of GREED. America is a very greedy place, and many people are just trying to do what makes them successful. There aren't many out there that are doing things for the good of others and the community.
For how this GREED affects more than just the food industry, look at professional sports. The owners and players can't come to an agreement over millions of dollars. There is so much money in professional sports its unbelievable. The Dallas Cowboys built a 100 yard flatscreen and put it into their football stadium. Now in my opinion that is one of the most pointless things I have ever seen. Yes, it is very cool, but couldn't that money be used to maybe give to a charity. People who are able to abuse their money do. I just think a great amount of the money made in our country could be used for better purposes than instances I pointed out above.
I enjoyed and appreciated Warren taking time out of his day to come to talk to our junior english class. Clearly this is something he is passionate about and feels that it is important enough to spend time on spreading the idea of buying good clean wholesome locally grown foods. I was surprised that Warren started this business more out of anger than anything else. I also found it surprising that if the company profits grew he would put the profits into lowering the price of the milk and raising the salaries of his employees instead of taking the profits for himself. It is a very unselfish act that very few company owners consider and even fewer act on. This speaks magnitudes on his attitude towards his cause. What I found shocking was that the big milk companies do have a strangle hold on legislation to increase their monopoly on the market. This angers me more than anything else (being the unethical treatment of animals and use of antibiotics and a poor quality product) because I believe that competition among companies is one of the biggest drivers of economic growth that also insure a better product. The fact that the big milk companies tried to squash the growth of a company that makes up a small amount of the market is not so surprising to me, its a common business practice that small companies need to deal with. Small companies shouldn't have to deal with a corrupt government that is in bed with the bigger corporations and their goals. This is unfair and something needs to be done. One idea kept popping into my head. The idea was where did I get the fruits and vegetables when I was growing up. I realized the majority of my fruits, vegetables and eggs came from a locally grown source. I was blessed to live next to my retired grandpa for my entire life. He had a big garden and a chicken coop that fed my grandparents and my family. Looking into the future I feel that if I live long enough i would like to follow in my grandpa's footsteps by growing my own food to support my family. I also would like to make my own bio diesel but thats for another story. And yes the his food tasted ten times better than anything you could get in the store. After hearing Warren I would say I feel more obligation to being involved in whatever community I end up living/belonging to. I think here in america we have lost our feeling of community. We have become Agoraphobic, locked in our ADT secured houses, packages that get delivered to your door and online ordering of groceries that are available for pick up at anytime. WE should not be satisfied with what is given to us at a new low price. We should be satisfied with a sustainable communities, locally to globally. We need to fight big corporations that think that they can get away with herding sheep into the direction that profits themselves. They forget who they work for and we forgot that we are in charge.
I also found some interesting articles about governments that are trying to become more sustainable. Merkel in Germany with alternate energy and japanese CEOs cutting their salary, both scraping nuclear fuel. There is hope.
With regards to my question on overpopulation, I had one of those "I totally should have said this" moments just a few minutes ago. While I thought he addressed my question quite well, I have somewhat of a follow up.
ReplyDeleteHe mentioned that every industrialized nation has a SURPLUS of food; more than enough to feed the starving. My follow up question is, would we still have this surplus (or would we at least break even) if we somehow managed to switch over to the sustainable and ethical model described by Warren?
Overall, I am ultimately struggling with the "onesidedness" of all the information we've gotten so far. While I actually do agree with Warren, most of Food Inc., and just about everything else we've read in class, we haven't really heard information from these so-called evil entities. We've heard a lot of "do your own research" rhetoric, but so far it seems like we've only done research into one point of view on this matter. As a skeptic, that makes me uncomfortable.
Warren was an intelligent man who knew definitely knows his shit when it comes to talking about the food industry. To my surprise he was an excellent public speaker, and the best part about everything was were his credentials. I believe he mentioned in class about going to D.C. to speak in front of councils, hanging out with best selling authors of sustainability in Italy! The list goes on and on anyway, For his views on the food industry I must say i'm torn both ways. I believe that Warren makes valid points about agent orange and rBGH. I feel that what happens to the people who are affected is horrible and nobody should have to go through that because the government is suppose to be the protector of the people, not killing them to make a quick buck. Now, with all that being said let me explain my other half. I mean I want facts I want to know how many people die of diseases from beef and dairy relation. I also want to get the numbers on how much increase in industry it's bringing in. Let's be real here, ask yourself this when was the last time you ate something and thought of e coli o157 h7. You simply just don't. If the general population cared that much something would have been done by now. Call me inhumane or something, but I firmly believe in kill a few to save a thousand.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how real Warren was. He didn’t try to put on a show or at least he didn’t appear to do anything that wasn’t already in his nature. He seemed very genuine and you can tell that he really believes in his work.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was interesting at how well rounded he was. He had knowledge concerning the inside of the milk industry and yet he studied kung fu. All of these things seemed to flow into one another to create a holistic view of the world that a lot of us are missing.
Even from an engineering perspective, many of our business, industrial food practices simply don’t make sense. (There is too much poop. Oh well, let’s just not considering putting it back into the ground. We need to keep the cows locked up. We’ll just make an open feed poop to methane reactor.)
This kind of thing doesn’t just stop with the food industry. Look at our lives. We want wealth without work. Heck, our money isn’t even backed up by a real value. We have created a strange fairy world for ourselves where we have become removed from very real things. We die of overindulgence while those who toil in servitude to maintain our overindulgence die. When we reach a new economic crisis, we simply pull more monopoly money out of our proverbial asses. We are expected to spend more than we create. People go around and don’t think about their actions and say that they don’t have to have meaning but when suddenly we realize that our lives have in turn lost all meaning, we can’t seem to find where the ball was dropped.
After watching both Food Inc. and The world according to Monsanto I was left feeling somewhat defeated. The videos showed time and time again these large powerful companies using their wealth to overcome any obstacle that could possibly negatively affect their profits. Not even a credible scientist with clear evidence against one of these companies could stand in the way of the large corporations greed. It seemed quite clear that these large companies would do just about anything to accomplish their goal. It was so frustrating to me seeing how unfair our entire system was. However, being the average passive college student I was left feeling as if there really wasn’t much that I could do.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really interesting when Warren talked to us about his relationship with Kroger. It was obvious through their reaction to his sales that they were intimidated by what he was producing. I actually found it somewhat amusing that the number two largest producers of milk could possibly feel threatened by this small up and coming dairy farm. I think it was around this point when I started to think that maybe there is some hope for us little people to turn things around. It was clear that even with all the downfalls of a small company, Snowville creamery was doing really well. Its really inspiring to hear from someone who is passionate about not only providing a good product, but also about helping the environment and economy as well. I truly hope that our country can start shifting towards a society were we have more businesses like Warrens. I feel like the world would be so much better of a place if people cared a little bit more about others, rather than just themselves, which I feel is exactly what has lead us to the system we are now living in.
I really enjoyed Warren's talk. He covered a large amount of information through his own thoughts and just talking. I liked that it felt like he was really trying to inform us on what was going on and not just lecturing us on sustainability topics. He is definitely a very intelligent person and knows what he is talking about. Not only is he informed in the dairy business but also in many other issues having to do with sustainability, such as global warming and the production or corn and beans and so on. which was really interesting because they all really lead back to the same issue of sustainability and all connect. How the soil is does effect the dairy business because that is the soil that the grass grows from that their cows will eat and so on an so forth.
ReplyDeleteI thought all of his quotes were appropriate and interesting as well. He brings to question if people in the 1700s and Native Americans and monks all knew how to be sustainable or what contributed to a sustainable society how are we messing it up? We know what the problem is we just have to make a change and start making a difference. I think it is wonderful what he has done starting Snowville creamery and I really admire him for spending the time, effort and money to make things happen, not just for Athens but he is going all around the world talking about these issues and learning about better ways to live and practice sustainability. It makes me want to start making a difference if not even just for myself to live a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle and hopefully working up to helping the environment and community.
I really liked what he had to say. I liked everything about him. His personality, enthusiasm, ideals, etc.
ReplyDeleteI liked that he mentioned Ernesto Guevara and Augusto Pinochet. People in America live in this bubble and need to know about things like that. They need to take a second look at their history textbooks, which have been altered to glorify this country. Don't buy into all of the "greatest country in the world's" propaganda.
I liked that he brought to light the corruption of our government with his own examples and experiences.
I liked how he talked about the free market and how it is not so free. It can be related to the brain dead megaphone idea. Whoever has the most money runs the show. Whoever has the most money writes the laws and has the loudest voice.
I liked the list of books he encouraged people to read. He incorporated his other values into his presentation. I liked his open mindedness.
After leaving class and heading to my next one, I started to get a bit depressed. I already dislike the world and its people. Hearing some of the things he had to say made me upset. I was angry about hearing some of the injustices done. Like big dairy suing little dairy because big dairy is not making as much money. I hate greed and the materialistic society that I live in.
When the class was asking questions I almost raised mine to ask "Why shouldn't I leave?" Why shouldn't I go somewhere where I don't have to deal with this crap?
All in all, I'm very glad he came in to speak to our class. It was enlightening and encouraging.
After hearing Warren talk to the class one of the things that surprised me was why he started his business. I didn't expect him to start his business because he was angry. I found this to be very interesting for the reason why he started his business. I was also glad to see that his business his becoming successful because I believe that he is doing the right things and hopefully more people will follow in his footsteps. I was also surprised by all the knowledge and experience that Warren has about the food industry. He has been to Washington DC and he has met with many different people involved in the food industry.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching Food Inc. and listening to Warren, I would also like to hear the other side of the story. There has to be something good about the food industry that i don't know about. Hearing the other side would be very valuable to me.
Warren explained how a few people in the United States own a majority of the wealth in this country. If you think about your everyday life this stat makes sense. Most of the people that we interact with are middle class to lower class people. You don't usually meet someone who is very wealthy because only a small number of people have this high social status.
I really enjoyed having Warren come in and talk to us. He's so passionate about his work and I love that he hated big corporations enough to take them by the horns.
ReplyDeleteHe said a lot of things that we already knew about the food industry, but what stood out to me was the graph he showed about the gap between the rich and the poor. I couldn't believe that the wealth distribution in our country has reached such a skewed state.
I think he really wanted us to be aware of what was happening. He wanted us to be angry that our rights were taken away to know what we buy and eat. Warren stressed to us multiple times that we, as the people, can not be complacent, or else we will be ruled by tyranny and repression. If we can't even know what is going into our food, how are we supposed to trust what's going on in our government at a larger level?
All of this emphasis on food and its quality is going to make me change my consumer habits. I'm going to try to make better choices when buying products at the store. Even if it means buying less, I am going to take quality over quantity. Maybe I can't make much of a difference now, but I intend to do what I can to try to better my own health and, in doing so, support sustainable practices.
Warren's talk was very insightful and I liked how he talked about the importance of quality milk and foods. I do not like how the dairy industry is contolled by 2 or 3 major companys and I feel like this is a legal way to have a monopoly. I also did not know that the government told farmers that they could not label their milk as "antibiotic free" for the first few years that the cows were injected with growth hormone. I think that this practice was manipulative and unfair to consumers. One thing that I started to do this weekend was eat foods from "mom and pop" restraunts instead of big corporate ones and I plan to plant a small garden in my backyard this weekend if the supplies are not too expensive. I wish there was an easier way for individuals to fight for cleaner, safer, and better food. After Warrens speech, I am curious how safe our foods and medicines really are here in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI really found Warren's discussions with us in class on Tuesday to be quite enlightening. There were themes throughout the discussion relating to environmentalism as well as towards entreprenurship. He was very passionate about what he was doing in the dairy industry and I especially loved when he said "I made Snowville out of hate."
ReplyDeleteOne thing that Warren discussed that I had not heard of before was the idea of carbon fixation and how great the things his cows had done for the land they grazed. I didn't get enough information to really get a firm grasp of this concept. It really made me think a lot why more people don't use this style of free grazing dairy farming. Not only was this practice good for the environment as a whole but also for the immediate localized environment of the farm. Much like Warren said,the surrounding hill top farms present throughout most the area do have trouble growing grass each year without the use of fertilizers due to the high clay content of these appalacian soils. The fact that through the practice of free grazing Warren hasn't even had to use a little fertilizers is pretty impressive. Who would have thought that eating grass could be so great for the environment.
As far as changing my purchasing habits, especially in terms of the dairy industry, I dont know how much will actually change. I have always loved Snowville milk and would love to drink that everyday instead of the processed mess I usually buy. The issue of price however is a big factor in all my purchasing habits. I cannot afford to buy a half gallon of Snowville milk at nearly $5 when I can get a gallon of the cheap bad stuff for $2.50. Maybe when I'm not a broke college student I'll be able to make the much needed and wanted change.
Warren was probably the most interesting speaker I've ever had to listen to in a class. I was most interested when he said that the world does produce enough food to feed everyone, even more actually, and that the problem was sharing it. This idea blew my mind. I also found it interesting when he spoke about carbon in the soil being replaced by weeds and other plants. This allows the soil to "recharge" and hold water even better. There really is a lot of science that goes into raising cattle.
ReplyDeleteI know that the big corporations are corrupt and operate on a very dirty level but we really haven't heard anything directly from them. I am very interested in hearing what they have to say. I don't know that they are capable of defending themselves from these claims and maybe that's why they choose not to speak out but I would really like to hear the other side's arguments.
I loved Warren's talk. He was a very interesting and animated speaker. I'm still in disbelief that our government is allowing companies like Monsanto to act the way that they do. When he asked us "do you believe that you live in a democracy?" it really hit me that, no we don't. We've grown up being taught that we live in a free country, the most democratic in the world, when in reality, we are being hoodwinked by the government. The major companies in the food industry are out to produce as much food as possible, for the least amount of money. In order for them to make profit they are willing to put American citizens' health at stake, and I am baffled that our "democratic" government allows this.
ReplyDeleteI was also intrigued by Warren's statement that the problem isn't lack of food, it's lack of sharing. He's exactly right, I've never felt starvation in my life. Yes, there's been times where I eat only Ramen Noodles for a week because I'm a broke college student, but I've never truly been hungry. How did America get to a place where we are only concerned with ourselves? Shouldn't we be concerned with helping those who can't afford food at all?
Warren really made me rethink how our entire nation operates. In this so-called democratic government I think it is time that we as citizens change it. Change has to start somewhere, and if we don't change how the food industry runs not only will the health of Americans suffer, but what's next? Where else in our lives will corruption and deceit take over. Maybe it's up to Americans my age to start this change. Warren made me feel like our generation can be the change.
Warren is very passionate about his stance towards the food industry. I like how he kept saying "I'm pissed" in a way that made you realize that everyone else should be too. His presentation did a good job of proving his point. He made me think about the inter workings of the industry and how mysterious it really is, especially with companies like Monsanto. Monsanto states that their products help save world hunger but Warren reassured the class that it wasn't a lack of food, but a lack of sharing food. I was surprised to hear that a lot of countries have 50% more food than they actually need to feed their populations. His passion is to change the food industry for the better so he started Snowville Creamery.
ReplyDeleteHis passion showed me that if you feel strongly that something is wrong in the world, you are not helpless. Anyone can effect the world to make positive changes with hard work and determination.
Warren Taylor is a very passionate man. He believes this country is slowly declining and we as one need to stand up to our government. What really stood out to me was he started his own business and its actually still going. He really knows what he's talking about and doing. Taylor asked the class a question and the answer was, "people are greedy." He's absolutely correct. Look at what is happening in the NFL with the potential lock out. Those people have so much money but yet they want more. These days people do not take jobs because they like what they are doing but because of the wealth that comes with it. What I really stood out to me was when Taylor had to go to court. He could have gave up and called it quiets, but he did not let them roll all over him.
ReplyDeleteI think Taylor was really trying to stretch the fact that our food industries are not what they could be. They are not very clean or healthy. Another thing he called out was how our government was being ran. He think's certain rights have been taking away and after watching Food Inc, I believe him. Our government protects these big industries because they know thats where the money is at. It is really depressing knowing that our government is not doing much to help this situation. I am watching this TV show on Net Flix called "Prison Break." It actually ties into everything we are talking about. A man was murdered so the big companies could gain more wealth and then help the vice president by giving her money to run for president.
Warren is a very intelligent and persuading man. I thought he brought up very important and interesting points that we all need to know about.
I knew from the second Warren walked in the room he was going to be a very interesting and passionate speaker and that he was. I found myself listening and locking into every word he said and by the end of his presentation I was just as PISSED as he was. The large corporations that are using inhumane methods for their food productivity are becoming more and more greedy, resulting in poorer quality of food to save a few more cents. I like how he explained being greedy is the lack of consciousness. Without this conscious of what is right/wrong the morals of people become non existent and that is how we got to where we are today in our food industry. Some of the workers involved understand the harm they are creating but have to perform their daily jobs in order to make money and be sustainable in today's world. This is a huge problem because these individuals are putting money over their own morality.
ReplyDeleteAnother great point by Warren is that in order to have sustainability you have to SHARE, and not gorge yourself with more than you need. Our country seems to be notorious for wasting material, food, and pretty much anything. We produce a lot more food than we consume and yet we still have people starving throughout our country and all across the world. Doesn't make much sense to me. A basic principle we are taught as child is to share and yet our high and powerful government does not follow this guideline. It's a sad and hypocritical story that needs to change. Sharing in this world would make it a much more sustainable situation.
Warren was a great speaker and seemed like an overall good guy. What I enjoyed about Warren was his passion for his beliefs. He was able to get the audiences attention, and keep it for a long period of time. One of the most interesting points that Warren brought up was the amount of food wasted in the world. We see this happening everyday. Its not so much the lack of food for some places, but the amount of food wasted in other places. This comes to my next point of GREED. America is a very greedy place, and many people are just trying to do what makes them successful. There aren't many out there that are doing things for the good of others and the community.
ReplyDeleteFor how this GREED affects more than just the food industry, look at professional sports. The owners and players can't come to an agreement over millions of dollars. There is so much money in professional sports its unbelievable. The Dallas Cowboys built a 100 yard flatscreen and put it into their football stadium. Now in my opinion that is one of the most pointless things I have ever seen. Yes, it is very cool, but couldn't that money be used to maybe give to a charity. People who are able to abuse their money do. I just think a great amount of the money made in our country could be used for better purposes than instances I pointed out above.
I enjoyed and appreciated Warren taking time out of his day to come to talk to our junior english class. Clearly this is something he is passionate about and feels that it is important enough to spend time on spreading the idea of buying good clean wholesome locally grown foods.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that Warren started this business more out of anger than anything else. I also found it surprising that if the company profits grew he would put the profits into lowering the price of the milk and raising the salaries of his employees instead of taking the profits for himself. It is a very unselfish act that very few company owners consider and even fewer act on. This speaks magnitudes on his attitude towards his cause.
What I found shocking was that the big milk companies do have a strangle hold on legislation to increase their monopoly on the market. This angers me more than anything else (being the unethical treatment of animals and use of antibiotics and a poor quality product) because I believe that competition among companies is one of the biggest drivers of economic growth that also insure a better product. The fact that the big milk companies tried to squash the growth of a company that makes up a small amount of the market is not so surprising to me, its a common business practice that small companies need to deal with. Small companies shouldn't have to deal with a corrupt government that is in bed with the bigger corporations and their goals. This is unfair and something needs to be done.
One idea kept popping into my head. The idea was where did I get the fruits and vegetables when I was growing up. I realized the majority of my fruits, vegetables and eggs came from a locally grown source. I was blessed to live next to my retired grandpa for my entire life. He had a big garden and a chicken coop that fed my grandparents and my family. Looking into the future I feel that if I live long enough i would like to follow in my grandpa's footsteps by growing my own food to support my family. I also would like to make my own bio diesel but thats for another story. And yes the his food tasted ten times better than anything you could get in the store.
After hearing Warren I would say I feel more obligation to being involved in whatever community I end up living/belonging to. I think here in america we have lost our feeling of community. We have become Agoraphobic, locked in our ADT secured houses, packages that get delivered to your door and online ordering of groceries that are available for pick up at anytime. WE should not be satisfied with what is given to us at a new low price. We should be satisfied with a sustainable communities, locally to globally. We need to fight big corporations that think that they can get away with herding sheep into the direction that profits themselves. They forget who they work for and we forgot that we are in charge.
I also found some interesting articles about governments that are trying to become more sustainable. Merkel in Germany with alternate energy and japanese CEOs cutting their salary, both scraping nuclear fuel. There is hope.
ReplyDeletehttp://e360.yale.edu/feature/germanys_unlikely_champion_of_a_radical_green_energy_path/2401/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/10/japan-nuclear-renewables