Omnivore!

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My Review of Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma

I enjoyed every part of this eye opening book. 
The book is so well written and inspired me with so many of it's sections of beautiful imagery.

I am envious of any successful writer because I truly wish it was a talent I possessed. One of the reasons, I write this blog is to grow better at writing. I struggled through my English classes at UGA even though I enjoy reading. I push my self to read great books in order to understand and be inspired.

Mr. Pollan breaks down our food systems and brings to light how we Americans select the very thing that sustains our life, food.

Omnivore's Dilemma was never a struggle for me to read, but I did find myself needing time to process all the information. I felt as though, in the beginning, I was outraged by how this system works and why we aren't doing more to change it and that I should start right now and change everything! This, of course, is rash and really solves nothing. I grew to understand like my change in attitude towards becoming a better environmental steward to the earth, my change in attitude towards the way I chose food would need to be similar, one step at a time.

The section of the book that I enjoyed the most is when Mr. Pollan visits the sustainable farm on the east coast. I enjoyed learning that there are still farms that are organized this way, sustainably, instead of based on monoculture system. In this section what really stuck with me is a description of how the cows are heated for the winter (standing on a warm compost of sorts) and then how the farm owner has the pigs dig for gold (alcohized corn nuggets) to turn the warm compost. It solves so many problems and both species are doing what they naturally enjoy doing.

Mr. Pollan's vivid descripition of all the landscapes he encounters are to me what was the best part of the book. There are several that are still in my mind and yearn to be painted.

All in all, I feel more enlightened, inspired and ready to continue to learn what I can do to make a difference in my food consumption and that this really goes hand in hand with the activities I have incorporated already in my quest to live more green!