Michael Pollan on Eating Locally

This week's podcast from Mother Jones Radio features Michael Pollan (author search on Michael Pollan in OhioLINK), author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire among other titles. During the interview, Pollan points out that freshly picked, chilled, washed and gently packaged ready-to-eat organic spinach may be better for the land in which it was grown - but it is, figuratively, "steeped in diesel oil" and represents extraordinary energy consumption to keep it fresh and transport it thousands of miles around the country and the world. Pollan urged listeners who now felt guilty about buying bags of pre-washed lettuce and spinach to support the local farm market, and work to encourage area supermarkets to feature local produce. Pollan was also interviewed on NPR's Talk of the Nation, April 14, 2006.

Oberlin's copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma is not available yet - try OhioLINK or head to a local bookstore to buy your own copy. Read the publisher's description in the OhioLINK central catalog and see if any copies are available for loan. There are multiple catalog records for the book in OhioLINK, and many copies are in the system - most of which seem to be checked out, on hold, in process or on order. You can add your name to the queue.