“Why Bother?” was one of two interesting articles sent out in an Episcopal Ecological Network e-newsletter a few days ago. (Both articles actually mentioned meat in a negative way, which was a first.) I wanted to post a link to the “Why Bother?” article, because, as I said to my listserv, “I enjoyed reading the first article by Michael Pollan, in general, but particularly because I’m doing what his article suggests, even for some of the same reasons. How timely. I also share his view on our dependence on ’specialists’ to do things for us, and on changing our light bulbs, and carbon offsets as Indulgences (my word, not his).”

One of the things he suggests, is that we grow our own food (as space permits). And that seems timely, especially with all the media coverage about skyrocketting food costs. Why not defray the cost? Why not grow something organic, so you can save some money? He mentioned that people with Victory Gardens during World War II raised 40% of the food grown in this country. If we did that again, it would take a chunk out of our grocery budget, and it would make us less dependent on imported food from China. Hey! In my part of the country, the planting season begins on May 15th! Wherever you live, you still have time to stop complaining, and “do something about high food prices”. This is exactly the time to “take action” — even if it’s in container garden on your balcony, or an herb garden in your kitchen window! Organize with friends & neighbors, to grow different things, and have a food exchange. (I couldn’t get more than one person at church interested in doing this, so I’m bringing my message to the world.) Beat the system. What you save on growing your own food can go toward filling up your gas tank. Or, are milk, eggs and meat getting too expensive? Soon it will be a bargain to switch to soy/rice/almond/oat milk, Egg Replacer for baking (or tofu for tofu scramble) and vegan meat substitutes. Go vegan, and save more than your money. Save lives! I can’t think of a better time to make the switch.

(The other article was very different. It was sort of pro-humanitarian, while being pro-chemical fertilizers — almost to the point that I wondered if the author holds stock in some fertilizer company. It exposed a huge Catch 22 in the way people live their lives. But interestingly, it “credits” chemical fertilizers for the rise in meat consumption in developing countries. Read it here: “Shortages Threaten Farmers’ Key Tool: Fertilizer”