Exploration Four - Chris Phillips

The most important theme of in the movie "Fresh" was the idea that the food industry doesn't *have* to be the way it is. In fact, some interviewees claim that this method of farming and food production is less sustainable than an organic approach. This is because the mass production of meat is done in monocultures, and Michael Pollan says that "it takes a huge amount of pesticides to keep monocultures healthy." The treatment of these illnesses comes with more problems, killing off the weaker strains of the viruses and leaving only resistant ones. This is one reason why organic production begins to become more sustainable than mass production. If I were to review the film, I would focus on what it really means to produce organically and what complications might arise from it. I would also see what the plan is for the future of mass producers of meat and crops, since the movie says that this method is unsustainable. I thought that the movie represented the arguments for organic production very well, with seemingly credible sources and anecdotes from farmers who produced both organically and inorganically. However, I think that the filmmaker could have sought out more knowledgeable businessmen and higher-ups involved in inorganic production to give their opinions on the matter. This would make the film seem less like propaganda and more like a reality check where the viewer makes up their mind. If organic production has every advantage over inorganic production, the message of the film would only be strengthened.

One question I had during the film was how effective the pesticides commonly used were. According to Cornell entomologist David Pimentel, “[i]t has been estimated that only 0.1% of applied pesticides reach the target pests, leaving the bulk of the pesticides (99.9%) to impact the environment." (Environmental Health Perspectives, Horrigan, L., Lawrence, R. S., & Walker, P. (2002))
These impacts include loss of biodiversity, water and soil contamination, and increases in the resistance of pests due to only the strongest pests surviving and reproducing.
This information was found at http://www.sustainabletable.org/263/pesticides.