Module 6.4 Industrial Farming - Save The Bees

The dramatic and foreboding extinction of bees has been an important environmental issue discussed in the past years. The article by "S.C" in the Teatro Naturale encompasses the global impact and destruction due to the extinction of bees. It is common knowledge that pollination due to bees is important to the food we eat. As stated in the article, "Pollinators play a key role in roughly 35% of global food production and are directly responsible for up to 40% of the world's supply of micronutrients such as vitamin A and folate..." The correlation between bees and vitamin A is new knowledge to me. The article explicitly states the alarming statistic that the extinction of bees will lead to "1.42 million additional deaths" due to vitamin A and folate deficiencies. While we acknowledge this problem, it is important to take additional steps to "save the bees." To save the bees, we must be cautious of the pesticides, fungicides or herbicides we use on our plants. Also, I advocate the purchase of local honey. Local honey supports your local beekeeper and, in my opinion, tastes so much better. 


The documentary "Dirt! The Movie" advocates the importance and necessity of dirt. I personally like how in this documentary, how individuals anthropomorphize "Dirt" as the "Skin of the earth." This dramatization is critical in getting common people to continue and increase the care of dirt. Dirt is important for food and agriculture. It is integral for our community to take care of the topsoil and "dirt" in order to create a healthy and sustainable biosphere. One thing, I strongly agree of that was mentioned in the movie is the theme of increasing knowledge in our youth through "greening" urban areas. This includes smart planting, encouraging the creation of parks, and teaching our youth the importance of "dirt" in our communities.

Industrial Farms or factory farms are large operations that prioritize profit and efficiency at the expense of the environment. The informative documentary, Food Inc, enlightened me on the malpractice of animals in large-scale plants. This specific documentary was accompanied by disgusting footage of what takes place within the plants. This section of the module shows the negative effects of when business and profit intersect with our environment. As of 2012, there are only Dairy related factory farms located in Placer County CA. I was not aware that this factory farm existed. Most importantly, the facts related to California, in particular, were surprising and caught my attention. 

I do not compost. I used to have a colleague who would compost in addition to having her own vegetable garden. Composting is essential to keep our soil healthy because it is literally the most natural process of breaking up organic matter. Composting is the circle of life. The decomposition of natural waste is carried out by natural microorganisms, insects, fungi, etc. to return nutrients back into the soil to make for healthier dirt.