Why Is the Global Food System So Important?

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Why is food so important? Why are you focused on food and not fossil fuels? Well, part of the reason for my focus on food is that it's massively neglected by comparison to developing interest in fossil fuels. We don't pay nearly enough attention to fossil fuels, but we pay even less to food and farming. The global food system is as greater threat to earth systems as fossil fuels are, if not more. Because it hits earth systems at every single level. It's among the greatest causes of climate breakdown, river pollution, air pollution. Above all, and perhaps most importantly, it's by far the greatest cause of land use.

Episode #247. It's widely accepted that we are in a climate crisis. But what does that mean? Renowned author and journalist George Monbiot joins me in this episode to examine how our food systems are directly impacting our planet's health, and what we can do about it. What do soil and the human gut have in common? Why is food a political issue? What does radical change in the food system look like, and how do we get there?

We cover these questions and more, discussing:

Intro (00:00)
George Monbiot on wildlife, farming, & global food systems (03:39)
Plants & soil microbes: a remarkable connection (09:45)
Soil bacterial diversity & the dangers of soil degradation (20:36)
Profit over sustainability (26:32)
The role of citizens in shaping the food system (34:09)
Why is animal agriculture problematic? (45:38)
Are we the complacent and the silent majority? (57:35)
George Monbiot's alternative to farming animals (01:05:53)
Outro (01:10:16)

You can find a comprehensive database of George Monbiot's work on his website, https://www.monbiot.com/, which encompasses his journalistic work and books. Get his book 'Regenesis' here. Connect with him on Twitter, and search "George Monbiot" on YouTube to find a wealth of videos like his short film with Greta Thunberg, this TED Talk, and this fascinating video about wolves and the balance of nature.

Discover more insights and supporting resources in the full show notes.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

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