How Food, Agriculture, And Energy Are The Cause And Solution To Environmental Collapse with Ken Cook

Apr 28, 2021

Ken Cook, the president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, dives deep into the intricate relationship between food systems, health, and environmental challenges. He discusses the harmful effects of agricultural chemicals like glyphosate and advocates for smarter consumer choices. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for policy reforms to shift towards sustainable practices. Cook also highlights the power of grassroots movements in advocating for healthier food systems and the importance of informed consumerism for both personal and planetary health.

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ANECDOTE

Ken Cook's Start in Agricultural Policy

Ken Cook's involvement with agricultural policy began during the farm crisis of the 1980s.
He initially focused on finding ways to use agricultural subsidies to benefit the environment.

INSIGHT

Regenerative Agriculture's Potential and Concerns

Regenerative agriculture, a focus on soil health, offers solutions to environmental and health issues.
While it holds promise for carbon storage, its potential may be overstated.

ADVICE

Policy Levers for Change

Redirect agricultural subsidies from large farms to conservation and environmental protection.
Invest in programs increasing access to healthy food for low-income individuals.

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How Food, Agriculture, And Energy Are The Cause And Solution To Environmental Collapse | This episode is brought to you by Paleovally, ButcherBox, and Athletic Greens

The cost of our food and personal care items is much more than what we pay at checkout. The true cost is measured by the impact that thousands of chemicals have on our health, the environment and climate, our economy, and many other facets of life. Being an informed and engaged consumer is one of the most powerful ways to turn around our toxic world, and we have some incredible resources at our fingertips to do that, like the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Today, I’m excited to talk with Ken Cook from the EWG about food, conscious consumerism, and our impact on the planet.

Ken Cook is the president and co-founder of the EWG. He is widely recognized as one of the environmental community’s most prominent and influential critics of industrial agriculture and the nation’s broken approach to protecting families and children from toxic substances. Under Cook’s leadership, the EWG has pioneered the use of digital technologies to empower American families with easy-to-use, science-driven tools to help reduce their exposure to potentially harmful ingredients in food, drinking water, cosmetics, and other household products. Capitol Hill’s closely read newspaper, The Hill, regularly lists Cook in its annual roster of Washington’s top lobbyists. It has said Cook’s “influence spans the country” and called EWG “the tip of the green movement’s spear.”

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Here are more of the details from our interview:

How the great farm crisis led Ken to begin working on agricultural policy (7:41)

Ken’s perspective on the regenerative agriculture movement (11:09)

How we can improve food and agriculture policy (13:37)

How glyphosate became the most widespread agrochemical in the world, and what we should do about it (31:16)

Improving government oversight and regulation of harmful chemicals (38:00)

Harnessing consumer action to drive policy and marketplace change (40:13)

EWG’s Dirty Dozen, Clean Fifteen, and Skin Deep resources (42:35)

The power of individual behavior and participation to create a healthier country, world, and planet (55:47)

The future of energy (1:00:10)

To learn more about the Environmental Working Group, please visit https://www.ewg.org/ and follow EWG on Facebook @ewg.org, on Instagram @environmentalworkinggroup, and on Twitter @ewg.