ECOLOGY OF FOOD

Course Description

The choices we make as a society about the food we eat affects both the species being consumed and its ecosystem (and us, too, of course!). In this seminar-style course we will consider our food, acquired on land and from the sea, and discuss the natural history and ecology of our “prey” and its relationship with us.

We will start “on land”, reading The Omivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, discussing food species acquired through the industrial and organic agriculture, and the hunter-gatherer approach. In the second half of the course we will go “to the sea”, reading Four Fish by Paul Greenberg to guide our study of the impact of history, geography and consumption on the wild stocks of salmon, seabass, cod, and tuna. Readings will be supplemented by research and popular articles, and additional book chapters. We will also take 2 weekend-day field trips to local farmer's markets or seafood providers.

Normative number of units awarded for the class is 2, with the option of an additional unit awarded for a research project in area of student’s interest.

Required Text

Greenberg, Paul Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food, Penguin
Pollan, Michael The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals Penguin