Wenonah Hauter

This book by the Executive Director of national environmental non-profit Food & Water Watch is presumably meant to provide ammunition for the movement to ban fracking. It provides a history of fracking in the United States, followed by stories from anti-fracking organizations and coalitions that detail their successes and failures. There is a lot of revealing information about how environmental organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund, in conjunction with centrist Democratic politicians, have supported fracking around the country by pushing the expansions of natural gas as a "bridge fuel." In contrast, Hauter cites research that shows how natural gas is just as bad for climate change, and as dangerous, as oil and coal. She also calls out moderate Democrats who have a history of promoting cap and trade schemes that allow polluters to keep polluting, and investors to make money speculating on prices. This book was published before Trump's election, so it offers some optimism based on successes in states such as New York to ban fracking entirely. Clearly many people in the U.S. and elsewhere are passionate about stopping the use of fossil fuels.… (mehr)

3.5 Can one possibly be surprised to hear that above all money and power talks? It is apparent in almost every societal issue, that this is true. So that this is true, even in the control of the food we eat, the lack of policies that should proect us, was not a surprise, but some of this book was as we're the statistics. The loss of 1.4 cattle, hog and dairy farms in the last thirty years, didn't realize this number was so huge. Also didn't know that hedge funds were grabbing lands. That four bug grocery chains control the quality and the prices. Big corporations taking the place of individual farms, setting prices and controlling advertising. What is marketed and how to the consumer. Not at all concerned about standards, our health, our children's health, nor the long range consequences of such actions. Money is indeed king.

The bottled water market, is a scan and a very money making one at that. Even when we think we are doing the right things, buying organic foods, that may not be the case. Much of our organics, even if farmers here could supply the same, the profit margin is much larger, if they are imported from other countries. Countries were safety and health standards are not the same as ours. Hence, many of the cases of ecoli, and samonella that seem to be be on our news monthly with new recalls.

Knowing where your food is coming from is key, buying from local farms smart, but many just don't have access. Current anti trust laws little stop these corporations from grabbing more control, and don't act as though deterrent they should. The author feels that these laws need to be changed to better protect the consumer, and that communication between consumers and local farms need to be strengthened. Flexitarian is the word for those who are incorporating meatless days into their meal planning. Not only better for health but for the environment.

The author presents much information, even graphs for comparisons. One can certainly tell where her bias is, but this doesn't mean it is wrong. In fact, after reading this, it is almost impossible not to see where we are heading, if nothing is done. Scary thoughts. Who and what are in control of feeding our families. It should be us and this book at least lets one make and informed opinion.… (mehr)

Hauter took on much more than could be accomplished comfortably in one book. She tried to describe the political, corporative, scientific and environmental pieces of the issue going back an entire century. Thus, the background was valuable, but the examples and consequences and recommendations were scatter-shot. It was difficult to pluck the nuggets out of the mass of info.

She touches on anti-trust theory and vertically integrated corporate structures, and randomly throws in where one of the kingpins met his wife. (at a frat party)

I learned a whole lot more practical information from 'Fracking Pennsylvania.'… (mehr)