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Food: The New Gold? Kathlyn Gay Explores the Future of Food

Colin Foster

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In her new book, Food: The New Gold, Kathlyn Gay explores the future of food. She argues that food is becoming increasingly commodified and concentrated, and that this is having a negative impact on our health, our environment, and our society.

Food: The New Gold

by Kathlyn Gay

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	22361 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	96 pages

Gay begins by tracing the history of food production. She shows how, over the past century, we have moved from a system of small-scale, local food production to a system of large-scale, industrial food production. This shift has led to a number of problems, including:

Increased food insecurity: Industrial food production is less resilient than small-scale food production. This means that we are more vulnerable to food shortages in the event of a natural disaster or other crisis.
Degraded environmental quality: Industrial food production requires large amounts of land, water, and energy. It also produces a lot of pollution. This is harming our environment and contributing to climate change.
Poor health: Industrial food is often processed and contains high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. This is contributing to a number of health problems, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Gay argues that we need to change the way we produce and consume food. She calls for a more sustainable and equitable food system. This would involve:

Increasing local food production: We need to produce more food closer to where we live. This will help to reduce food insecurity and environmental degradation.
Eating a more plant-based diet: Meat production is a major contributor to climate change. By eating less meat, we can help to reduce our impact on the environment.
Reducing food waste: We waste a lot of food. This is a waste of resources and it also contributes to climate change. We need to find ways to reduce food waste.

Gay's book is a wake-up call. She shows us that our current food system is not sustainable. We need to change the way we produce and consume food in order to create a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable future.

About Kathlyn Gay

Kathlyn Gay is an environmental journalist and author. She has written extensively about food and agriculture. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. She is the author of several books, including The Green Revolution: A Genealogy of Modern Food (2018) and Food: The New Gold (2022).