Note on the Fridge for Barbara Kingsolver

Dear Barbara,

I curse you and thank you for many things as I read your latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Firstly, you've made me feel sufficiently guilty for all the foods I have consumed in my life. To my credit, I never considered that when I buy produce from California, it's drenched in fossil fuels from transcontinental transportation. I also didn't realize the health and economic monstrosities of high fructose corn syrup. Now I do, and I feel badly for drinking a Coke today.

But I'm trying, Barb. No more fast food for this young man, and I'm doing my best to kick the soda pop habit. Really, the one I had today was the first I'd had in a week. From here on out, I swear off CAFO produced meat, and I'm cutting back on meat altogether. I'd already quit the red meat, but my dearly beloved poultry is taking a dietary hit, too. I'm shopping at the farmer's market, despite how scanty it can be, and I've been making my own pantry staples from local ingredients: pasta sauce, salsa. I'm even going to try my hand at bread making. Because I care about my local community, and I want to do more to decrease my carbon footprint. I don't think recycling is enough anymore.

Thanks for showing me that I don't have to be a vegan to eat responsibly, because I really don't get the health, economic, or moral benefits of such a dietary choice, and I don't think you do either. And thanks for showing me that just making small changes in the way I eat will help me make the world a better place. But please don't hate me if I still shop at Kroger occasionally. I'm a poor graduate student.

Sincerely,
Tim