In his discussion about key takeaways from his lecture, Andrew Libby, a professor at Indiana University Bloomington said “our food system is opaque.” Monday, January 27th, the AP Environmental Science class at Bloomington High School South participated in a lecture about the impacts of modern agriculture. Libby teaches “Human Biology: The Intricate Human” with topics of obesity and hunger. His mission in teaching the class is to “understand our food system and its effects on human and environmental health.”

While presenting some of his class materials, Libby discussed how processed foods are made and the costs of creating processed foods on animals, humans, and the environment. Students learned about the use of corn in the U.S. food system, CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), strategies farmers use to feed billions of people per day, and the harmful outcomes of these practices/institutions. 

Every item at a grocery store has a story, and though people would like to think that the story is positive, it is most likely not. However, shopping at local grocery stores like Bloomingfoods is a great way to support farmers who want to move away from processed foods and towards organic farming. Additionally, choosing alternatives to meat can improve the environment and the lives of animals. 

The AP Environmental Science class was exposed to the truth of modern agriculture, and some students said that they are going to change their eating habits and rely on plant based meals more. 

Senior Aliya Walter said, “My perspective changed because I learned about how horribly animals are treated, and I think if society can fix this situation by eating more vegetables and fruits, we should change our eating habits and think about alternative diets.”

Whether the students’ diets or perspectives changed or not, they had a unique opportunity to learn more about the history of what they eat on a daily basis and how the U.S. food system impacts humans around the world.