Thursday 22 September 2016

Food for Thought

On the 13th Oct 2016 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the White Rock Hotel
 and introduced by Elizabeth Coleman

Food is a vital part of our lives and influences almost everything we do. So this debate will consider
*       how we can feed a prospective population of 9 billion people in a globally warming world with less temperate weather.
*         One part of the answer may be to eat less meat. And where is the Morality in slaughtering 1.2 billion animals per week if we do not need to for nutritional reasons.
*         And then there is the whole process of digestions. The bacteria cells in our body outnumber human cells 10 to 1, so how do the gut bacteria actually work and what are the health impacts of the symbiotic relationship we have with them.
*         And finally, will science come to the rescue? Where are we on synthetic biology for creating foods – from GMs to artificial meat etc

            In the pre industrial past (just 300 years ago) sugar was rare and considered a precious spice, and meat was an extraordinary luxury.  Our stomachs have not caught up with the affluence so many of us now take for granted.
            Research has shown that in times of plenty mammals in general increase their degree of co-operation, and in times of scarcity, they become more competitive (not a surprise!).  So getting this wrong may well make the world a much less pleasant place to live!

            It is occasionally interesting to stand back and consider the big questions of life….
I look forward to hearing your opinions

Stephen Milton