Reasons Why

[ BELL DINGS ] Nye: ORDER UP!

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

HERE'S YOUR BACON.

OH, THANKS.

IT'S RAISED ON ANCHOVIES, YOU KNOW?

BACON? WELL, PIGS.

PIGS LIKE ANCHOVIES -LOTS OF ANCHOVIES.

THE PENGUINS DON'T LIKE THAT.

I THOUGHT PENGUINS LOVED ANCHOVIES.

OH, THEY DO. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

COFFEE?

SURE.

IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT?

WELL, NO.

JUST THAT THE VERY BEST COFFEE

PASSES THROUGH THE INTESTINE OF A CATLIKE INDONESIAN MAMMAL.

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?

STICK AROUND. I'LL SHOW YOU.

[ SIZZLING ]

ORDER IN!

[ BELL DINGS ]

HI, I'M BILL NYE.

WHENEVER WE MAKE STUFF, STUFF HAPPENS. AND TODAY WE'RE MAKING BREAKFAST. NOW, WHERE DOES ALL OUR BREAKFAST STUFF COME FROM? HOW DOES IT GET HERE? AND WHAT'S ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT? AND WHAT ABOUT THIS BACON THAT RUDY'S COOKING UP?

HUH.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE SMELL OF BACON IN THE MORNING. AND AMERICANS CONSUME OVER 2 BILLION POUNDS OF BACON EVERY YEAR. IT'S A PRIMARY BREAKFAST FOOD IN MOST WESTERN NATIONS. BUT OUR LOVE OF BACON HAS AN EFFECT ON THE FOOD CHAIN THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU.

WELCOME TO MY WORLD. FROM THIS LABORATORY, I LOOK FOR THE SECRET LINKS BETWEEN ALL OF OUR STUFF AND THE ENVIRONMENT. SO, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH BACON? AND HOW DOES THAT CONNECT TO PENGUINS? THE DEAL WITH BACON IS HOW PIGS EAT. PIGS EAT LIKE PIGS, BUT IT'S WHAT WE GIVE THEM TO EAT THAT CAUSES TROUBLE. THANKS TO US, PIGS EAT A LOT OF FISH. THAT'S RIGHT. THEY MAY BE IN KANSAS. BUT THESE PORKERS ARE SEAFOOD LOVERS. THEY LOVE LITTLE FISH. I'M TALKING HERRING, SARDINES, AND ESPECIALLY ANCHOVIES.

PIG FARMERS SAY EATING FISH HELPS THEIR ANIMALS GROW TO THAT WONDERFULLY AMPLE SIZE THAT CONSUMERS WANT. THIS TALE OF FISH AND PIGS TAKES US TO THE COAST OF PERU NEAR A PLACE CALLED PUNTA SAN JUAN. IT'S THE LARGEST ANCHOVY FISHERY ON THE PLANET.

AS HUMAN DEMAND FOR BACON GROWS, SO DOES THE DEMAND FOR FISH FEED. THE NET RESULT IS WE'RE CATCHING A LOT MORE ANCHOVIES NOW AND SERIOUSLY DEPLETING THE WORLD'S ANCHOVY POPULATION. OVERFISHING IN PERU FOR LIVESTOCK FEED IS LEAVING THE HUMBLE PENGUINS, BROWN PELICANS, AND OTHER SOUTH AMERICAN SEABIRDS WITH NOTHING TO EAT. THESE BIRDS ARE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO STARVING BECAUSE THE ANCHOVY AND SARDINE POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN DECIMATED.

ANCHOVIES ARE NOT ALONE. OF COURSE NOT. THEY TRAVEL IN BIG SCHOOLS.

[ CHUCKLES ]

BUT THEIR TROUBLES ARE A SYMPTOM OF A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM. FISH STOCKS ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE STARTED TO COLLAPSE. AND THAT MEANS NONE OF US WILL BE EATING ANY FISH IN 50 YEARS UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING. THE PERUVIAN ANCHOVY IS JUST THE TIP OF THE FISHERY ICEBERG.

SO, IF THIS BOTHERS YOU AND YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, HERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS AS YOU BRING HOME THE BACON. FIRST, STRANGE AS IT MAY SEEM, YOU COULD EAT MORE ANCHOVIES. SEE, THIS WOULD RAISE THE PRICE OF THE FISH AND MAKE ANCHOVY FISH FEED MORE COSTLYAND LESS DESIRABLE TO PIG FARMERS. NEXT, EAT ORGANIC BACON FROM PIGS RAISED ON 100% AGRICULTURAL FEED. GRASS-FED PORK IS THE BEST, FOLLOWED BY GRAIN-FED.IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TRUE ORGANIC MEAT PRODUCTS, MAKE SURE IT'S GRASS-FED ONLY.

GUESS WHAT POPULAR BREAKFAST ITEM I'M ABOUT TO PRODUCE. WE START WITH 45 GALLONS [SIGHS]OF FRESHWATER... A HALF GALLON OF GASOLINE FOR TRANSPORTATION...THEN SOME POPULAR PESTICIDES. THEN WE NEED SOME PRESERVATIVES --SULFUR DIOXIDE...SODIUM BENZOATE... ASCORBIC ACID...AND ALPHA TOCOPHEROL.EVEN SOME SWEETENERS --CORN SYRUP...DEXTROSE...

AND A LITTLE HONEY.THERE'S ONE MORE THING. OH. YEAH. SIX FRESH ORANGES. ALL OF THIS GOES INTO MAKING ONE 8-OUNCE GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE FROM FROZEN CONCENTRATE.

[ SLURPS ]

AHH!

TASTES LIKE SUNSHINE.

NOW, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT ALL THIS STUFF IS IN THIS GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE. WE'RE SAYING IT TAKES ALL THIS STUFF TO GROW THE ORANGES, MAKE THE FROZEN CONCENTRATE, AND GET IT ON YOUR GROCER'S SHELF. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GREEN, TRY BUYING ORANGE JUICE THAT'S NEVER BEEN FROZEN -- FRESH-SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE. BETTER YET, SQUEEZE IT YOURSELF.

AHH!

[ SIGHS ]

BACK TO BREAKFAST.

THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE MISSING.

MY COFFEE.

WHAT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS BEVERAGE IN THE RAINFOREST?

IN THE RAINFOREST?

HOLY COW. I DON'T KNOW. I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE. I HAVE NO IDEA.

WATER. BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL THE TREES AND THAT'S WHERE THE ANIMALS LIVE AND THEY'RE DIRTY. UH...AND I'M JUST TAKING A GUESS.

WE'RE JUST CHAT-WE'RE JUST DOING A SURVEY.

WE'RE NOT JUDGING. WE'RE NOT JUDGING. YES.

UM...

ACID WATER?

HOW ABOUT COFFEE?

WE HUMANS LOVE COFFEE. PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DRINK 400 BILLION CUPS A YEAR. AND AT 50 COFFEE BEANS A CUP, THAT'S A LOT OF BEANS, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, JUST TO KEEP OUR PITCHERS POURING. COFFEE IS GROWN PRIMARILY IN EQUATORIAL RAINFORESTS AND CONSUMED EVERYWHERE ELSE. UNTIL A FEW DECADES AGO, MOST OF THE WORLD'S COFFEE WAS PLANTED IN WHAT'S CALLED THE UNDERSTORY OF THESE FORESTS. THE UNDERSTORY IS UNDER THE CANOPY OF TREES BUT ABOVE THE FOREST FLOOR AND SUBFLOOR. YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE TERM "SHADE-GROWN."

THE RAINFOREST CANOPY PROVIDES NATURAL SHADE FOR COFFEE TREES, WHICH PROTECTS AND ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF THE BEANS. BUT TODAY MORE AND MORE COFFEE BEANS -- ROBUSTA BEANS IN PARTICULAR --ARE COMING FROM CLEAR-CUT TRACTS OF LAND BECAUSE GROWERS HAVE FOUND THAT THEY CAN GET HIGHER YIELDS PER ACRE BY GROWING COFFEE IN THE SUN. THAT CAN MEAN MORE MONEY FOR THEM. BUT IT ALSO MEANS NO SHADE FOR THE COFFEE TREES, WHICH IS HARD ON THE BEANS.

FARMERS END UP GROWING COFFEE TREES IN A MONOCULTURE -- JUST ONE SPECIES ON AN UNNATURALLY LARGE AREA OF LAND. NOW, THIS IS BAD FOR THE SOIL, AND IT RUINS THE NATURAL HABITAT. SUN-GROWN COFFEE NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE COFFEE TREES THEMSELVES, IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE RAINFOREST.

NOW, THESE ARE COFFEE BEANS RIGHT OFF THE BUSH. THEY LOOK A LOT LIKE CHERRIES, AND THEY HAVE A HUSK, OR SHELL, THAT HAS TO BE REMOVED TO GET TO THE BEAN, OR SEED, INSIDE. THAT'S THE PART WE ROAST AND GRIND TO MAKE OUR SAVORY CUP OF JOE. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO GET THE HUSK, OR SHELL, OFF THE BEAN, AND YOU CAN PROBABLY THINK OF A FEW. BUT THERE'S ONE WAY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE OCCURRED TO YOU AT FIRST.

IT'S A LITTLE UNUSUAL. BEHOLD THE PALM CIVET. YOU PROBABLY CALL IT BY ITS LATIN NAME -PARADOXURUS HERMAPHODITUS.

[ CHUCKLES ] OF COURSE.

HERE IN INDONESIA ON THE ISLANDS OF SUMATRA, JAVA, AND SULAWESI, THE BEST COFFEE BEANS ARE PROCESSED RIGHT THROUGH THE INTESTINES OF THIS CATLIKE CREATURE. SEE, THE CIVET EATS THE FRUIT BUT DIGESTS ONLY THE PULPY HUSK AND PASSES THE BEANS READY TO ROAST.

AW! AW! AW!

NO KIDDING.

NOW, COFFEE LOVERS SAY WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THE BEANS INSIDE THE CIVET MAKES THIS COFFEE EXQUISITE AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. IT'S CALLED KOPI LUWAK... THE MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE IN THE WORLD.IT SELLS FOR BETWEEN $120 AND $600 U.S. PER POUND. BUT THE THING OF IT IS,THE CIVET IS INDIGENOUS TO THE RAINFORESTS, WHICH ARE BEING WHACKED DOWN AND REPLACED WITH AGGRESSIVE SHORT-TERM MONOCULTURE COFFEE PLANTATIONS. COFFEE GROWERS ARE STRIPPING THE RAINFORESTS TO GROW THE CHEAPER, COARSER ROBUSTA BEAN, BUT IT'S WIPING OUT THE CIVETS, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN BRINGING THEM HUGE PROFITS. AND IT'S WIPING OUT DOZENS OF OTHER SPECIES, INCLUDING THE SUMATRAN TIGER AND ORANGUTAN.

[ MONKEY SCREECHES ]

BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT BY GETTING THE WORD OUT TO COFFEE FARMERS THAT GREEN METHODS ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

COFFEE?

SURE.

HEY, AREN'T YOU PETER KETTLER, THE COFFEE TRADER?

YEAH, I AM.

AND THIS IS YOUR RADIO?

WELL, IT'S A FREEPLAY FOUNDATION LIFELINE RADIO.

HOW DOES A COFFEE FARMER USE A RADIO TO FARM COFFEE?

THIS IS PART OF A PROJECT THAT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND EDUCATION TO COFFEE FARMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMING DOES A COFFEE FARMER WANT TO HEAR?

WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES, COFFEE FARMERS THAT ARE SO REMOTE WILL PICK THEIR CHERRIES --BECAUSE COFFEE GROWS AS A CHERRY ON A TREE, BUT IT HAS TO BE PROCESSED WITHIN FOUR OR FIVE HOURS. SO, YOU HAVE THESE PEOPLE GOING AROUND AND GATHERING UP THE CHERRIES, AND THEY WOULD COME AROUND AND SAY, "OH, NO. THE PRICE OF COFFEE HAS PLUMMETED ANOTHER 10 OR 15 CENTS," WHEN, ACTUALLY, THE PRICE MAY HAVE RISEN. THEY WERE LYING. SO PEOPLE WERE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. FREEPLAY FOUNDATION IS REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING ACCESS TO INFORMATION THROUGH THESE RADIOS. OUR PILOT PROJECT IS IN RWANDA FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS. IT'S THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED COUNTRY IN AFRICA. ITS MAIN EXPORT IS COFFEE. 97% OF THE POPULATION OF RWANDA ARE SUBSISTENCE FARMERS.

I WOULD SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM RELY ON COFFEE AS THEIR MAIN ECONOMIC INCOME.

SO, WHEN I GO TO BUY COFFEE, HOW CAN I GET COFFEE THAT'S SUSTAINABLY GROWN?

THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE APPLIED TO COFFEE. THERE'S ORGANIC. THERE'S FAIR TRADE. THERE'S SHADE-GROWN. PROBABLY THE ONLY THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE IS DOLPHIN-SAFE COFFEE AT THIS POINT.

I BET THAT'S GOOD.

[ LAUGHS ]

SO, THERE'S LOTS OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE MARKED ON THERE, BUT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK FOR IS, WHATEVER IT IS, SUSTAINABLY GROWN COFFEE.

HEY, PETER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THIS TIME AND TALKING, BUT I SHOULD GET BACK TO WORK.

OH, BILL, BEFORE YOU GO, COULD I GET A CUP OF COFFEE?

OH, YEAH. SURE.

OH, A HOT CUP, PLEASE.

OH. HOT.

RIGHT.

COFFEE EXPERT. HOT CUP.

WET THE GROUNDS.

THEY SMELL GOOD.

SO, IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD, YOU CAN BEGIN RIGHT HERE AT BREAKFAST BY DRINKING SHADE-GROWN COFFEE. IF CONSUMER DEMAND FOR SHADE-GROWN COFFEE RISES, WE CAN SLOW THE DESTRUCTION OF RAINFORESTS. SO WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT TO CONSUMERS.

Woman: HERE ARE A FEW OTHER SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. CUT DOWN ON PAPER NAPKINS. EACH AMERICAN CONSUMES AN AVERAGE OF 2,200 STANDARD TWO-PLY NAPKINS EVERY YEAR. IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES USED JUST ONE LESS NAPKIN THIS YEAR, MORE THAN A BILLION POUNDS OF PAPER COULD BE SAVED FROM LANDFILLS. A STACK OF NAPKINS THIS SIZE COULD FILL THE ENTIRE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

DOUBLE-WRAPPED LOAVES OF BREAD CONTAIN AT LEAST 20% MORE PLASTIC PACKAGING PER GRAM OF BREAD THAN SINGLE-WRAPPED LOAVES. THE WASTE GENERATED BY THIS ADDITIONAL WRAPPER ACROSS ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA WEIGHS NEARLY 60,000 POUNDS... OR THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF ALL THE FOOD YOU WILL EVER EAT IN YOUR LIFETIME. SO, WHEN YOU BUY SLICED BREAD, LOOK FOR LOAVES PACKAGED IN SINGLE WRAPPERS. REMEMBER, LITTLE THINGS COUNT AS MUCH AS THE BIG THINGS WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE DOING THEM.

OH, YOU'RE BACK.

I'M STILL EATING BREAKFAST.

I OFTEN ENJOY FRUIT IN BREAKFAST. AND IN THE U.S. IT'S PRETTY EASY TO GET. BUT FOR MOST OF US, PRODUCE LIKE THIS DOESN'T COME FROM OUR BACKYARDS. IT COMES FROM MILES AND MILES AWAY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT FOOD MILES ARE?

UM...

CALORIES?

A FOOD MILE? UM...

THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE 5,280 PIGS' FEET IN A JAR.

[ CROWD SHOUTING ]

CRAZY.

I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T GONNA ASK ME QUESTIONS I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO.

LIKE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, YOU DO, LIKE, THE FOOD MILE TO KIND OF BURN OFF THE CALORIES. IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT?

NOPE. MAKES ME HUNGRY, THOUGH.

ADD THE COST OF THE FOOD WHERE IT'S MADE TO THE COST OF SHIPPING IT TO WHERE WE WANT TO SELL IT, AND YOU GET A TERM CALLED "FOOD MILES."

SAY YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW YORK CITY, THE BIG APPLE, AND YOU BUY AN APPLE AT THE CORNER MARKET. WHERE DO YOU THINK THE APPLES COME FROM?

UPSTATE? PENNSYLVANIA? OR EVEN NEW JERSEY?

NO. 75% OF THE APPLES SOLD IN MANHATTAN COME FROM THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES 3,000 AWAY OR FROM NEW ZEALAND, WHICH IS 9,000 MILES AWAY, EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK STATE PRODUCES FAR MORE APPLES THAN ITS RESIDENTS CAN CONSUME.

IN IOWA, THE TYPICAL CARROT HAS TRAVELED 1,600 MILES FROM CALIFORNIA. A POTATO -1,200 MILES FROM IDAHO. BANANAS TRAVEL FROM COSTA RICA. STRAWBERRIES ARE SHIPPED FROM WASHINGTON BUT CAN BE GROWN IN A DES MOINES BACKYARD. AND GRAPES ARE GROWN IN CALIFORNIA. BUT THE ONES YOU'LL FIND IN THE HAWKEYE STATE ARE IMPORTED FROM CHILE. THE COST TO THE ENVIRONMENT IS HUGE. RIGHT NOW, CHEAPER FRUIT AT BREAKFAST MEANS MORE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD, MORE SHIPS AT SEA, MORE PLANES IN FLIGHT, AND MORE CARBON IN THE AIR.

HOW MUCH?

WELL, IF WE SHIP ONE TON OF WASHINGTON STATE APPLES TO LONDON, ENGLAND, WE PUMP 5 TONS OF CO2 INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. SO, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT ALL THIS?! HOW CAN WE SAVE MONEY, USE LESS FUEL, AND STILL EAT THE FOODS WE WANT? EAT SEASONALLY.

WE AMERICANS HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING ANY FOOD WE WANT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. BUT IF WE START EATING FRUITS THAT ARE IN SEASON -- GRAPES AND MELONS IN THE SUMMERS...PEARS AND GRAPEFRUITS IN THE WINTER --AND BY BUYING LOCALLY GROWN FRUIT,WE HELP THE ENVIRONMENT BY NOT TRANSPORTING GOODS AS FAR TO GET PRODUCE THAT'S OUT OF SEASON.

REMEMBER, YOU, THE CONSUMER, HAVE THE ULTIMATE POWER TO CHANGE THE WAY FOOD IS DELIVERED. VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET.

Woman: YOU MAY THINK YOUR MICROWAVE ISN'T VERY GREEN, BUT THERE'S SURPRISING STUFF ABOUT NUKING YOUR FOOD. MICROWAVES COOK THINGS QUICKLY, SO YOU USE LESS ELECTRICITY AND GAS. MICROWAVES ARE TWICE AS EFFICIENT AS GAS AND OVER FOUR TIMES MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT THAN TRADITIONAL ELECTRIC OVENS. IF IT COSTS 10 CENTS WORTH OF ENERGY TO COOK ONE ITEM IN A MICRO, IT WOULD COST 48 CENTS TO COOK THE SAME ITEM IN A REGULAR OVEN.

WELCOME BACK.

I'M PREPARING AN OMELET.

OMELET A LA TIP DE SCIENCE.

THE SCIENCE-GUY OMELET.

SEE, YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT BREAKFASTWITHOUT TALKING ABOUT EGGS. AMERICANS EAT 67 BILLION OF THEM EVERY YEAR.

WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT EGGS?

WELL, FROM A GREEN PERSPECTIVE, IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO ONE OF THE GREAT MYSTERIES OF LIFE. SO, WHICH CAME FIRST -THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG.

THE CHICKEN.

AND WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO LAY THE EGG

BEFORE THERE CAN BE AN EGG TO HATCH.

LIKE, WOW.

[ LAUGHS ]

OBVIOUSLY, THE CHICKEN.

THE EGG.

WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

WELL, BECAUSE THE CHICKEN HAD TO HATCH FROM THE EGG.

OKAY, BUT...

BUT DIDN'T THE CHICKEN LAY THE EGG?

WELL, YEAH.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I THINK IT WAS THE EGG THAT CAME FIRST 'CAUSE FROM GENETIC STANDPOINT, THE CHICKEN COULDN'T HAVE INHERITED THE QUALITY OF BEING AN EGG --OF LAYING EGGS FROM THE EGG, BUT THE CHICKEN COU--

WAIT. DO I HAVE THAT BACKWARDS?

DO YOU HAVE ANY EASIER QUESTIONS?

THESE DAYS, MOST OF THE EGGS ON OUR PLATES COME FROM CHICKENS THAT LIVE IN ENORMOUS POULTRY FARMS. THE AVERAGE POULTRY CHICKEN LIVES ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AND LAYS 100 EGGS. THEY SPEND THEIR LIVES IN TINY LITTLE CELLS CALLED BATTERY CAGES. AND THESE CAGES ARE SO SMALL THAT THE CHICKENS CAN'T MOVE. THEY LAY EGGS UNTIL THEIR BONES COLLAPSE FROM DISUSE. NOW, WHY IS THIS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE? FIRST, BECAUSE IT'S WASTEFUL. IT TAKES ABOUT 48 GALLONS OF WATER AND 7 POUNDS OF GRAIN TO PRODUCE JUST ONE BATTERY EGG.

AND MANY FEEL IT'S CRUEL -- WASTING THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF ANIMALS.AND THERE'S MORE. LARGE CHICKEN HOUSES RELEASE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF AMMONIA GAS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. AMMONIA IS RICH IN NITROGEN, WHICH MAKES PLANTS GROW. THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN ALL THAT CHICKEN-FARM AMMONIA RETURNS TO EARTH, IN RAIN OR DUST, IT OVERFERTILIZES ALGAE IN THE SEA. THEN THE OVERABUNDANT ALGAE GET EATEN BY MICROORGANISMS THAT SUCK THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE WATER. AND THIS, IRONICALLY, CREATES DEAD ZONES IN THE SEA WHERE FISH CANNOT SURVIVE. SO, OFF THE SHORES OF MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA, THERE'S A DEAD ZONE THAT'S 200 MILES LONG AND 35 MILES WIDE. SO, YOU WANT TO AVOID BATTERY-CAGE EGGS. BUT SHOULD YOU BUY FREE-RANGE EGGS INSTEAD?

WELL, MAYBE NOT.

IT TURNS OUT THE WORDS "FREE RANGE" ARE MEANINGLESS, AT LEAST WHERE POULTRY IS CONCERNED. INSTEAD, YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR ORGANIC EGGS. EGGS LABELED "ORGANIC" COME FROM FARMS THAT MEET USDA GUIDELINES. THESE CHICKENS WERE NOT PUMPED FULL OF ANTIBIOTICS AND DYES TO MAKE THE EGGSHELLS LOOK WHITER. THESE ARE HEALTHY EGGS FROM HEALTHY CHICKENS THAT LIVE A PRETTY GOOD LIFE... FOR A CHICKEN. SO, BUY ORGANIC EGGS.

THE CHOICES WE MAKE EVERY DAY AFFECT HOW WE'RE GONNA GET FOOD ON THE TABLE. NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP EATING BACON. JUST THINK ABOUT HOW OFTEN YOU EAT IT AND WHAT KIND YOU EAT. SAME WITH COFFEE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP HAVING THAT EARLY MORNING CUP OF JOE. BUT FIND OUT WHO'S MAKING IT AND WHERE IT CAME FROM... HOW IT'S GROWN. IT'S ABOUT CHOICES. AND WE HAVE ALL THE CHOICES WE NEED. SAME WITH OUR FOOD MILES. NEXT TIME YOU'RE AT THE STORE, ASK YOUR GROCER WHERE THE GRAPES CAME FROM, AND MAYBE TELL HIM YOU'D PREFER SOMETHING GROWN A LITTLE CLOSE TO HOME.

IT'S NOT THAT HARD. AFTER ALL, WE MAKE CHOICES ALL THE TIME. SO, MAYBE IT'S TIME WE START PUTTING A LITTLE BRAIN POWER BEHIND OUR FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY. YOU'LL FEEL BETTER ABOUT IT, AND YOU MIGHT JUST HELP MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

AH.

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