"On Buying Local": Thinking About the Text (p. 100)

1.) The author Katherine Spriggs has convinced me that her topic matters because she highlights the benefits of polycultures compared to monocultures. While with a polyculture system we wouldn't have certain produce year around we would still see a rise in small farming with local markets, less pollution to the land (monocultures use too much pesticides), decrease the amount of pollution in the air by at most 75%, and "could demonstrate to the world our commitment to environmentalism."

2.) While reading the text I noticed she stated positions other then her own to show other positions. For example she details the fact that yes, large farms are more efficient than small farms in the total output of one crop per acre, but she (Spriggs) counters with the fact that small farms being more efficient in total output of all crops per acre. She then also addresses the position if more crops were grown in the U.S. there'd might have a negative impact then our current methods compared to the U.S. using more advanced technology then third world nations we obtain food from. She counters with the use of statics saying that U.S. citizens in reality is only 13% imported (a lot shorter then we thought).

3.) I found her essay very effective on page 96 because she gives the two sides; monoculture farms, and polyculture farms. She points out the different methods each use to farm with one (poly) keeping the land healthy for crops, and the other (mono) destroying the natural ecosystems. She also points out that if we  buy local we would reduce the high cost of fuel and energy used to transport food around the world. Thus convincing an audience that the position of buying local from polyculture farms would be eco-friendly, and save money on transporting goods by valuing seasonal fcrops instead of trying to make them yearly.

4.) The photos Spriggs uses in her essay give the reader a spotlight on what she's trying to point out. For example she uses the image of a farmers market selling fresh organic squash to give an appealing perspective of purchasing from local farms gives a more natural outlook in communities. She then provides images of what a polyculture (small farm), and monoculture (large farm) look like compared to each other. The small farm presents a lush natural green with hard workers nurturing the crops while the larger farm lays out endless dusky greens without a person in sight. Lastly, the image of the trucks point out how trucks carry produce thousands of miles which end up being financially expensive, and ecologically damaging.