Comments on: Bye Bye Banana? http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:37:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Kerr http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6991 Kerr Wed, 28 May 2008 17:41:52 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6991 Haley, usually I'm pretty glad to accept Snopes' authority on urban legends. In this case, though, it looks like they're not actually debunking anything, they're disputing the ramifications of what they acknowledge is "a real danger" by referring to the authority of a group of industry specialists who believe that the current precautions are good enough. This isn't in Snopes' usual realm of competence. They're good at saying whether something did or did not happen, but saying whether something will or will not happen? That's outside their expertise. And it sounds like the issue is debated and will be until the banana is seriously endangered or until it manages not to be seriously endangered through several of these threats. The debate is fruitless, however, if you'll excuse the awful pun. Bananas can't be grown in most parts of the US and are fuel intensive to ship, and the costs of fuel—both economic and human—are skyrocketing. That means the cost of bananas is on the rise as well. Most Americans will soon have to explore other options for nutritious ready-to-eat snacks. They're becoming an occasional delicacy for me already. Haley, usually I’m pretty glad to accept Snopes’ authority on urban legends. In this case, though, it looks like they’re not actually debunking anything, they’re disputing the ramifications of what they acknowledge is “a real danger” by referring to the authority of a group of industry specialists who believe that the current precautions are good enough. This isn’t in Snopes’ usual realm of competence. They’re good at saying whether something did or did not happen, but saying whether something will or will not happen? That’s outside their expertise. And it sounds like the issue is debated and will be until the banana is seriously endangered or until it manages not to be seriously endangered through several of these threats.

The debate is fruitless, however, if you’ll excuse the awful pun. Bananas can’t be grown in most parts of the US and are fuel intensive to ship, and the costs of fuel—both economic and human—are skyrocketing. That means the cost of bananas is on the rise as well. Most Americans will soon have to explore other options for nutritious ready-to-eat snacks. They’re becoming an occasional delicacy for me already.

]]> By: Haley http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6986 Haley Wed, 28 May 2008 14:19:34 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6986 I haven't read the Plenty article, but rumors that bananas are going to become extinct have been floating around since the New Scientist article, but for the most part they're not true. Lack of genetic diversity among our crops is very important issue, but we need not fear that bananas will be wiped out anytime soon. See the Snopes article about it: http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/bananas.asp I haven’t read the Plenty article, but rumors that bananas are going to become extinct have been floating around since the New Scientist article, but for the most part they’re not true. Lack of genetic diversity among our crops is very important issue, but we need not fear that bananas will be wiped out anytime soon.
See the Snopes article about it:
http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/bananas.asp

]]> By: Hannah Lee http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6985 Hannah Lee Wed, 28 May 2008 12:24:32 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6985 I'd stopped buying bananas after reading Barbara Kingsolver's book about eating locally, but I resumed buying them for Pesach (and am still buying them). They're such a wonderful breakfast and snack food. I’d stopped buying bananas after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book about eating locally, but I resumed buying them for Pesach (and am still buying them).
They’re such a wonderful breakfast and snack food.

]]> By: phyllis http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6984 phyllis Wed, 28 May 2008 03:12:57 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/bye-bye-banana/#comment-6984 wow...hard to imagine that my grandchildren might not have bananas as one of their first foods. wow…hard to imagine that my grandchildren might not have bananas as one of their first foods.

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