The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter.

THE WAY WE EAT: WHY OUR FOOD CHOICES MATTER

By Peter Singer and Jim Mason

The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter is a fantastic read. This book is sure to make people think about the ethics behind their food choices. Peter Singer, known by many for his book Animal Liberation, and Jim Mason, Singer's co-author for the book Animal Factories, step-by-step analyze the environmental, moral, and health implications of various foods that three very different American families purchase.

One family is pressed for time and very conscious of the financial cost of the food they purchase. They tend to buy mainstream-type foods, including meat sold at a discount in stores such as Wal-Mart or in buying clubs.

The second family is somewhat split. The father leans toward a vegetarian diet and is greatly concerned with environmental issues, while the mother and two children tend to place less emphasis on ethics when choosing the foods they consume. The wife and children are aware of many ethical issues due to the father's influence but, nevertheless, continue to consume some ethically questionable menu items.

Finally, members of the third family are all vegan, and I know them personally. This family primarily buys organic vegan foods, and they are greatly concerned about genetically-modified foods. Their food choices are highly motivated by personal ethics.

In reviewing each family's food selections, the authors show that there are many different types of ethical issues to consider. Readers will begin to contemplate issues such as whether it's more ethical to consume organic food that has been shipped by truck for hundreds of miles or better to consume locally produced foods that mayor may not have been grown organically. They will also begin to think about the conditions under which food producers work and, for that matter, the conditions under which animals raised for food are living. Finally, readers will learn that ethical decisions are not always black and white of easy to make.

The Way We Eat (ISBN 1-57954-889-X) is published by Rodale. This 328-page hardcover book retails for $25.95. Look for it in your local bookstore or order it online. Debra Wasserman.