saw this after my post; agree, regretfully -- apology to Dr Hirsch for my
timing,
John D. Wiener
Program on Environment and Behavior
Institute of Behavioral Science
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0468
ph: 303-492-6746; fax 303-492-1231; [email protected]
On Sat, 16 Apr 2011, Hirsch, Leonard wrote:
While I have eaten many a cricket, ant, worm, and other assorted invertebrate
during my travels (including earlier this month in Mexico), I wouldn't
recommend this in a class-at least in the US-without much more research.
Insects aren't insects aren't insects. Different species have developed
specific toxins, some are allergenic, others have toxins at particular parts of
their lifecycles. Without knowing what it is and where/how it was grown
harvested, you open potentially more problems and liability. In North Korea,
there was a recent spate of illness and death because folks were eating a plant
just as it was sprouting. The same plant, eaten later in its lifecycle, while
not the most nutritious, was fine. At that time, it had toxins which led to
sickness and death.
Understanding proteins and sources is great, important. Using the ick factor
to make a lasting point is great. Getting past the ick factor to understanding
sustainable resource development even better. Putting yourself at risk of
lawsuit is probably going a bit too far.
Clearly, I am an administrator.
==========================================================
"People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example
than by the example of our power" (B. Clinton, 2008).
---------------------------------------------------------
Leonard P. Hirsch, Senior Policy Advisor
Smithsonian Institution
1100 Jefferson Drive SW #3123
PO Box 37012, Q-3123 MRC 705
Washington, DC 20013-7012
1.202.633.4788
1.202.312.2888 fax
[email protected]<blocked::mailto:[email protected]>
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
Elizabeth Chalecki
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2011 12:52 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [gep-ed] Follow-up on crickets
Everyone-
I got some e-mails from various folks asking if they could "steal" the
feed-the-students-bugs idea - yes, please do! I did send Marcel Dicke at Wageningen
University an e-mail about the whole thing, and he sent a nice note back. Theresa Jedd
from CO State also made a good point, that we think it's icky to eat bugs because we have
a choice of what to eat, whereas crickets could mean the difference between life and
death for North Koreans and others facing severe famine.
Crickets and mealworms you can get at the PetSmart. I asked the guy at the Cambridge store
if I could kill the crickets by putting them in the freezer. He said yes, but anything that
would be eating them would want them alive. He asked what I was feeding them to that would
eat them dead (he's thinking iguanas & lizards), and when I said, "my
students," he looked at me like I was some sort of mad scientist! Which actually could
be a good career path for me.
For locusts and other bigger bugs, I think you would have to go to a specialty retailer or get them
online. The WSJ article says don't eat bugs from your backyard, as they have been exposed to
pesticides and other nasty stuff. Some of my students have since asked me if I'm going to make
insects a regular part of my diet now (!), and I told them that before I make that decision, I
would like to try them prepared by someone who knows their way around a bug recipe (Amazon.com
sells "The Eat-a-bug Cookbook," "Creeply Crawly Cuisine" and a few others for
the insect-inclined). Hmmm, bug table at next year's ISA reception?
-Beth
--
Elizabeth L. Chalecki, PhD
Visiting Asst Professor
International Studies Program, Environmental Studies Program
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
chalecki [at] bc.edu<http://bc.edu>
elizabeth.chalecki [at] gmail.com<http://gmail.com>
www.linkedin/com/in/chalecki
