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Chicken Quote by Derrick Jensen

“I recently had dinner with George. We did not eat fish. Instead we ate at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant. I had lemon-grass chicken with chile, and George had stir-fried vegetables. Both meals were excellent, and both consisted of foods originating far from Spokane. Although we didn’t ask the…” quote by Derrick Jensen
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““I recently had dinner with George. We did not eat fish. Instead we ate at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant. I had lemon-grass chicken with chile, and George had stir-fried vegetables. Both meals were excellent, and both consisted of foods originating far from Spokane. Although we didn’t ask the cook where the chicken and other foodstuffs came from, it isn’t difficult to construct an entirely plausible scenario. Here it is: the chicken was raised on a factory farm in Arkansas. The factory is owned by Tyson Foods, which supplies one-quarter of this nation’s chickens and sends them as far away as Japan, The chicken was fed corn from Nebraska and grain from Kansas. One of seventeen million chickens processed by Tyson that week, this bird was frozen and put onto a truck made by PACCAR. The truck was made from plastics manufactured in Texas, steel milled in Japan from ore mined in Australia and chromium from South Africa, and aluminum processed in the United States from bauxite mined in Jamaica. The parts were assembled in Mexico. As this truck, with its cargo of frozen chickens, made its way toward Spokane, it burned fuel refined in Texas, Oklahoma, California, and Washington from oil originating beneath Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Mexico, Texas, and Alaska. All this, and I have chickens outside my door.””

Derrick Jensen

About This Quote

Source Essay: “The Global Supply Chain of a Chicken Dinner”, 2015

The quote illustrates how a simple meal is the product of a vast, interconnected network of resources, labor, and transportation spanning many regions and industries.

In simple terms: Meals rely on complex global systems.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the hidden complexity behind everyday choices.

Themes

globalization environment food systems interdependence industrial agriculture

Mood

thoughtful critical inquisitive

Type

observational analytical

When to use this quote

  • ordering food
  • planning meals
  • considering sustainability
  • educating others
  • advocating for local sourcing

Key Concepts

supply chain resource extraction logistics consumer awareness

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does knowing a supply chain change your eating habits?
  • What responsibilities do consumers have in global production?
A Different Perspective

The narrative may overlook the agency of workers and the cultural significance of food.

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