Everyday Activist - Bugs (MLJFF 2016)

Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 11:00 AM

Bugs (MLJFF 2016)

Movie Review by Everyday Activist X CalgaryMovies.com

Entomophagy or bug eating is a hot topic these days. At CIFF 2016 for the green carpet gala I watched Bugs On the Menu and recently the Light Cellar in Bowness had a demonstration of entomophagy. Both places allowed us to try crickets and meal worms. The movie Bugs is a bit different than the mentioned events; instead of pushing the agenda that everyone should eat bugs, because they are a more efficient protein source, it’s more like an Anthony Bourdain cooking show. A cook Ben Reade (later on Roberto Flore) and researcher Josh Evans from Nordic Food Labs, a Danish Research kitchen go to interesting places around the world to dine on bugs with the local guides who show them how to harvest and prepare the insects.

It’s fascinating to see how cultures have adapted to eat insects to help them obtain vital nutrients as well as culinary delight. However, when it comes to a global discussion people make the comparison between bug eating and sushi. Before no one in North America would eat raw fish, but now it’s widely available. What bothers me about this comparison is that people forget that because of the increased sushi and sashimi demand many species of fish aren’t available anymore. What are the implications for mass consumption of bugs?

Again with globalization in mind, widespread pesticide use on farm crops puts pressure not only on the insect population, but on people who eat them as well. How many species are contaminated or have been eradicated entirely? To think positively on the situation, should bugs become more of a staple, people would put pressure on companies to reduce the use of chemicals on crops much like they have on organics in order to facilitate more wild harvests. Most people seem to agree that wild harvesting on a mass scale is a bad idea; however, traditional practices should be encouraged to keep the knowledge available to people.

Bugs was definitely a more agreeable film to me, because the cooks and the researcher come to the conclusion that bugs shouldn’t be a replacement source of protein, even though it is more efficient in terms of converting feed into food. They point out that the world already produces more than enough food to feed more than current population; however, nearly half of what is produced is wasted, whether in production, distribution or after it reaches the final consumer. One of the cooks doesn’t end up finishing the project. Even in the film he has a serious moral dilemma about his part in promoting insects as a food source.

Bugs will be screening at the Marda Loop Justice Film Festival 2016 on Friday November 18th at 9 pm. Entomo farms will be there giving out samples.

The discussion leaders will be an Dr. Robert W. Longair an entomologist and Jarrod Goldin, an insect farmer Dr. Robert W. Longair has over forty years experience studying insect behaviour, ecology and diversity including field research in Canada, the western United States, West Africa and Belize. He is particularly interested in the behaviour of solitary and social wasps, though he concentrates on solitary species, which are less likely to sting him. He has worked on surveys of insect biodiversity in Provincial and National Parks in Alberta and British Columbia in western Canada. Rob teaches in several courses in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary, including entomology, animal behaviour, a field course in Insect Biodiversity in the Rocky Mountains near Calgary and Tropical Biodiversity and Conservation courses in Ghana and Belize.

Jarrod Goldin started many health related ventures through the years, as well as a successful private practice before selling his business interests in order to go full time into starting an insect farm and processing business. In 2014 he joined brothers Darren and Ryan, who have 10 years’ experience farming insects with their business Reptile Feeders, to start Entomo Farms. Entomo farms is North America’s first and largest insect farm dedicated to raising insects, specifically for human consumption and produces insect protein as a viable option to global food crises. Insects are packed with not only protein but so many rich vitamins, minerals and fibre to name a few, all with an incredibly sustainable carbon footprint. It is a perfect solution for those interested in a lifestyle of health and sustainability.

Calgary Showtimes: Marda Loop Justice Film Festival 2016 > | Bugs >