Source: Global Network
"The Washington Post said that eating bugs should become the 'new routine'. "Russia Today" (RT) said on the 28th that the mainstream US media "Washington Post" called on Americans to use insects as the main food source, on the grounds that it will be good for the environment. However, RT found that this initiative of the US media has triggered strong opposition online.
"Salt-cured ants, cricket grinding powder, why you should try eating insects" - The Washington Post published a report on this topic on the 27th. The article is based on the concept of Lisa Sanchez, a naturalist in Pennsylvania, USA, who said that it encourages people to eat insects, in part to reduce the impact on the environment. "Farming insects produces far fewer greenhouse gases and requires much less land and water than raising traditional livestock. Farmed insects also produce more biomass with fewer inputs. For example, crickets convert feed into edible portions of weight 12 times more efficiently than cattle. (Editor's note: biomass refers to the total mass of organisms that can be supported by a food chain)
"It's estimated that 2 billion people eat insects [globally] — mainly in parts of Africa, Latin America and Asia. This practice dates back thousands of years. "Back in the '90s, I always thought that maybe one day [Americans] would do it," Sanchez said.
"The next few years may prove her right," the Washington Post said, adding that the edible insect industry is growing rapidly — a report predicts that the market will reach $9.6 billion by 2030. Consumers can already buy foods like salted ants on Amazon, and cricket powder protein bars in Swiss grocery stores. In recent years, many media outlets have promoted the benefits of eating insects. ”
RT said the Washington Post article is the latest in a series of efforts by the outlet and others to market eating insects to Americans and consumers in other Western countries. A quick search online reveals that The Washington Post has been discussing the topic repeatedly since at least 2013, publishing articles titled "Why Insects Must Be a More Important Part of the Human Food Chain" and "Why You Can, Should and Will Probably Eat Insects," and a 2019 article titled "Would You Eat Insects to Save the Earth?" ”
"The Washington Post is one of the leading media outlets promoting edible insects." RT said the newspaper's owner is Amazon's founder, billionaire Bezos, who is reportedly an insect-eating lover.
But RT went on to say that some critics online objected to the idea of eating insects as a new regular option, and many observers even suggested that Washington Post staff take the lead in eating bugs themselves.
In the Twitter comment section of the Washington Post promoting the article, many netizens joined the discussion. Some people find this idea acceptable.
Insects" are not much different from lobsters, shrimp and snails. ”↓
But there were also many who objected, [to the Washington Post] "stopping]. ↓
"The Washington Post has become the most stereotypical corporate media." ↓
One questioned, "That's how it all began." I want to see how many politicians invested in edible insect companies before this proposal was announced. ”↓
Others mentioned the current level of inflation in the United States as a sarcasm, "How do you catch all the insects in the house and make dinner in one afternoon?" Lifestyle in times of inflation. ”↓