Botany of Desire >> Plants Shaping Us

Botany of Desire is a very interesting book by Michael Pollan that delves into how plants use human beings to shape their destiny, and the danger that lies in monoculture--growing a lot of the same plant, instead of growing different varieties--in order to satisfy our desires.

For example farmers growing only russet potatoes to sell to McDonalds, so they can churn out the same homogeneous french fries all over the world. The film also looks at the science of growing potent cannabis indoors by depriving the female cannabis plants of sex. We learn about the apple's journey from the Kazhak mountains to other parts of the world and the potato's journey from the Andes mountains to Ireland and Idaho.

The book and the film are eye opening and share many interesting stories from the past and lessons for the road ahead.

FILM STARRING...APPLES, CANNABIS, TULIPS, POTATOES

LESSON: Downfall >> MONOCULTURE, Answer >> DIVERSITY