1.) Nutrition is a highly debated topic. The United States government has a suggested food pyramid, but recently I learned in one of my KINES classes that this food pyramid is not necessarily accurate. Proteins are very important in our diet, especially for those who are active. Generally, I am a very active person. I go to the gym about 2-3 times a week, and I play basketball at least once a week for 1-2 hours a day. I thought that eating a few eggs a day along with some nuts and other sources of protein was sufficient for my diet and to ensure that I am well nourished. However, recently I have begun eating a lot more meat to add protein to my diet. I am perfectly fine eating natural sources of protein, though I do love meat, but I was told this wasn’t sufficient. The social norm that exists for this case is that the only “efficient” way to get protein in your diet is through the use of protein powder and excessive consumption of meats.

2.) Though I am unaware of the process through which protein powder is created, I am aware of the egregious issues brought about by excessive meat consumption. These issues were highlighted in the latter part of this module, and the issues range from the influences excessive meat demands can have on the environment to the influences it can have on human society as well. Though not the only source of greenhouse gases, handling livestock increases methane production in the atmosphere, as well as nitrous oxide, both of which are major players in the climate change game. To add to this, not only does excessive livestock handling pollute the air, but it can pollute ground water that is essential for the livelihood of communities near these facilities. It is important to note that many essential proteins can be gained through consuming plants! My view on the social norm should be that meat is not a necessity, but a luxury. This would mitigate a lot of the impacts that the meat industry has on our planet.