Did you miss Michael Pollan's recent talk in Portland? You're one of many. Michael spoke to a sold out crowd of 650 at Bagdad Theater. His new book, In Defense of Food, provided the backdrop for his talk and prior interview with Deborah Kane, publisher of Edible Portland. Remarkably, Michael talks about a defense of food in a literal sense: It's increasingly difficult to escape from eating foods that are food-like substances (processed foods), but are not whole (real) foods.

In part one of a four part video series produced by Cooking Up A Story, we see how simple changes in food labeling requirements can influence consumer behavior, and how food manufacturers apply overwhelming pressure to effect laws that ultimately protect their own interests.

This video is in thanks to Ecotrust's partnership with a local film company that produces Cooking Up A Story, a show about real people and their special connections to food and sustainable living. Cooking Up A Story’s work is shot unscripted, and the stories are told in the voice of the subject.