Super Eco

Photo credit: sarah gilbert

Michael Pollan grew up as the son of writers; his father was an author and financial consultant, and his mother was a columnist. Pollan began his writing career as a journalist, and his first published book was a gardening reflection, the story of his eight years learning how to make his Connecticut garden grow, Second Nature: A Gardener's Education. The book received very little acclaim, critical or otherwise, and he continued his career as editor of Harper's magazine. His second book, A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, published in 1997, the story of how he built a small outbuilding in the woods behind his house, did somewhat better, but again failed to gain major media attention.

However, once he began working as a contributing writer to the New York Times Sunday Magazine, his career as a book author began to gather steam; his next published book, 2002's The Botany of Desire, quickly cemented his place as our country's leading "food detective." It would be The Omnivore's Dilemma, a "journey up and down the food chain" that examined "our national eating disorder" that gave him a legion of devotees (including author Barbara Kingsolver, who would follow the book up with her Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, about a year of eating only local foods) and inspired his 2007 bible of sustainable eating, In Defense of Food: The Eater's Manifesto.

Pollan continues to write for The New York Times Magazine and his October 9, 2008 letter to the future president, "Farmer in Chief," was a touchstone for proponents of organic and sustainable agriculture, leading many to call for Pollan to be named the next Secretary of Agriculture (he has said that he never wanted the job).

Notable Eco Activity

Michael Pollan is famous for investigating and writing eloquently about the American food system, specifically the dominance of "Big Corn" over the prepared food industry and the proliferation, and environmental and dietary dangers, of CAFOs. He also wrote the "Pollanism," "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," a seven-word manifesto that led many others to write their own very brief life's work.

His letter to the future President, written in the New York Times Magazine's food issue in October 2008, was considered a very important document in the food, agriculture and sustainability communities, and many fans of his "platform" and writings started a petition to Barack Obama, urging that Pollan be named Secretary of Agriculture. One of his "demands" -- that Obama start an organic garden in the lawn of the White House -- gained such popular appeal that another organization sprung up around the concept.

• Michael Pollan Details

  • Birth Date

    February 6, 1955

  • Born In

    United States

  • Home Page

    http://www.michaelpollan.com/

  • Lives In

    United States

  • Organizations

    Unavailable

  • Occupation

    Writer