Eating insects is a concept that, in the Western world, is currently met with an array of reactions, but the majority fall under the theme of “WOT”, “EW” or “WHY!?”.
But why is it that we think it’s such an alien and outrageous idea, when 2 billion people across the world currently eat insects on a regular basis?
The world, as we know it, cannot sustain our current levels of meat and dairy consumption. This means that we must do things differently if we want to save the world. Veganism is something that is now greatly discussed, particularly in recent years thanks to social media amplifying the reality of our (disastrous) environmental situation to the masses. With that came an increased awareness of the impact that our diet is having on the world, which led to a rise of plant-based influencers sharing recipes, cookbooks, cookalongs etc, as well as food brands developing a whole host of new products to meet this rising demand. But it’s not for everyone. So I want to explore an alternative – introducing insects to our diets.
As someone who is relatively clued-up on the general state of our planet, the urgent need for behaviour change when it comes to our environmental footprint, and how the meat industry is impacting our natural world, and therefore us, I feel open to the possibility of insects as a food source to try to help our desperate situation, but I wanted to know what others thought.
What they truly thought.
I wanted to find out what people thought of the concept of eating insects, where those thoughts and feelings have come from, if the reality of eating insects is different from their perceptions, and whether they would be willing to change their minds and opinions when given more information and possibly even trying insects themselves.
And so begins this project.
I hope you enjoy this exploration with me, as we delve into our changing planet and how we can perhaps change our thoughts with just a few adjustments and a slight pull away from the initial reaction of, well, “ew”, and open our minds to what could just be the answer to a healthier planet.
Make sure you’re subscribed to my YouTube channel and following me on Instagram to see this project develop.
According to Jess 