Michael Pollan, who has helped raise Americans' consciousness about food through books such as "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Food Rules," appeared at Goucher College this week. I wasn't able to make it over to Towson for the lecture (too many 12-hour days at work this week). But luckily blogger Robin Shreeves has a recap. Here's an excerpt from her post: "Pollan told the students that the decisions they make about food represent a very important vote and that those decisions are expressions of their values. Therefore, students need to be conscious of what they eat and put some thought into their choices.

"Here’s what really impressed me. He didn’t tell the students what choices they should make. He suggested they pick one area to be mindful of, and he gave some examples of areas where they could begin to be thoughtful — pesticides used on food, the miles that food travels, or the way the animals they eat have been treated.

"He said that if the students do that, if they begin to be thoughtful in just one area, they’d make better choices. Those choices will ultimately benefit them, the land, and the animals."

Thanks, Robin. By the way, the next author featured at Goucher will be Gwen Ifill of Washington Week and PBS NewsHour at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20. Her topic: “Why Journalism Matters.” She is the author of "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama."