As we roll into week #2 of the pandemic swine flu, I continue to be entertained by what ends up in the media about this pesky health issue.

VP Joe Biden and his comment on recycled air on airplanes, the mysterious reduction in the number of deaths in Mexico along with the conservative zealots who still want to close the borders. Talk of vaccines and questions like,does Donald Rumsfeld still get rich if we all take the Tamiflu? Panicked countries slaughtering their pigs for no good reason, Purell hand sanitizer is no where to be found because panicked germophobes have bought it all up.

The Pork lobby has been hard at work: they succeeded at changing the name from swine flu to H1N1. Their latest goal: a photo op with President Obama eating some pork BarBQ to encourage Americans to support the pork industry. Do American eaters really think they can catch an airborne flu from eating bacon?

The Pork gang is spinning the story beyond belief stating that pigs might catch the new H1N1 from people! What’s next? Piggies wearing blue masks?

All of this wacky panicky behavior covers up a deeper darker issue: is our industrial food system to blame for this new disease? And if so, what can we do about it? David Kirby, investigative reporter and author of Evidence of Harm has been busy writing a book on factory farming. His articles on Huffington Post are a powerful motive for changing the way we eat.

I like to look at the bright side of a crisis like this. Seems to me that the foodies, food advocates & activists, sustainability minded folks and conscious eaters could create a teach-in on factory farming. Perhaps CAFO awareness week in which we ask more questions about where our food comes from. Boycott the Lunchables, the chicken nuggets and all the other animal products coming from CAFOs. This can be an opportunity to highlight and support small, local/ regional farmers.