The kick-off meeting for the Environmental Discourses on the Ingestion of Bugs League (E.D.I.B.L) first caught my attention at a Circle K Meeting. April Hamblin, the president of the club, was dressed as a bumblebee at the time and was very enthusiastic in giving us the details of one of Stockton’s most intriguing clubs. The club has many incentives, but it’s main focus is based on raising awareness of viable protein sources other than beef, pork, and poultry. Not only is it a club that explores the culinary arts, but it also provides us with a hard look into the impact of our eating habits and the environment. The first meeting was Tuesday at 4:30 in the Arts and Sciences building, with the smell of pizza greeting us. Unfortunately, there were no bugs in the pizza. Now, at first, my personal reasons for joining this club was not because I wanted to be more eco-conscious, but rather, I wanted to get over my ridiculous fear of insects. When I say ridiculous, I mean that if I were to see an insect crawl toward me, I would shudder, clutch at my throat, and tell myself not to cry. Going to a college in the middle of a nature reservation has settled my nerves quite a bit, but what better way to get over a fear of something than to voluntarily put it in your mouth and swallow it? I was resolute before entering the meeting.
After briefing us about the club’s message, we were shown a few videos of insect consumption, and yes, I’ll admit that my feet were unconsciously inching toward the exit during the first video. We saw a factory that had drawers upon drawers of live mealworms. Very, very alive. We also saw locusts that were bigger than my hand crawling on top of each other in tanks, their antennas constantly swiveling around. All of this was very unsettling to me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a good choice in coming here. The next video was what saved me. We have an event coming up with chef David Gordon in November. He is a renowned chef who has traveled across the country teaching people of all ages about the tasty world of bugs. We were showed a video of him giving a cooking demonstration to elementary children, and the response was great. A child came up to the camera with a large cricket in his hand and tells us that it didn’t have a head anymore because he ate it and it was really good. If children, who oftentimes turn their noses up at things such as broccoli and peas, can bite the heads off crickets, so can all of us.
Another very important fact to mention is that this club does not entail it’s members to go out and catch themselves a delicious meal. The critters that are eaten will be provided for us from a manufacturer, so there’s no need to worry. The club condones eating insects, but there’s no condemnation for anyone who joins with only a curious mind and not the stomach. If there are any people out there that wonders whether or not they can eat bugs, the only stipulation is that you must not be allergic to shellfish, which means you are mostly likely allergic to all arthropods. Otherwise, this club represents much more than being an adventurous eater and invites all who are interested in the environment to come out and enjoy some “grub”.