The Cost of Food Part II

Can sustainable food be ethical if it is socioeconomically un-just? A peek at the American food system and why we need a change.

I feel the need to the write a follow-up to my previous post, The Cost of Food. In reference to a comment stating that sustainable food is a result of privilege and access—and I agree. Yes, I am privileged in that respect—I have access and the choice, there is no denying that. And yes, I do choose to prioritize both my time and money to ensure my food is more sustainable, for the reasons I have explained.

I should, however, clarify that when I talk about the need to eat sustainably and make the sacrifices to do so, I am talking about people that are able to do that. Let me be clear that an overwhelming number of people, who are able to do so, choose not to. I am not denying the fact that there are people who do not have the means to guarantee their next meal, let alone debate between organic versus local vegetables.

Herein lies the problem with the American food system. Quick lesson: government subsidies are provided to large corporations that manufacture unhealthy food at a cheaper cost, creating the situation we have today where it is cheaper to buy a bag of chips and a soda than apples and milk. For people who struggle to make ends meet, the concern is not centered on if the food is ethical, but rather if the price is affordable. The affordable food is not ethical nor is it healthy—hence the health crisis. But the system does not have to be this way; it is not something that we should take as it is. The richest nation in the world should not be food insecure; Food security is not only defined as access to food, but as access to nutritious food.

Is this too communistic for you? I am not advocating for handouts here, rather I think market-based solutions can be found that do not compromise the livelihood of the consumer not the future of the planet. I am not naïve to think that we can change the system overnight or single-handedly. Nevertheless, I am still idealistic enough to believe that with effort, with a movement and with collective steps, a difference can be made. And part of that is making the effort to do what you can in your own life.

So, to reiterate, often eating sustainably at this time in our society is a privilege. However, if you are privileged enough to be able to do that—than it’s a good place to start and then the next step is to insure that sustainable food is not a privilege, but a right.