taking action: ethical food consumption
TRANSCRIPT
Ethical Food Consumption
How the foods you eat affect the environment and its inhabitants
Brionna MendozaHonors 102: Global Challenges
What is Ethical Food Consumption?The phrase “ethical food consumption”
refers to the responsible consumption of food products
Focus on:
Sustainable practices in areas like transportation and growing practices
Ethical treatment of workers and animals
What Problems Are Targeted?
Environmental Factors
Pollution stemming from factory farms and far-flung transportation of food products
Fair treatment of animals
Factory farms→ unhealthy setting
Fair treatment of workers
safe working conditions
immigrant workers
Why Do These Problems Exist?In the United States, there is an obvious disconnect between consumers and the origins of their food
Popularity of the supermarket:
Ease and convenience of packaged veggies and pre-cut meats
Supermarkets thrive by presenting the illusion of a constant abundance of all types of produce and meats
No one wants to shop in less-than-full produce section that doesn’t stock picture-perfect fruits and veggies!
Consequences:
Massive food waste and unsustainable practices to maintain profits
A Closer Look at...Factory FarmsMajor source of pollution
concentrated nature of operations→ hundreds of animals in a small area→ vast amounts of waste that cannot be disposed in a healthy, complete way
The 1.4 million California dairy cows produce as much waste as 28-56 million people per day
solid waste can pollute environment
methane released from the cows exacerbate global warming
Despite clear hazards, factory farming operations constantly expanding to meet the ever-increasing demand for meat products
Image source: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/shocking-facts-on-how-factory-farms-cause-water-pollution/
A Closer Look at...Transportation of FoodUse of planes, trains, trucks, rail to
transport food intranationally and internationally adds tons of pollution to the environment and wastes energy
Average American-prepped meal contains ingredients that source from at least 5 different countries
Food miles: the distance food travels from where it grows to where is is ultimately purchased and consumed”
Case of California: Produces a significant amount of nation’s food, yet in 2005, imported approx. 3 million tons of products
Case of California: Produces a significant amount of nation’s food, yet in 2005, imported approx. 3 million tons of products, including fruits, veggies, cereals, nuts, and wine
But WHY? The agricultural groups in the state produce most of these products
Keep supermarkets stocked
Foods are seasonal, but supermarkets have made it possible to supply products year-round
Many don’t purchase from local growers
Air pollution from imported goods= 45X higher than locally-grown foods
A Closer Look at...Ethical Treatment of AnimalsBack to factory farms…
Animals raised to be slaughtered(and earn a profit), so factory farming operations prioritize quantity over quality
squeezed into pens
injected with growth hormones
no room for natural behavior Image Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/factory-farming-facts_n_4063892.html
A Closer Look at...Ethical Treatment of Workers Focus on workers in ag sector
Because many are illegal immigrants, especially vulnerable because given few protections
Dairy industry:
workers often exposed to pathogens, animal fecal matter, strenuous work without adequate breaks
Watsonville strawberry fields:
Health issues from back-breaking work and exposure to pesticides in the fields
Source: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/the-human-cost-of-industrial-animal-agriculture/
Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/past/issues/95nov/strawber.htm
What Can Be Done?The good news: consumer shopping
habits really do have influence over a company’s practices!
Furthermore, many want to actively choose ethical producers to patronize
The bad news: we tend to prioritize our own convenience, habits, and economic interests
Through increasing public awareness, however, we can encourage the formation of new, socially-aware consumer habits!
The Food Empowerment Project is a great resource for more information about these issues AND advice on how to get involved
http://www.foodispower.org/
GET INVOLVED!Shop local farmers’ markets
ABUNDANT here in the Central Valley!
decrease environmental pollution (transportation) AND infuses money into local economy
Reduce your consumption of meat
Petition government to investigate/publish reports on how to best access local agricultural products
investigate companies suspected of unethical practices
boycott said companies to force compliance with labor laws/environmental laws
At the federal level, could reduce amount of local food exported/other foods imported from abroad
References Arrieta, R.M. “Hidden Horros: California Dairy Workers Face Danger and Abuse.” Dollars & Sense: Real World Economics, September/October 2004.http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2004/0904arrieta.html [accessed October 19, 2015].
The Food Empowerment Project. “Pollution (Water, Air, Chemicals).”http://www.foodispower.org/pollution-water-air-chemicals/ [accessed October 19, 2015].
National Resources Defense Council. “Health Facts: Food Miles.” 2007. https://food-hub.org/files/resources/Food%20Miles.pdf [accessed October 19, 2015].
Saxton, Dvera I. “Strawberry Fields as Extreme Environments: The Ecobiopolitics of Farmworker Health.” Medical Anthropology: Cross-Cultural Studies in Health and Illness, October 13, 2014. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01459740.2014.959167 [accessed October 19, 2015].
Vermeir, Iris and Wim Verbeke. “Sustainable Food Consumption: Exploring the Consumer ‘Attitude-Behavioral Intention’ Gap.” Jouranl of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, March 2009. http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wim_Verbeke2/publication/226354722_Sustainable _Food_Consumption_Exploring_the_Consumer_Attitude__Behavioral_Intention_Gap/li nks/02e7e52777df661605000000.pdf [accessed October 20, 2015].