For reasons I'll explain at another time, I've spent the last few weeks alternating between a vegetarian (melted cheese is tempting - evil and possibly addictive) and a vegan diet. There have been some almost immediate benefits, not the least of which is that I feel better and I'm saving money at the grocery store. In making this change, I've noticed how easy this kind of change is - if you have the resources. It's not just an awareness issue. It's an economic and environmental justice issue.
What we choose to eat and where we purchase what we eat is a justice issue. Things like cost, access and quality are connected to economic justice.
Cost is more complex than what you see on the price tag. Buying in bulk, which is often cheaper per unit, is ultimately unaffordable for many low income households.
Access is equally complex. If you use public transportation, its more difficult to transport large quantities and you often limited by schedules in terms of where and when you can shop.
Quality is often a function of both cost and access. If I have access to high quality food but can't afford it or can't transport and store it, I might as well not have access. If I don't have access, cost doesn't matter. If it's free but I can't get it, it might as well be a million dollars.
To take one example, I have relatives who live in a small town. The single grocery in this town closes at 8 o'clock (it used to close at 6!). If you work a full time job, you are often unable to shop. That means buying your food from convenience stores, which are more expensive and have fewer fresh options. This local store has limited choices, higher prices and lower quality in produce and fresh foods; even if your work schedule allows you to shop, you're paying more and getting less. (The store in question doesn't deliberately purchase lower quality or charge more - as a function of their size and loation they have limited options and are charged my by distributors.)
Reduced quality and increased price are reflected in purchasing patterns. Items such as soup, canned good, cereal, dried vegetables, and other instant/easy mix foods become dietary staples. These items are less healthy. Lower quality, higher cost fresh fruits and vegetable means in practice that people must shop more often or consuming fewer fresh fruits and vegetables. That translates into higher carbohydrate, higher fat and higher sugar consumption.
Living in an urban area, I have easy, round the clock access to a variety of stores. Between the Chinese, Indian and Mexican markets, the locally owned locally sourced fresh food stores, the various chains (Smith's, Whole Paychecks Foods, Sunflower, Fresh Market) and farmer's markets, I have ready access to a wide array of food at a wide range of cost. I can walk to five different sources from my house. I can purchase locally sourced, organic food at reasonable prices if I shop at a farmer's market or at the locally owned, locally sourced grocery store. I can purchase high quality fresh fruits and vegetables year round. However, some of these options require a car and time. I can leave work early if I need to, or come in late, to make purchases. Many lower income households, paid hourly, have less flexibile work schedules.
Even in urban areas, however, access can be difficult. I live in a relatively affluent neighborhood. If I drive ten minutes, I'm in a predominantly working class and immigrant neighborhood where there are two grocery stores about ten blocks apart. These stores are on public transit routes and open into the evening but are smaller than the stores in my neighborhood which translates into fewer purchasing options. Localvore and organic options aren't available in this community. The result is that if someone in this neighborhood wants to purchase locally sourced and organic food, they have to drive across town. Lack of neighborhood access translates into higher costs.
I've mentioned locally sourced options. The idea of localvore is very simple - get as much of your food as possible from sources within, say, 50 miles of where you live. In practice, you get more, fresh food and have a smaller carbon footprint. Some localvores like to point out that eating localvore you eat more in sync with the seasons - no more fresh strawberries in January but lots of great squash in the fall. Localvore eating connects with environmental and justice concerns quite easily. Supporting local growers is good for the local economy, reduces environmental impact and strengthens communities. It keeps local growers in business rather than multi-national factory farms meaning your money stays in the community. Locally sourced food is often affordable - meaning lower income families can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices. It creates a positive feedback loop.
What about Costco and other warehouse stores? Price per unit is often well below grocery stores, but you have to buy larger quantities. You need storage space for all the products you're purchasing and, important, available money to pay for these items. When I shopped at Costco, the average trip was often $100 or more. Not every family can spend $100 at a go, nor do many families have sufficient storage. A while back, I visited a friend living in section 8 housing - her otherwise nice apartment had two cabinets in the kitchen - utterly insufficient for storing Costco quantities. All of which ignores the fact that you need a car big enough to transport large quantities when you shop Costco - if you take public transit, a Costco run isn't a reasonable option. Costco is also a huge carbon footprint - their stuff is shipped from all the over world.
Budget is crucial when discussing food justice. A family living paycheck to paycheck may rarely have more than $30 or $40 available at a single time to purchase food and they have stretch that money as far as possible. Things like rice, beans and potatoes quickly become staples. A while back, I was at the store and watched as a woman carefully added up the price of what she was purchasing. She put two items back before she made her to the checkstand. Foodstamps may not cover necessities. In Utah, the average per participant per month is $117.41 - that's less than $30 a week. The national average is $133.84 - less $34 per week. That amount may keep you just this side of starvation, but barely. If you have limited access and high prices, that money becomes grossly inadequate.
The upshot of all this meandering commentary is this:
Food is an economic and environmental justice issue.
Access, cost and quality issues disproportionately affect low income urban and rural dwellers. Higher cost, lower quality and lack of access put undue pressure on low income households and often result in those households being forced to choose less healthy alternatives.
The options available to middle and upper income households have the effect of allowing them to stretch their food dollars furthers than low income households. The ability to buy and store bulk foods benefit those consumers disproportionately.
It's easier to eat a healthy, plant based diet if you have greater economic resources.