Have you noticed what has been happening to the cost of food? If you haven't you should, it is going up. Way up. Along with energy and fuel costs, and related to it (how does that artichoke get from California to Michigan if not for fossil fuel?) the American consumer is finding out what it means to live in a world that depends on fossil fuel to transport its food an average of 1500 miles, and has had a steadily declining value to its currency (the value of the dollar has halved in relation to the Euro in the past 6 years). In the past 12 months the cost of food has risen 5.1% the worst inflation since the early 1990s. For example in the past years increases include:
- Milk and dried legumes are up 17%
- Cheese 15%
- Rice and pasta 13%
- Bread 12%
- eggs 25% (and 62% in the past 2 years)
- chicken up 10%
- apples up 11.7%
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image to enlarge
So what's a person to do? Well, many of us have been doing this for a long time already - grow a garden (also in the Freep on 3/14/08). It has always made a lot of sense. No more cardboard tomatoes, and a bounty of fresh fruit and veggies with nutrition intact.
Now many people are going to turn ever more toward the cheapest foods-processed foods, but be wary - they are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Processed foods lack nutritive value, made with the cheapest ingredients, and preserved with chemicals that shouldn't enter one's body unless they are interred (and I even question that). Processed foods have all kinds of bad fats (they are cheaper) and are filled with sodium and or sugar(to enhance boiled out flavor). They travel thousands of miles to sit on your store shelves. AND eating processed meats or red meats are an established source of cancer (reduce your meat consumption).
It is just more sustainable to eat what you grow (and have control over), reduce fossil fuel transport that is not necessary, and have a healthy nation (less obesity, less cancer, less diabetes). Don't you think?
22 comments:
Europe is suffering, too. One euro (~$1.56) for one bell pepper! A huge amount of farmland is given over to rapeseed for energy, thus limiting arable land for food production. Don't take the food out of my mouth and put it your freekin SUV!
Thomas Malthus believed that there is a consequence of population growth that is natural and effective: War, Famine, and disease.
We've allready gone to war over energy control. Avian influenza is lurking. Maybe a good famine period could actually help the country become a better place.
20% of the worlds population alone lives in China and they get by quite nicely by practicing Urban farming. Processed, and "fastfoods", will be the death of us. We'll need to adapt sooner or later.
Kyle Kurtzal, Geog 320
I am a single mother to 2 wonderful little girls and I have definitely felt the squeeze at the grocery store recently! We have made some small changes in our diet without sacrificing nutrition. My children love milk! Before the cost of milk went up we went through between 1 and 2 gallons everyday. They have had to learn to appreciate water! (I don't give juice, pop etc.) I am trying to turn this into a learning experience for my 5 year old. We have plans to grow our own small garden this summer. I'm letting her choose some of her favorite fruits and vegetables! Also, she helps me clip coupons every Sunday evening.
I think that we all need to learn to be as sustainable as possible. Our food consumption is just one of many areas of our lives that needs change!
Stacey Walker
I've heard a lot about processed foods being bad, especially high frutose corn syrup etc. but how do you avoid it? Growing a garden would be great, but Michigan has such unpredictable weather and who has the time to grow all the different foods available in grovery stores today? I know I don't. I guess I'd like to live more sustainably and eat better foods with all the nutritional value intact, but how to do it? Most organic foods I've seen are outrageously expensive and while more and more places are starting to carry them, they're not as readily available as everything else. Just some thoughts.
Erin Mitchell Geog 320
People don't realize that as the cost of fuel goes up, so does everything in the economy that has to be transported. Pretty much the high cost of fuel is forcing consumers to change their eating, traveling, and overall spending habits. It would be nice if everyone would spend with the environment in mind at all times, but not just when their pockets are feeling it.
Charlene Dew
Geog 320
Tuesday night
There are postive and negatives about the price increase in food. Obviously the negative side of this is we have to spend more money to get grocery items but at the same time Americans have the one of the highest rates of obesity. Some Americans buy and eate too much food. This is also telling us that we should spend our money wisely.
Chaz Douglas geog 320
Josh Drozdowski
The rising costs are energy and food are definitely interrelated and I hope that more people start to see the relationship between these two. Also that they have a degree of control over some of these factors that affect them a great deal. However this is not the reality for many people. More than ever people are flocking to urban and suburban areas to find work because rural areas do not have the jobs capable of sustaining these people. Many of these people are poor and working class and do not have the space, time or knowledge to supplement their food production with home grown food stuffs. I don't know what can be done but things like diabetes are starting to become epidemic in this country and it is directly related to our diets. How can a country that is so forward thinking in so many ways have missed the ball so bad on something as basic as diet? Our unwavering push for convenience and efficiency has created a culture that does not appreciate food or our bodies. Its a shame!
I believe a lot of countries are suffering from the rising cost of food. I heard the price of the flour rise in Japan, and the bak are having problem with their business.
When I go shopping for grocery, I always think about the cost of the food and amont of food because I don't want to spend too much money on food and throw away the food that I couldn't eat.
I guess if people want to save money, we have to choose the food that price are not rising that much.
It would be nice if everyone that had the resources to plant their own garden did, BUT the reality is that people just don't want to make time to maintain a garden. Most people that have the resources to do so also have the money to pay top dollar for whatever they want in the grocery store. As far as obesity and other chronic health conditions being related to what we eat, A little exercise will go a long way to prevent some of these conditions regardless of what we eat. Too many children (and adults) playing video game and surfing the www. At least 30 minutes a day at moderate intensity 5 days a week.
It has been noticeable that some particular food items have been going up in price. I think if people were to grow their own gardens it would help out. The only problem with that is that most people today are constantly on the go go go, leaving little time to tend to a garden. I also feel that our country has adapted to the fast food industry quite well. With people being on the go all time, it’s rare that working class people are even sitting down for home cooked meals anymore. I know myself, on some nights I get directly out of work and go to school. I would be an example of someone pressed for time, not being able to cook or tend to a garden. I myself do fall victim more than I want to for the quickness of fast food. I don’t think the answer lies within everyone growing their own gardens as much as it does finding alternative fuels sources. Eventually, costs on almost everything are going to rise and I don't see it capping off at any particular price. The cost of food is to me just another drive factor in the search to find alternative/sustainable means of fuels.
I like a lot of the comments given to the issue of rising food cost. I have to give a more realistic comment in some ways. I am one of the many people who know the facts and the theories of conservation, but ignore them. I care about the environment in an holistic sense, but when it comes to reality I have to live in this world. Big business makes it hard to live in a green world. So many things are drill into you at birth that the transition is hard. I don't want to say everyone, but a lot of people do it out of necessity. For example the mother above has changed because of necessity. The same goes for China, they farm because most of them have no choice. I am in no way saying this in a negative way because I do the same thing. However, when it comes to feeding my family now, a couple cans of food for a dollars beats expensive fresh produce that will go bad if I do not use it immediately. But don't give up on me yet I am willing to change.
This country is known for its obesity, so when people talk about resulting to "cheaper foods" how people can you do that is beyond me. Yes, i eat those "cheaper foods" but not on a regular. I know how to make my own food and yes I have had a garden as well. Its really not that difficult and we had a little garden at that, but I was really surprised at how much food that really provides. I would be amazed at what would happen to food costs if each household that was able grew a garden. We would be a much more indpendent country and the gas prices would go down as well. When the article was talking about how much fuel we used up to transport the food i was amazed. People need to take their own, individual, steps to help this country, and if we don't change something soon it will be helping the world because we may not have it for as long as we think at this point.
My family has grown a large garden for years. We grow corn, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, and peppers. At the end of the growing season we do a lot of canning especially with the green beans, corn, and tomatoes. My parents like knowing that no pesticides were sprayed on our food and no growth hormones were added. We usually grow enough for the whole year. Also, we have several apple, peach, plum, and pear trees, and a good size grape vine. Whatever my family is unable to consume, we give the rest to our sheep and goats. By doing so, nothing goes to waste. Over the years, we have been growing more and more due to the rising food costs and health risks.
I also work at a grocery store and prices seem to increase almost weekly. Customers have really been taking note of this and they have been questioning us about it. I try to explain to them that with the rising gas prices we have to raise our prices to make a profit. Some people understand while other say that they are not going to come back.
The idea of having your own garden, or at least shopping for locally grown produce is a great place to start, but honestly, it's difficult for me. In recent years I've moved many times and have lived in places where having a garden would be impossible due to available land and sunlight. I can count on one hand how many times I went to a local market or produce stand last year probably because they are open only a few months a year and I have to drive out of my way to find them. If I do make it to the local farmers market on Saturday, I almost always throw at least a third of it away because it spoils before I get a chance to eat it. I know these are poor excuses and that I could make this happen if was more committed, but until that happens, I too will be eating my canned veggies. This has opened my eyes wider though.
Matt Smith GEOG (online)
One of the many things I look forward to when I have my own house is starting a garden. It's not only the idea of real, fresh, free vegetables that is appealing, but the fact that I grew them myself.
I remember a year ago or so reading something about how the U.S. had started to get our oranges from China, rather than Florida. Rather them getting them nationally, they are transported from the other side of the world. The reason is that we can get them so cheap from China, so expense-wise, it doesn't really matter that they are coming from so far away.
As far as the price of food going up. Flour just recently doubled in price. I work at a restaurant where our main attraction is our bread that we bake ourselves. We use about 75 lbs. of flour a day. Food cost/waste is a big deal everyday in our store, but we never really paid much attention to the flour. Now, we have to make sure that we are making as close to the right amount of bread we need each day, so we are not throwing out a bunch of it at the end of the night.
I agree with most of this blog. I think that in this day, we need to do something that would help with fossil fuels and the prices of food. I agree that a way to do this is to have gardens and grow whatever food we can, in order to reduce shipping food and wasting fuel. But to me, this seems like only half of the solution. We can only grow so much of our own food. Most of us can not grow wheat or corn to make breads and other starches, or raise animals for meat. I also think that this would be a problem if we could. If everyone were to grow/produce everything they needed to eat, our economy would go down the drain (even more). There would no work for American farmers, and as important as it is to do what we can to save the environment, can't we think of a way that wouldn't hurt our economy in the process?
Unfortunately, I am contributing to the commuting population to finish my degree. I know that as the price of fuel goes up, it is because of the prices of all of the products that need to be transported too. I feel the effects in my daily life. I have turned to organic as well as to planting vegetables in my backyard. It is a gradual step, but something that I feel is going to benefit me. I have not grown fruits yet, due to my location, but I am doing what I can to save for my family. I was extremely impressed with Dr. Mayda when she said that she had not eaten fast food in 12 years---what a role model. Since you informed us of that in class, I have avoided any kind of fast food, and have cut way back on processed foods as well. You are an inspiration. Food costs are rising, but we are supporting the rise in them as well. Conserve, cut back and make some changes. They will help you in the long run.
Processed foods are not the reason behind our health problems. As a society we do what is easy, McDonald's is easy, Toco Bell is easy. Cooking healthy meals takes time and so people don't do it. What is a faster solution after a long day at work picking up a $5 hot and ready pizza or going out to the graden picking out the ingredients, washing and perparing them, cooking them and serving? Well pizza is easer! Also how about a lack of exercise not due to processed foods but to lazyness. Our society needs to step up and take action and responsibility for our eating and health decisions insted of blaming the big bad process steak on our plate.
The cost of food has not significantly affected me because I was not purchasing my own food up until the past year and a half. So in my perspective it is hard to understand the vast increase in costs because I have been paying this amount basically the whole time. Growing a garden, like many others have said, is a easy and very productive way to cut down on costs. The fact that most Americans are too lazy to do such a thing is unbelievable but I am not one to talk because I have not helped in this manner. I can remember when I was little we had a pear tree and I grew some tomatoes in my backyard(they are my favorite vegetable). My grandparents had a garden and often jarred the remaining vegetables at the end of the season. No wonder why we are the fattest country, we are always in such a hurry that we would rather grab a quick bite at a fast food joint then to go home and have fresh vegetables ready from a garden that we put an effort into. The transportation of these vegetables is another large abuser of energy because we have trucks driving across the country to get us fruits, vegetables, and meats that we have no idea where they came from or the condition that they have been stored. Yet, we continue to eat these items that will never be as pure as something that a little extra effort can get you for a lot cheaper.
Kyle Seay
Online Geography 320
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