Is Environmental Responsibility Classed?

This post is not, by any means whatsoever, an attempt to advocate racist and classist findings such as Herrnstein and Murray's The Bell Curve. If I were really as obtuse to think that people of certain races or classes were inherently more or less intelligent than others, one would hope I would not know how to use a computer. In fact, I am trying to do just the opposite here--my true aim is to examine social forces that inhibit people of certain socioeconomic statuses (SES's) toward or away from eating in which are environmentally responsible, focusing on meat- and animal product-free diets. Unfortunately, I had trouble finding any statistics whatsoever on the SES-based makeup of the vegetarian/vegan, etc. communities; so, with lack of direct information, I will do the best I can to reason out and support my claims effectively.

(Note: This information is examining only issues facing those of poorer SES in the USA.)

Jonathan Safran Foer, author of my favorite (and frequently cited) nonfiction book, Eating Animals, was invited to be on Ellen Degeneres' talk show to speak about his book. Ellen asks him, "What if people can't afford to live this [vegan/vegetarian] lifestyle?" He responds, "You can't afford not to." Below, you can watch the entire interview.

Ain't he a cutie? Mmm mmm MMH! 


Anyway...

I think Foer makes an excellent point. While a vegetarian or vegan diet may be more expensive (debatable) or less convenient for the time being, higher rates of cancer have been reported in those who include even a reasonable amount of animal products in their diets. Not only have animal proteins alone been suspected of being carcinogenic, but nearly all beef produced in the US is treated with ammonia, and much processed chicken absorbs feces during the cooling process (Eating Animals). That's not to mention the obvious fact that higher fat and cholesterol intake contribute to rampant heart disease, the number one killer in the US. Around age 50, someone who is in 'good health' will usually have a health insurance premium half the amount of that someone in 'poor health.'

But what about the day to day costs? Some of us don't have the luxury of worrying about our health; some of us are lucky to have any food at all. And aren't veggie burgers, like, 4 bucks a box?

Well, yes, they are. But who made the rule that vegetarians/vegans had to eat processed soy foods? Living on staples (like canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, even tofu) can be much cheaper than even the cheapest meats. However, that brings up the issue of convenience. I don't think most people buy Big Macs because they can't or won't cook. I think it's just a very easy, fast way to get cheap food that will fill you up quickly. And as much as I do believe these people have the option of healthier meals that they could cook at home that might be every bit as cheap, that's not always realistic. Many people of poorer SES work at least two jobs, have children and a home to take care of, and sometimes there's not enough time for even those tasks. Can we expect someone of that lifestyle to have an easy time resisting convenience foods?

Another huge problem with expecting people of poorer SES to maintain a more environmentally responsible diet is lack of education. I don't mean lack of schooling when I say that; in fact, schooling can be a discouraging place for budding or lifelong vegans/vegetarians. When I was in grade school, I was constantly teased by other children for being a vegetarian, and told I was unhealthy by too many football coach/health teacher hybrids who probably all had cholesterol levels off the charts. We live in a pro-meat culture, and that absolutely comes through in public education. Unfortunately, it also comes through in advertising, much more heavily than in the classroom. Think about Tyson chicken, "Beef-it's what's for dinner," countless McDonald's commercials, and Perdue. Commercials for all these products, and others, are crafted to make you think that the meat you feed your family is healthy and humanely raised, and, moreover, a responsible choice. On the contrary, meat and other animal products have been linked to the recent spikes in food allergies and autism in children (Eating Animals). Here's a particular Perdue commercial that pisses me the hell off:

"It makes me feel like a better mom. How precious, reassuring and gendered am I to you right now?"

So, assume that you're in the 30% of people in this country with no internet; but you have a TV. You are constantly exposed to these commercials, such as the one above, and have very few resources in your home with which to receive quality information about the world. More importantly, you don't have the time to do any sort of research at all, due to the aforementioned two jobs, kids and home. What do you think you're more than likely buying your family tonight for dinner? That's right, shit-laced chicken.

To finish off, I am not saying that everyone who is poor is ignorant; many people, rich and poor, make decisions to have an environmentally responsible diet, and many in both SES' don't. We have a system set up that purposely keeps people ignorant, that makes sure that a Big Mac is their best option for their next meal. The environment dies. Ours is a system of cures, not prevention. And if you can't afford the cures? You die right along with it.