Socioeconomics

A person's diet has a lot to do with what that person's socioeconomic status. Think about it: is a family living on the verge of poverty going to have the same diet as a family living in top 1% of the country? And with these different diets, come different carbon footprints and effects on the environment. So, to what degree does food play a role in environmental conservation? Specifically, what role, and how does the amount of money that families make change that variable? It turns out, a lot.

Before we delve into how socioeconomic status impacts the environment and your carbon footprint, we need to clear up what exactly a carbon footprint is and how you can calculate it in terms of food. Normally, a carbon footprint consists of EVERYTHING that you do i.e. every source of energy that is used in your lifestyle. However, for this wiki, we want you to think of your carbon footprint only in terms of food; your "food-carbon footprint" if you will. In this version of your carbon footprint, everything that is related to food is the only energy consumption that we are going to count. So, all the energy that is used locating, planting, gathering, processing, shipping, and preparing said food is what is going to make up your "food-carbon footprint." So, how much does being lower, middle, or upper class change this footprint? Let's find out!

When we go grocery shopping, we tend to not think about much past "gallon of milk, pound of ground beef, a dozen apples…" In reality, all of the food that we see at grocery store has gone through a ridiculously complicated procedure to get to where it now.

Upper and middle class families of four usually end up spending somewhere between 300 and 400 dollars a month on groceries. These groceries are normally picked up from grocery stores such as Pick N' Save, Sentry, and Whole Foods. Many of these groceries are mass-produced in factories that cause pollution or need to travel a long distance that requires a lot of time and energy. In addition, much of the produce is harvested young and matures during shipping. This produce needs to be sprayed with a variety of chemicals in order to keep fresh, and is sometimes required to include preservatives to ensure they remain sellable once they reach their destination. Next time you pick up an apple or open up a can of soup, think about the journey that that food needed to take to get where it is now. It truly is a time and energy intensive process.

Lower class families of four usually end up spending somewhere between 200 and 300 dollars a month on groceries. Because they cannot afford the same amount of groceries as an upper or middle class family, these families already have a smaller "food-carbon footprint." All the food that we eat however, we do not always make at our houses. Where would we be today without fast-food industries and restaurants? We as a society always seem like we are in a hurry and the convenience of grabbing a quick bite to eat on the go is something that we appeal to. What socioeconomic status does in this realm of people's lives is influence what type of restaurants we eat at. Upper and middle class citizens tend to eat in restaurants that are normally sit-down while lower class citizens eat at fast food restaurants such as McDonalds.

Americans in general, go out for food at least once a week, so we need to put in perspective how these restaurants effect our environment. Mass produced food like that sold at McDonalds is all factory made and shipped out in bulk. Food sold in sit down restaurants is often much more specialized, and while still shipped in bulk, goes through a much more complicated gathering and preparing process. Because of this, upper and middle class families gain an even larger "food-carbon footprint."

As for cooking food, all social classes tend to utilize the same amount of energy and create the same amount of pollution. Think about it, the amount of money a family makes does not directly correlate to the amount of pollution created by cooking. However, some higher class families may tend to cook more food and therefore make more pollution. If we as a society believe this, the "food-carbon footprint" for the higher classes can be raised a little bit more.

So, in the realm of food in regard to socioeconomic status, how does the "food-carbon footprint" change? By these parameters, people of a higher socioeconomic status tend to have a higher "food-carbon footprint." This is because they tend to purchase more food, go out to eat more, and generally have a more specialized diet. Remember however, that this is only one aspect of a person's life and that this is not a universal statement.

So, now that we know a little bit about how socioeconomic status effects the environment, how can we change our habits in order to ensure a healthier environment and a more environmentally conservative lifestyle? First off, do not go grocery shopping while hungry! It sounds silly, but it's the truth. People that go grocery shopping on an empty stomach tend to buy more food than what they or their family can consume. What results is a waste of food, money, and energy, not to mention unnecessary pollution. Secondly, buy a portion of your family's food from farmer's markets or similar shops. This kind of food comes directly from the producer and often cuts out the middle man that creates so much pollution and wastes so much energy. Plus, you'd be helping your local businesses! It may cost a little extra, but you'll feel better knowing you're not harming the environment so much. Finally, don't eat out so much. Food created at home always uses less energy than food you buy on the road. So next time you head out for a long drive, pack yourself a sandwich instead of stopping on the road for a burger. The environment will thank you!