Why are food, environmental, and climate justice important?
Why are food, environmental, and climate justice important?
As food production increasingly focuses on efficiency and quantity rather than quality, the use of chemicals and other cost-cutting resources has significant effects on both the populations living nearby and those that consume these crops. These cost-cutting processes also have detrimental effects on both the environment and climate as high amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted into the air and chemical runoffs settle in nearby waterways. But why is this so important? As food manufacturers focus less and less on quality, people are unable to buy healthy and focus more on the cost, which simultaneously puts their health and well-being at risk. Additionally, these issues are much more prevalent in lower SES communities, another reason why many health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes may run rampant in these groups. By focusing our efforts on recovering better food production methods with minimal costs, the effects on the climate and environment can be reduced while also allowing consumers to purchase more high- quality products that have fewer adverse effects on their health. This can range from government subsidies to better farming practices to helping families grow their own vegetables and keeping grocery costs to a minimum. If we can implement plans to fix the food injustice by offering more nutritious and affordable options, especially to those that do not have access, and alleviating any long-term effects from chemicals to those involved in the food production process, these three factors may be able to simultaneously improve, even if it is just a fraction.