Moms' Responses to Expensive Food and Fuel: A Mixed Bag for the Environment
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.23.08
We’ve already learned from the BBC how families around the world are changing their eating habits to deal with rising prices, but what does all this mean for the growing movement towards more sustainable lifestyles? We’ve already caused some healthy debate on why economic challenges might be good or bad for the environment, but now CNN has an interesting feature on how mom’s across America are dealing with more expensive food and gas. It certainly seems like there are both pluses and minuses from a sustainability angle.
On the one hand, mothers like Christina Pond are planting herb and vegetable gardens, making their own baby foods, breast feeding instead of buying formula, making better use of leftovers, and cutting back on meat and eating out. On the other hand, the rising popularity of organic food in the stores may fall victim to tightening family budgets:
“Moms who aren't as inclined to tap their inner Martha Stewart are cutting costs by trading down to generic products from pricier name brand and organic foods and beverages. While supermarkets are rushing to introduce more organic products, some moms are forgoing those "green" purchases because they typically also cost more.”
It seems like the end of cheap food will bring some interesting challenges and opportunities to the green movement. On the one hand, there will be increased opportunities to promote efficiency, resourcefulness, and the idea of making more out of less. On the other, we’ll see increasing pressures on companies to cut corners to keep prices low. Time to keep our ears and eyes open…
::CNN Money::via site visit::
I notice that Christina is using Borax for cleaning; the reason it is such a good anti-biotic is that it is toxic. Of special note is the accumulation potential in humans (and other species) especially in youngsters. We need remain mindful that just because it is natural, doesn't always mean it's harmless...
S
they probably have to cut down on other things because it costs so much to fill their oversized SUV. gas is ridiculous, but if i have to hear one more person complain while they're filling up their Yukon, i'm going to go berserk!
It's sad that one of the mothers in the article refuses to give up bottled water.
One can also save a lot of money by not buying boxed cereal at all. I eat (store brand instant) oatmeal every morning, which I buy in 42 oz containers for $2.59, and flavor with a little honey or brown sugar. This lasts me 2-3 weeks, and I'm an adult. It would probably be enough to feed a child for 6 weeks.
This is probably the time for the generic organic products to take hold. They are cheaper than name brands, but more expensive than the generic conventional products. You can save some cash and get better products.
And as for the borax comment...sure it has some danger, but compared to many other much more highly toxic/dangerous products on the market it is superior. Yeah you don't want to leave the box around for baby or the dog to play with, but compared to other products it is all right in my book. My reading of borax in the lit tells me that it is rapidly excreted from the body and hasn't been shown to concentrate in mammalian tissues.
My wife breastfeeds, and I really can't for the life of me understand why anyone *wouldn't*.
- no bottles to wash/sterilize/fill
- no time spent making/warming the formula
- no money spent
- better nutrition
- antibodies
- no special storage requirements
- always available
Breastfeeding is just so astonishingly more convenient, easy, and better for your baby that it's simply a no-brainer.
And while I understand that there are still countries stuck in the 19th century *coughcough*America*cough* and believe that breasts=sex=EVIL, their primary design and purpose *is* to feed babies, regardless of who you think the designer is.
I read this story the other day and was shocked that the first woman interviewed said she did 4 loads of laundry every other day, for a family of 3. That is simply a crazy amount of laundry. When I gave birth to my second son, we became a family of 4. I had to do laundry for all of us, along with full time cloth diapers for a newborn and toddler (at least 18 dirty diapers a day). At the height of all of that I may have had to do 8 loads of laundry a week. These people must be changing their clothes at every meal and washing sheets every day. That problem is far bigger than the cost of laundry detergent.
it's funny that leaving within your means is now considered forward thinking and revolutionary!!
a wake-up call to all those who squander our worlds resources.
Please, please remember that not every woman is able to produce milk, no matter how badly she wants to.
Heather-
Although there are some women that are physically unable to produce milk, they constitute a very small minority. Most women, over 90% are capable of producing enough milk to nourish their child.
I understand what you are saying, though. A friend adopted a child recently, and was uncomfortable with the idea of induced lactation. She has gotten quite a few negative comments from complete strangers, while feeding her daughter in public.
bottled water? is she serious? maybe she should consider that the petroleum being used for her bottles is part of the problem here!!
I just wanted to say that you arent supposed to cook EVER while wearing a child/baby in a sling (her baby carrier) like the woman in the pic. LOL just a bit of useless info but maybe not ,for someone who doesn't know any better.
I just wanted to say that you arent supposed to cook EVER while wearing a child/baby in a sling (her baby carrier) like the woman in the pic. LOL just a bit of useless info but maybe not ,for someone who doesn't know any better.