Tuesday, January 19, 2010

the real cost of a hamburger

One of the most startling claims in Raj Patel's excellent new book, The Value of Nothing: Why Everything Costs So Much More Than We Think, is that the 'true' economic cost of a hamburger in the United States would be around $200. When I told my students this last week, they were flabbergasted, and, being my students, they wanted to know the basis of the calculation.

I went back to the book to find out. Raj says that it is based on a report done by the Center for Science and Environment (www.cseindia.org) in India, as quoted in the Financial Times. Unfortunately, the FT article is from 1994: and so both the article and the original report, being 15 years old, are not available on the web--yet!

Luckily, I have found Raj's own explanation in an interview with the NYC Independent Media Center (www.indypendent.org). Here it is:

'The Center for Science and Environment in India tried a few years ago to figure out the true cost of a hamburger. Assuming that it was raised on pasture that was once rainforest, the ecological services provided by that rainforest, the loss of diversity, carbon sequestration, water cycling, fuel and tropical product sources, among many other things, the cost would come to $200. The U.S. food industry has huge hidden costs, from the agricultural run-off that causes a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico to the cultural destruction wrought by the “Western” diet. There are also huge health costs associated with poor diet — in 2007, $174 billion was spent in the U.S. caring for people with diabetes — as well as the public funds that support the industrial food system.

Cheap food is “cheat food.” There are all kinds of costs that are externalized from the price we pay at the checkout. We pay those costs one way or another — but the food companies don’t. Merely having a system of free markets with accurate prices still doesn’t address the underlying issues of poverty and disenfranchisement.'

Incidentally, I have arranged for Raj Patel to deliver the 2011 David Morrison Lecture in International Development at Trent University.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How I wish I could be at next year's David Morrison Lecture!

L.L.

Anonymous said...

Hmm it looks like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I'll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I'm still new to everything. Do you have any points for beginner blog writers? I'd definitely
appreciate it.

Here is my web-site; diets that work for women

Anonymous said...

Ӏt is actually a nіce and useful piece οf іnfoгmation.
I am happy that you simply shared thіs hеlpful info
with us. Please keeρ us informed liκe
this. Thanks for sharing.

Alѕo visit my blog; sportsbet

Anonymous said...

Very raρiԁly this sіte will be famous amοng all blog useгs, duе
to іt's fastidious posts

Here is my homepage: raspberry ketone

Anonymous said...

Great goodѕ from you, man. Ӏ've remember your stuff previous to and you'rе
simplу too wondeгful. I аctually liκe what уou have
got here, really like whаt you're stating and the best way during which you are saying it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to learn much more from you. This is really a tremendous web site.

Here is my web page - car insurance quote

pharmaceutical drop shipping said...

I have read your blog and find that your articles are amazing; I have added this into my bookmark. Thanks a lot.

Anonymous said...

All the object and character customisation present through mobiles is a
number of accidents. This option definitely adds some
nice role playing and thousands of apps head soccer hack from Android
Market as well. Let your phone browser to visit several websites.
You'll play as a computer game and various types of games in your privacy.


Also visit my website - head soccer cheats

Blog Archive