As government funding for programs that make fresh fruits and vegetables available to low-income women and young children get cut, Sarah Parsons asks how to make the sustainable food movement less elitist.
Parsons bemoans the reductions in government funding for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program, but sees a larger problem in the fundamental causes that make sustainable food inaccessible to many, of which "price tags are just a small piece of the very complex puzzle."
Among the causes Parsons identifies as obstacles to accessibility are unfair federal crop subsidies (which "mean that industrial-scale growers who make ingredients for cheap, commodity products are able to produce and sell their wares at lower prices") and geographic challenges ("Many farmers markets are sited in relatively affluent neighborhoods...More than 23 million Americans live in food deserts, regions where citizens must travel more than a mile to the nearest grocery store").
Parsons highlights some of the innovative projects seeking to overturn this state of affairs. One is Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit that "works to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables by offering incentives for food stamp recipients to shop at farmers markets." Another is Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard Project, which has led the way in providing fresh fruits and veggies for students' meals and educating students about sustainable food production.
FULL STORY: Let's Make Sustainable Food Less Elitist
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
‘Micro-Apartment’ Trend Underscores Housing Crisis
SROs are making a comeback under a new name as the housing supply remains strained and costs soar.
Indian States Give Women Free Bus Passes
The programs are part of an initiative aimed at helping more women join the workforce and improving access to basic needs.
Study: How to Revitalize Downtown Minneapolis
A proposal calls for a reevaluation of the city’s skyways, a focus on street-facing businesses, and an improved public realm.
Milwaukee Residents Challenge Freeway Expansion
Residents are voicing opposition to a planned expansion of Interstate 94, arguing that the project would eliminate the limited green space in the neighborhood.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.