Providing education, support, and resources on eating vegan for low income communities
The rise of climate change and how much meat production affects the planet.
Initial Interest
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Questions
Who regulates laws on meat production?
What are the largest low-income cities in need of food access?
Where are the easiest places for people of all classes to access information? Where would the resources for the program come from?
When did food deserts become prominent?
Why is eating vegan better for our earth?
How much does money affect where stores are located?
People in low-income cities need support and access to vegan options.
Original Thesis
People from low-income communities should have access to the resources, support, and education on how to eat vegan.
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Controversy
Veganism can only be afforded by the wealthy.
Inner city problems were caused by their community and it should be their own job to fix it themselves.
Providing a service to help go vegan would be wasting time, money and resources that could be put to better use elsewhere.
There is a privilege to being vegan.
“Low-income families attempting to follow a vegan diet would have to spend even more of their budget" (Mensch).
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Works Cited
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Rhetorical Situation
Context: To create healthier habits that result in less meat production and greenhouse gas emmisions
Purpose: Provide support, education, and resources for community members on how to eat vegan
Audience: Policy makers of cities with low-income communities such as those in Denver
Speaker: College Students
"Other business owners in historically low-income areas have noticed the effects of gentrification" (Doherty). These vegan restaurants are benefitting everyone, not just the owners.
Help and support does not need to cost money. "Food Chain is our free vegan retention newsletter to help people go and stay vegan. We previously ran a pilot by providing 12 monthly issues to 500 individuals interested in going vegan or who were newly vegan" (Food Empowerment Project).
Revised Thesis
Doherty, Michael. “In Food Deserts, Small Businesses Offer Healthy Options.” One Green Planet, One Green Planet, 20 Apr. 2018, www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/food-deserts-small-businesses-offer-healthy-options/. Accessed 12 March 2020.
“Food Deserts*.” Food Empowerment Project, 2020, foodispower.org/access-health/food-deserts/. Accessed 5 March 2020.
Landrigan, Marissa. “Breaking Vegetarian: The Privilege of Ethical Eating.” Paste Magazine, 2015, www.pastemagazine.com/food/vegetarian/breaking-vegetarian-the-privilege-of-ethical-eating/. Accessed 10 March 2020.
Mensch, Leah. “Column: Veganism Is Not One-Size-Fits-All.” The Pitt News, 10 Jan. 2019, pittnews.com/article/139093/opinions/column-veganism-is-not-one-size-fits-all/. Accessed 12 March 2020.
Scarborough, Peter, et al. “Dietary Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Meat-Eaters, Fish-Eaters, Vegetarians and Vegans in the UK.” Climatic Change, vol. 125, no. 2, Nov. 2014, pp. 179–192., doi:10.1007/s10584-014-1169-1. Accessed 2 February 2020.
Many factors play a role in one's ability to eat vegan. One of the main factors that is often overlooked is location, and proximity to local food stores. A Major part of providing support would have to be focused on transportation options. This may be a direction I could take and narrow my argument even more.
Reflection