Easy and fun things to help the environment

Humorous Reflections on Fun Incremental Change.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Good Produce. Good Meat. Good Dog, let's eat!

Here's a story that warns of the environmentally-conscious burrito fast food retailer, Chipotle planning to raise their prices in the next year. Uh, that's what they do. That's what all businesses do. In the vast majority of cases, they do it to compensate for their prices going up and (mostly) so they don't lose their profit margin.

In the case of Chipotle, I think we should all HAPPILY pay the higher prices because of what Chipotle does for it's customers and especially what it does for the market.

Chipotle has been a leader in bringing quality food products to the fast-food market. The meats they use are sustainably produced and without hormones or other pharmaceutical Frankenstein blends that swim freely in a lot of livestock.

They are also on the forefront (or is it vanguard?) of using non-GMO produce, At this juncture in the history of corporate farming (both produce AND livestock) that isn't easy. The powers that be are very protective of their strangle hold on the market, therefore, they have lobbyists to make sure that their corporate overlords get government subsidies to keep the prices of their science-project-gone-wrong faux-foodstuffs at an artificially low price, making it the first choice for those wishing to keep costs down.

By buying products that are sustainably produced in the type of quantities that a national food distributor is able to buy in, the cost of these (better) products is driven down. (soon after the Clinton administration mandated that all government offices use at least 30% recycled paper, the price to consumers came down significantly. Just sayin'.) When the prices come down, the potential for the consumer to purchase the "better" product improves. More is sold, and the price can come down even more.

The  best way to fight against the greedy corporations (like Monsanto) that are willing to destroy the food supply for profit, is to make their product, and therefore, their profits less valuable.

Besides, I LOVE burritos. And Chipotle has some of the very best. I'll be there to shell out the extra bucks for a company who fights the good fight and makes the great food.
Baby steps...