- Chris MacDonald is a Toronto-based ethicist, professor, speaker and consultant.
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Category Archives: consumerism
The Ethics of the Cost of Ethical Food
It’s bad if high prices get in the way of eating a) well or b) ethically, and there are plenty of myths about both. And today alone I’ve read two interesting pieces on the price of food. First, the NYT’s … Continue reading
Posted in consumerism, ethics, farmers markets, local, marketing, organic, prices, values
3 Comments
The Farmed Salmon Feed Controversy & Consumer Responsibility
Here’s an interesting video & writeup about the controversy over the production of fishmeal for the feeding of farmed salmon. From The Ecologist: farmed salmon feed controversy. The video & accompanying text focus on Peru, and in particularly on the … Continue reading
Posted in choice, consumerism, ethics, fisheries, regulation, values
2 Comments
Children, Food, and Indoctrination
A few weeks back, this video of a precocious kid talking about the ethics of food made the rounds. I wasn’t sure what to say about it. I guess it’s finally time. I don’t like to pick on kids, but … Continue reading
Posted in advertising, agriculture, children, consumerism, ethics, factory farms, farmers, genetic modification, health claims, industrial, kids, local, marketing, meat, organic, values
4 Comments
The Right to Know What I’m Eating
In the debate over the labelling (or non-labelling) of genetically-modified foods, one of the most common refrains is that consumers “have a right to know” what they’re eating. I’ve commented briefly on that here before. (See “Should Companies Label Genetically … Continue reading
Posted in consumerism, GMO, labeling, restaurants, safety, values, vegetarianism
35 Comments
Eat Your Veggies!
I love vegetables. In fact, I never met a vegetable I didn’t like (except ones that are poorly prepared), and veggies make up most of my diet. Alas, the same cannot be said for everyone. See this story, by Kim … Continue reading
Meat Production and Utopian Fantasies
Meat production is perhaps the big ethical issue in the realm of food. Not that long ago, vegetarianism and veganism were the domain of hippies and university undergraduates, but not any longer. Now that the ecological impact of meat production … Continue reading
Posted in consumerism, ecosystems, environment, farmers, meat, public policy, vegan, vegetarianism
5 Comments
Should Grandma Drink Bottled Water?
Here’s a thought about health warnings related to foods and food packaging. A few months ago my grandmother told me she had stopped drinking bottled water. Why? Because she had heard on the news that there are chemicals in plastic … Continue reading
Does it Matter if Consumers Understand Food Labels?
I recently expressed my doubts about the power of food labels to empower consumers across the full range of ethical issues related to food. But, at least implicitly, I accepted that nutrition labelling is the exception, the obviously-empowering form of … Continue reading
Posted in activism, consumerism, labeling, nutrition, values
3 Comments
Are Labels the Answer (to Everything)?
An increasing number of issues are generating calls for labelling of food and beverages. In addition to the labelling required by most governments (size, ingredients, nutritional characteristics) there are now calls for labelling nation of origin, carbon footprint, water footprint, … Continue reading
Posted in certifiction, consumerism, labeling
2 Comments
Ethical Birthing for Calves & the Micromanagement of Farming
If you thought the only ethical issue about the treatment of calves was the way veal calves are raised, think again. Here’s the story, from TVNZ: Calf-killing practice sparks mixed debate. A Close Up poll of almost 10,000 people tonight … Continue reading
Posted in agriculture, animal welfare, consumerism, ethics, farmers, values
1 Comment
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