Eat local and sustainable food to help local farmers? No! Eat it because it's way way way better for you. You'll live longer. You'll live better. You'll save money on health care costs. There's much better primary messages to choose from when trying to get people to make the change.
Same with global warming. Don't pollute because it'll decrease the water supply in sub-saharan Africa? No! Don't pollute because you have no idea how dangerous the air you're breathing really is. You have no idea how dangerous the mercury levels in the water you're drinking really are.
It's way easier to make a change in your life when you see a direct benefit of that change. It's simple marketing.
5 comments:
Now let's not let common sense get in the way of saving our world!
haha good point. It's nice to think that people would actually want to do things for the 'greater good,' but let's be honest, for many this isn't the case. And I don't blame them when it means things are more expensive. It's easy to say that people shouldn't shop at places like Walmart out of principle, but many don't have the luxury of choosing a more expensive option. It usually comes down to doing what benefits your family the most. Realizing that local farms are actually beneficial to YOU makes them much more attractive.
Andy, I actually think that this theory is for the "earth-savers." Regardless of what their big priority goal is, they need to persuade us through everyone else's biggest priority goal, themselves.
Yeah, I love the earth as much as the next guy, but until someone convinces me that buying local Jersey milk will make me more attractive or make me live longer, I'm not spending the extra $3/ gallon.
Andy, the film documentary Food Inc. does a pretty good job convincing at least the latter one.
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