Gosh I always hate the "how can you waste food when people in
Africa are starving" argument.
3 simple explanations:
1. The food we waste would not have gone to Africa anyway
2. It is because Africa is starving that's why we have food. I'm
not going to explain this, cos Wikipedia can
---http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependency_theory
3. This may still lead on to the argument that we thus should
not waste food because the consequence of us having this food is
Africa starving. However, this argument is centred on moral
standards. Firstly, whether we finish all the food or waste the
food we are given, Africa still starves, because their starving is
a result of us even gettin the food anyway. Secondly, there is no
way our wasted food is going back to Africa (Pt 1). So ultimately,
there is nothing you can do about it - and if you feel bad about
wasting food (well you are entitled to feel that way) - but that's
purely a moralistic standpoint that isn't going to do anything
anyway.
What you can do: don't buy more than you can eat? No demand, no
supply, less exploitation. But that will make, at best, a minimal
improvement in their lot.
