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Recently a childhood friend with whom I’ve reconnected on Facebook made a post about sitting in the drive-thru at McDonald’s, laughing about the items her children were ordering. The children are about 3 and 5 years old, respectively, and I admit I was incensed by this window into a young family’s life, well beyond any and all rights I may have to pass judgment.

actual print ad via consumerist.com

I generally restrict my rage over fast food victimization to drives down Airport Boulevard between, oh, MLK and Oak Springs. The density of fast food chains in that stretch of road is mind-boggling. There are no grocery stores, with the exception of City Market, and residents I speak with about it cite a consistent lack of fresh produce. In my work, this is what is referred to as a food desert. Research is being done as we speak to document and assess the factors, impacts and ultimately, potential solutions to this public health crisis-causing situation.

In the meantime, I seek ways not to feel helpless when seeing and hearing of people – from friends to strangers – consuming fast food. Lest you say it’s none of my business, I argue that it is all of our collective business. If we do not make it so, our way of life will deteriorate even more rapidly than the current indicators of public health suggest. Did you know that one third of children aged 2-18 are now overweight in this country? Low income and ethnic groups other than white, as you might expect, fare the worst, with 40% of Latino children currently being overweight. Where does this lead? To a lifetime of challenges, from diet-related disease to social stigma and economic struggles affecting not only the individual, but all who pay taxes.

I don’t place blame on people who have no other viable food options in their neighborhoods and who face other barriers to access such as finances and transportation – I blame the corporations preying upon them – but I am grappling with those on the “other side” – like my childhood friend who could afford to do better, and most certainly is aware of the perils of fast food. It is those of us living or working on the other side who must take action. The simplest form is to abstain from eating fast food. When one mother in Westlake stops driving the girls through McDonald’s on Bee Cave, but instead takes a half hour earlier in her day to prepare a healthy snack for them, the ripple effect is palpable. Janey tells her mom that Chloe’s mom isn’t getting them McDonald’s anymore and wants to know what’s up with that. Janey’s mom thinks about this, and the social stigma of continuing a behavior her child’s friend’s family has deemed undesirable will affect her actions.

Keeping up with the Joneses can be a positive force, too.

In closing, think for a moment about the power Austin, Texas has. With the national spotlight continuing to shine a halo on us, we are called to demonstrate judgment which puts sustainability – economic, environmental and ethical – at the forefront of each decision. Why not strive for goals beyond just the low-hanging fruit? Why not, no new fast food establishments? No foods-of-minimal-nutritional-value (the technical name for vending machine foodlike items) in schools and work places? In my next posting I’ll be examining how these sorts of measures have worked – or not – in places like Berkeley, LA, Boulder, NYC and others.

The next time you wait too long to eat and your stomach is howling, along with the kids’, who may now be audibly howing, make an exceptional choice. Don’t drive thru. The world is watching!