A greasy burger wrapped in greasy paper is cheap, quick and all kinds of delicious. The Student Center is, let's not kid ourselves, not a student center in the true sense of the phrase, but rather a glorified food court. McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut are open for most of the day, ready to feed those long on hunger but short on time.
For sheer convenience in the life of a busy student, these four chains - and to a lesser extent, Subway - have succeeded in making themselves an absolute necessity on campus. Got 15 minutes in between classes? A double cheeseburger may be your only chance at sustenance for the next few hours. At a Coney Island, that would only be enough time to sit down, get your water and perhaps smoke a cigarette. Is it the breakfast of champions? No.
It is our responsibility, however, as consumers in a consumerist society, to observe the impact of our choices on the economy around us. Where does each dollar you spend at McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC or Pizza Hut go? It goes to corporate headquarters in Oakbrook, Ill.; Irvine, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; and Addison, Texas; respectively. The only money that gets pumped into the local economy from these campus businesses is the hourly wage paid to the employees.
The patrons of these homogenous eateries have been almost completely without alternatives until very recently. The Farmers Market on Cass Avenue, which features vendors from Detroit, Southeast Michigan and Ontario the fourth Wednesday of each month, is the perfect prototype for expanded economically and environmentally responsible eating in Midtown. The vendors who sold all manner of fresh produce and jams completely sold out of stock during the first Farmers Market on August 27, showing that the demand for such amenities is here.
My proposal is this, since the Farmers Market model of food distribution not only empowers the regional economy, but offers food that is actually, you know, good for you ... Independent food vendors should play a more prominent role on campus. When winter creeps in, why not let a Farmers Market happen in sheltered warmth inside the Student Center? There should be an increase in the frequency of Farmers Markets, from monthly to twice-weekly, and then as often as demand dictates. Local-minded economic initiatives like this are the best way to cure an ailing Detroit, and I posit that Midtown and the Wayne State campus are among the most opportune places to try new things.
In conclusion, is it really so absurd to imagine having fresh food available every day on campus, to be offered the choice between an apple grown 15 miles away or a grilled stuffed burrito that comes from parts unknown?
I contend that it is not.
The Cass Street Farmers Market is a step in the right direction
Published: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Updated: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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