TED Radio Hour The hidden forces shaping your choices
110 snips
May 2, 2025 
Sarah Lake, a food system and climate expert, discusses the shift towards a plant-rich diet, highlighting how cultural norms shape food choices. Deb Chachra, an infrastructure engineer, emphasizes the critical role of resilient systems amid climate change. Michele Gelfand, a cross-cultural psychologist, explores tight and loose cultural frameworks and their impact on behavior. Urban planner Jeff Speck advocates for walkable cities, sharing insights on designing spaces that prioritize pedestrians over cars, ultimately enhancing community interaction and environmental sustainability.
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Meat Normalized by Marketing
- Sarah Lake shares how her grandma's 1950s meat-heavy diet was shaped by marketing and government policies.
- Meat became normalized in every meal post-World War II through subsidies, technology, and school programs.
Food Choices Driven By Systems
- What we eat is less about choice and more about what's offered and affordable.
- Shifting diets towards plants requires institutional support similar to past meat promotions.
Design Grocery Stores For Health
- Grocery stores design influences choices by product placement and presentation.
- Placing plant-based foods at eye-level and near meat can encourage consumers to pick healthier options.
