22: The Dangers of Frugality

Canada

A Climate Pollinator story by Sierra Ross Richer

“Mennonites want a deal,” said Will Braun, the executive editor of Canadian Mennonite Magazine and a small-scale farmer in Manitoba, Canada. But, he asks, is cheap always the right choice? 

Mennonite thriftiness is rooted in the value of simplicity and a desire to use only what is necessary. But recently, Will believes, the virtue of frugality has been distorted. In a world where “almost everything you buy is dripping with exploitation in one way or another,” Will said, “I think we need to examine our hearts on the frugality, and we need to know when is the time to pay more.” 

Every choice a consumer makes is accompanied by ethical questions. Say you’re shopping for eggs. It might be tempting, or even necessary, to buy the cheapest option. But behind the low price tag are factory farms where hens are crammed so tightly they can’t move, workers are underpaid for their labor, farmers are trapped in systems of debt, and chemicals and pollutants are dumped into the environment. 

 ‘More with less,’ Will said, can quickly turn into, “If I can save a buck, I don’t care who’s being exploited or what’s being exploited or what externalities there are.” 

Before moving to his farm, Will bought eggs from friends who were small-scale farmers. “I remember holding this egg and thinking, ‘this is what I want to spend money on,’” Will said. “I wanted this money to go to Jeff and Teresa.” 

Food grown sustainably and justly is often more expensive than food produced through the exploitation of land and workers. Paying the higher prices isn’t always realistic, but Will urges Mennonites to think about the unforeseen costs of frugality. 

In his opinion, Will said, ‘Whatever I spent on this egg (from Jeff and Teresa), that was money well spent.’”