What is a “food desert”? What does “environmentally unsustainable” mean; or “intolerable noise levels”?
It is easy to assume that because we know what a term means in our agency, our neighborhood, our city or state, it has the same meaning to everyone, everywhere.
For example, food deserts are defined as regions where residents have limited access to healthful and affordable food options. The United States Department of Agriculture has a specific definition for a food desert. Food deserts often lead to health disparities and increased risk of diet related diseases.
The overall definition is important, as are the implications. It is equally important to describe what the term means in your service area.
Not: “Most people in the Brenton neighborhood live in a food desert and don’t have access to healthy food.”
Instead: “The two square mile Brenton nighborhood is defined as a “food desert”. It does not have a single major or local supermarket where a wide array of food is available. The nearest supermarket is three miles from the neighborhood and residents must use two busses to get there. The neighborhood has 27 convenience stores that sell mostly alcohol, tobacco and snack foods; and four small ethnic groceries that sell speciality foods and limited fresh produce.”
Not: “Noise levels from nearby nightclubs are intolerable and are very upsetting to the neighborhood.”
Instead: “City noise law states that noise that exceeds 55 decibels at neighboring property lines is illegal. Neighbors have been measuring noise levels for the last month and it exceeds 95 decibels at the property lines - enough to cause hearing damage within 15 minutes.”
Instead of simply using a term (even a well-known one), describe what it means in your service area to give more depth to your writing.
Susan Chandler is an independent consultant to nonprofit organizations.
