In many urban environments surrounding large american cities, it is nearly impossible to obtain basic foodstuffs without resorting to a lengthy journey to some other part of the city. this is referred to as a “food desert” and is a significant problem for people whose personal resources – money, cars, and so forth – are limited. often, a lack of public transportation exacerbates this problem. based on what you have read in the text, the food desert can be seen as a possible marker of