After hearing years of depressing news about our enormously depleted fish populations, and how many of our solution-oriented fish farms are each actually more polluting than the combined “raw human sewage from a town of several thousand people,” I was about to put my last can of tuna in the closet as a proof for my grandkids of the days when we had fish. But now, with much improved technology and the concerned investment of a few business-minded individuals, your goldfish may have something more to smile about tomorrow. Read more…
Kristen Taylor
“What we’re excited about is not just the offshoot conversations about public space and sustainability and carbon footprints, but it’s also the fact that one of the things we love to do is make jam with people we don’t know.”
Such is the sentiment of David Burns and his fellow artists Austin Young and Matias Viegener. The three Silverlake artists are the cofounders of Fallen Fruit, an LA-based art collective that combines and preserves fruit, art, and sustainability. The group was founded in 2004 with an initial intention to survey fruit growing in public spaces, “or on the perimeter,” as it is commonly referred to by the artists. The idea was to gather information and “fallen fruit” that had met its end on the public sidewalks, alleyways, and streets beyond the walls and yards of private property.
Think, had you ever wondered about the fate of the grapefruit, lemons, or oranges that hang upon the overburdened branches of your neighbor’s tree? More than likely you have contemplated picking the delicacies that dangle beyond the reaches of private space. Read more…
Photo Credit: Etienne Boucher
The American people are becoming increasingly aware of what goes into the food we eat. Not just pesticides and other chemicals but also the truth about why our food is so cheap and the repercussions of the current system, both environmental and social. Industrial agriculture has delivered cheap groceries and a greater variety in what we choose to eat; but it has also brought us contaminated meat, carcinogenic hormone-filled milk, and environmental disaster. The cheap prices we see at the market are a farce. The costs that we are averting is being dumped on something or someone else. The article in Time Magazine by Bryan Walsh titled “Getting Real about the High Price of Cheap Food” displays what is wrong with the food we eat and shows how some companies are choosing to do it the right way. Read more…
Photo Credit: Howard Ignatius
Many of us eat fish regularly without realizing that we may be contributing to a major problem. Habitat destruction and overexploitation are the two main problems associated with the fishing industry. In addition to those, toxins and aquaculture can have negative impacts on consumers and the environment. By simply understanding the threats that the marine environment is facing, and being informed on how you can reduce your impact on the marine environment, you can still eat fish but enjoy them in a sustainable way. Read more…
Photo Credit: Julie A. Brown
Over the years, vegetarian groups and environmentalists have advocated the policy that “less meat= less heat.” However, that is not necessarily always the case. In the past, cows, other livestock, and their consumers have been cited as environmentally detrimental because of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from housing the livestock, and the livestock themselves. In 2006, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization reported that 18% of the world’s man-made greenhouse gas emissions comes from livestock. Cows especially take the fall because they are fed more energy-intensive feed than other livestock and emit more methane than other livestock. Read more…
Photo Credit: James Rickwood
Roger Nelson grew up on a farm and went out on his own to begin renting farmland in 1961. He and his family have continued their farming and had a reputation in their community of meticulous and ethical farming practices throughout the years. Their reputation, however, is now being tarnished as Monsanto (the world’s leading producer of the herbicide Roundup Ready and owner to most of the food seed companies around the world) is accusing the Nelsons of being thieves of their genetically modified soybeans. The Nelsons are among the hundreds of farmers Monsanto is suing, usually on the grounds of patent infringement. However, growers have begun to fight back in the courts, as they say Monsanto has no evidence of this claim. Read more…
Photo Credit: Tom Adriaenssen
January 1st marked the beginning of the end to the use of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA). The chemical is used in many common household products including clear, plastic water bottles, baby bottles, some re-usable food containers and plastic wraps. While BPA is one of the most frequently produced chemicals produced in the world, there has been an increase in research studies demonstrating the serious health concerns surrounding the chemical. BPA has been found to be linked to cancer, heart disease, obesity, reproductive failures and hyperactivity in laboratory animals. It is a hormone-disrupting chemical and as such can have health effects at extremely low exposure levels. Read more…
Photo Credit: Juan Rubiano
With the Copenhagen climate change conference on the horizon, it is critical to be conscious of the ways you contribute to global greenhouse gasses. Hopefully you are well aware that the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as deforestation and various agricultural and industrial practices, are altering the composition of the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. But did you know that even your diet might be contributing to rising global temperatures? Read more…
Photo Credit: Simone Berna
The EU has taken huge strides in limiting Genetically Modified crops by rejecting their use for over a decade. In fact, in March, 2008 it was found that almost 60% of the EU population opposed the use of GMOs in agriculture. The Irish agree with this ban and aim to keep the island a GMO-free zone, off limits to any environmental release of GM seeds and crops. In doing so, they will see positive results in business, health and the environment.
By banning the use of these less than natural crops, Ireland has much to look forward to. Their livestock and human population will be protected; the landscape will escape the possibilities of invasion of GM superweeds (which will in turn protect farmers from GM patent infringement lawsuits); and will provide a competitive advantage on livestock and food exporters. Read more…
Ruth L
The next time you’re in the produce section in your favorite grocery store, take a look around. Bell peppers from Scandinavia, strawberries from California, bananas from Central America, apples from the Northwest…… The list goes on and on. As citizens of a highly developed nation, we have grown accustomed to having these novelty items at any given time of year. It seems that our peculiar taste preferences have had more of an affect than we know. It is estimated that the average food item in our grocery stores has traveled about 1,500 miles to get there, producing unnecessary carbon emissions for packaging, shipping, and refrigeration on the way to its destination. Read more…
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