By John Chappell •
October 29, 2009
Finding sustainable sources of seafood is becoming increasingly difficult. Should you buy farmed or wild caught? And what are the most sustainable choices? I’ve talked about sustainable seafood before, and since shrimp is the most commonly consumed seafood in the United States, you might want to have a bit more information about that shrimp cocktail you’re about to eat.
Did you know Americans ate 1.2 Billion pounds of shrimp in 2007, an average of 4.1 pounds of shrimp per person (figures here)? This figure is actually a decline from the previous year, in 2006, when the average American ate 4.4 pounds of shrimp. Now if you consider that 85% of shrimp consumed in the US is imported, and since wild caught shrimp are rarer than ever as fisheries are depleted, there’s a good chance that the shrimp you just ate were farmed and imported to the US.
By Jamie Ervin •
July 31, 2009
Really, folks? Were we questioning the possibility that organically grown foods were more nutritious than traditional grown? I think not. We (being fully informed consumers) know that food is food is food. Raw food is healthiest (as in lots and lots of produce in its natural state). That’s a no brainer. We also know that adding a dose of pesticide and herbicide to our produce is a BAD idea. Sure, it doesn’t alter basic nutrition (same vitamins and minerals, fats and proteins), but it does introduce carcinogens into our bodies (not to mention a whole host of other unpleasantness).
According to CNN’s Jack Cafferty, “Researchers looked at 50,000 studies conducted over 50 years — and found no significant differences in the foods. They focused on a wide range of crops and livestock raised and marketed under organic standards.”
By Daniel Hohler •
July 24, 2009
Most of us know the sad and destructive history of former widespread pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane for you chemists). It’s egg shell thining properties have famously taken out many a generation of bald eagle, as well as many other bird species. The once heralded solution to malaria, DDT was sprayed everywhere without a thought. This attitude of pesticide being “a-ok” lasted into the 1980’s, and lead to this most hilarious and sad poster (seen above) of two attractive young ladies having a pesticide fight. Try suggesting that one these days as a fun game for the whole family.
When environmental and health concerns were raised in the scientific community, an out cry called for the banning of DDT, and in 1972 the ban went into effect. Unfortunately for all of us, the half life of DDT is 30 years. So for those of us scoring at home, there is still almost half the DDT left floating around in our environment that was sprayed the year of the ban… 37 years ago!
By Cate Nelson •
July 22, 2009
We used to think that kids were susceptible to pesticides until age 2. Now, researchers who are apparently trying to freak us out again have discovered that the toxic affects of pesticides are pervasive until age 7.
The kids are lacking a particular enzyme until they reach that birthday, one called paraoxonase. Adults have this enzyme, but the kiddos don’t. And this is crucial to help the body neutralize and eliminate specific pesticides.
So you may be chem-free at your house, but this is all the more reason to go organic for any produce you can—and know what the farms near you use on their fields.
By Megan Prusynski •
July 22, 2009
You’ve worked hard getting that garden planted and tending it with care, but inevitably nature takes its course and the bugs find those veggies. Is it any surprise they’d want to eat the delicious fruits of your labors? You can’t blame them, after all. But you can prevent pest damage and control problems.
By Derek Markham •
July 13, 2009
Dow AgroScience’s proposed use of sulfuryl fluoride to sterilize soil in farm fields would release large amounts of a potent greenhouse gas, increasing the global warming effects of agricultural practices, says a group of scientists and activists.
By Lisa Wojnovich •
June 19, 2009
In the constant push for ever newer and greener technology and energy, we sometimes forget that it is often both simpler and cheaper to revisit old techniques in new ways. And that’s exactly what a group of researchers in California has done.
By Gina Munsey •
June 18, 2009
You’ve likely heard of Skin Deep, the cosmetic safety database which lists the toxicity of ingredients in personal care products. But did you know there is now a similar database for food?
By Amy Bell •
March 15, 2009
According to research published in The Journal of HortScience, produce now lacks not only the taste, but also the amount of nutrients it had just 50 years ago.
Vegetables today are larger, but contain more “dry matter” which dilutes the concentrations of minerals. This results in 5% to 40% less magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc.
Selective breeding to increase crop yields has let to genetic dilution, which has also in turn caused declines in protein and amino acid levels in produce.
Because of the increased use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, crops are now harvested so quickly that the plant has less time to absorb nutrients either from synthesis or the soil.
