General News
Two Years Later…Reflections by Sue Rockefeller
March 11 marked the two year anniversary of the the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. A 9.3 magnitude earthquake set off a tsunami that reached heights of up to 133 feet, devastating many areas, taking approximately 20,000 lives and leaving 300,000 people displaced. It also caused the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant. The vestiges of this tragic event have impacted many aspects of life from J… read more »
Save the Sharks!
Recently scientists conducting a study have determined that at least approximately 100 million sharks are illegally killed annually according to National Geographic. Close to 275,000 sharks a day!… read more » In fact the 100 million shark estimate could potentially be as high as 273 million sharks slaughtered yearly, researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada concluded. This news is troubling, as many speci
Shell Takes a Break
It seems it has been quite a week for the big oil companies. You may have read that the BP trial has started opening with accusations of cost cutting and safety problems which allegedly caused the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that lasted 87 days, releasing an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil. While there is some speculation that the case will settle, with negotiators working on a multibillion-dollar settlement, i… read more »
A Fishy Situation: Mislabeling
Last month I wrote a blog on genetically modified salmon: the pros, the cons, and what the FDA is considering doing in regard to the approval of selling it. While genetically modified food is an important topic it pales in comparison to a recent study conducted by Oceana regarding mislabeling of fish.
The study found that fish are being mislabeled on a broad scale. From the grocery store to the sushi counter across the U… read more »
The Ozone and the Ocean
Remember in the 1990′s when the totality of the discussion of the environment seemed to be focused on the ozone layer? We’ve come quite a long way since then in many ways, but what remains is the gap in the ozone layer that is apparently not only increasing our chances of over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, but also changing the oceans.
Recent studies have found that the Antarctic ozone… read more »
Hydrate Responsibly
So you’ve tossed your plastic bags to the side for a reusable cloth bag and you’re on your way to the farmers market to buy some sustainable goods but you’re a bit thirsty. You grab a bottled water on your way to the market without a second thought. On your path to a sustainable life you might consider trading in that plastic bottle for a more environmentally friendly version.
Why?
First off bottled wa… read more »
Edible Trends
As the year begins, people are dying to know what the new trends in 2013 will be. Surprisingly enough, one of the most popular trends in food is sustainability. What the best products are. How to eat local. How to minimize your carbon footprint through being more careful with your consumption habits. This year it seems that sustainable food is very on trend with consumers looking to be more knowledgeable about their pu… read more »
Genetically Modified Salmon in 2013?
At the close of 2012 a huge spark ignited debate among many environmental, consumer, health and animal organizations around the United States. Why? The Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) has taken a step toward approving the sale of genetically modified (GM) salmon. With nearly 300 organizations and 400,000 outraged consumers bringing well deserved attention to this matter it is important to evaluate the pr… read more »
‘Tis the Season: Tree Debacle
There are increasingly more alternative ways to celebrate the holidays that have a minimal impact on the environment.
For years the debate has been real versus fake tree. Obviously real trees aren’t environmentally friendly. With 50 million fir/pine trees purchased each year, 30 million of which will head to a landfill after the holidays, the impact is evident. Plastic trees pose another environmental is… read more »
Lost at Sea – in a Cinema Near You
The Life of Pi… read more » is a recently released film that tells the story of a young boy Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel who, following a shipwreck, spends 227 days lost at sea with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Adapted by Academy Award winning director Ang Lee from a book by the same name written by Yann Martel, it is a compelling, though somewhat idealized, ode to the ocean in many ways. (If you haven’t