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DEAR EARTHTALK: How can I find
out which seafood to avoid if I am concerned about lessening my impact
on the environment and avoiding consuming unhealthy pollutants?
Demand for low-calorie, protein-rich fish has grown tremendously alongside increases in world population. At the same time, the technologies employed for catching seafood have improved to the point that the commercial fishing industry has essentially stripped the ocean of its once teeming fish populations. One recent analysis concluded that only 10 percent of the large predatory fish that once roamed the world's oceans are left, due to overzealous sport and commercial fishing. Another study concluded that three-quarters of the world's fisheries are either fully fished or overfished. Pollution from industrial, agricultural and other everyday activities like electricity generation and automobile driving has also taken a serious toll on the health of the remaining fish species. Scientists routinely find unsafe levels of mercury, PCBs, dioxins, pesticides and other harsh toxins in the fat, internal organs and even muscle tissue of many different kinds of fish. These contaminants are then passed on up the food chain to our dinner plates. According to Seafood Watch, a project of the Monterey Bay Aquarium that works to educate the public about the seafood crisis, consumers can make a difference by getting educated so as to make smart choices about what seafood to avoid. Consumers can download and print out free Seafood Watch pocket guides to the "best choices" across six different regions of the U.S. - after all, what's abundant and sustainably harvested in your area may not be the same for someone across the country.
The basic skinny on fish consumption is that if you like it, you should eat it, but responsibly - that means in moderation and armed with the proper knowledge of which types of fish to buy and which to avoid. For those looking to cut down on or eliminate seafood from their diets but still gain the health benefits of eating fish, plenty of alternatives exist. As most vegetarians know, beans, tofu and many nuts can be significant alternative sources of protein. And walnuts, flaxseed and hemp oil/seeds are all rich in the Omega-3 fatty acids common in many fish and thought to help ward off heart disease, cancer, macular degeneration (age-related blindness), arthritis and inflammatory disorders. CONTACTS: Seafood Watch; FishPhone.
DEAR
EARTHTALK: I've found environmentally friendly shoes for
myself, but have had trouble finding similar shoes for my kids. Are
they out there? KID'S SHOES ARE a quickly expanding market and companies with a green perspective are now jumping into the race with mini versions of everything from flip-flops to slippers to heeled dress shoes. While green kids' shoes from makers like Simple, which offers organic cotton EcoSneaks with car tire soles, might seem expensive at $40 or more, they are durable enough to get passed around from sibling to sibling. "It is an investment if you're going to do quality," says Craig Throne, general manager of footwear at Patagonia. Patagonia has been making climbing gear and outdoors wear for over 30 years, and is committed to using sustainable materials - including recycled polyester and only organic cotton in their clothes. Using hemp and recycled rubber content, the company has created kids' shoes that are rugged and sturdy enough for hiking or climbing, or for simply running around in the back yard.
Timberland has launched its own line of sustainable kids' shoes, too. "Kids today are learning about the environment at a younger and younger age - in many cases, they're even teaching their parents," says Lisa DeMarkis, head of Timberland's kids' division. "It's important to show kids that even small choices can have a positive impact." The company strives to use the most environmentally friendly materials when possible - like recycled soda bottles (PET) in linings or meshes, recycled laces and organic cotton canvas - while always making sure that the shoes meet performance goals: "At the end of the day, the shoe has to stand up to kids and their daily adventures," DeMarkis says. Curious customers can read the "nutritional labels," which include the amount of renewable energy used in production, right on Timberland's 100 percent post consumer recycled shoeboxes. Parents looking to avoid leather in their kids' shoes, whether for ethical or environmental reasons, have to do a bit of hunting online. While many vegetarian and non-leather clothing sites have yet to add kids' shoes, KidBean.com has, including the popular baby shoes called Isabooties, which are made with soft, synthetic Ultrasuede. For parents of budding dancers, a vegan alternative ballet slipper can be had from the Cynthia King Dance Studio in Brooklyn, New York. The dance instructor and studio owner approached a local shoemaker when she couldn't find an affordable outlet for vegan slippers, and now provides them to the world at large. CONTACTS: Cynthia King Dance Studio; Isabooties; KidBean; Patagonia; Simple; Timberland.
DEAR
EARTHTALK: I am getting married this summer and was wondering
if you have any tips on how to make the festivities greener? YOU KNOW ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS has really taken hold when couples start to worry about whether their weddings will be green enough. But more and more people who care deeply about the planet view getting married as a chance to show off their values; so green nuptials make all the sense in the world. To help remove the guesswork, many couples turn to wedding planners well versed in environmental issues. According to Idaho-based Angel Wedding Planners, every element of the wedding planning process can provide an opportunity to make choices that minimize waste and environmental impact. One of the easiest places to do right by the environment is in choosing invitations. Angel suggests going with tree-free or recycled paper, and also points out that a one piece folded design can save paper and envelopes.
Another way to help ensure that your wedding is as green as can be is by avoiding disposable products wherever possible. Caterers should use real dishes, linens, cutlery and glassware, or rent them if necessary. Other areas where "green" decisions can make a difference include: wedding attire (consider a dress rental or buying a used one and then re-selling it); transportation (carpooling works for weddings, too, at least from the wedding to the reception); photography (those disposable cameras at every table are fun but they can be very wasteful); and wedding registries (there are numerous to be found through a Google search, or support a local green store). Speaking of the Internet, many websites have sprung up in recent years to make the process of planning a green wedding easier. Valerie Edmunds, founder of Green Elegance Weddings, hopes her company can make an important environmental contribution by directing some of the $25,000 people typically spend on a wedding toward greener products and services. Her advertising-supported website provides page after page of free useful information about eco-friendly wedding apparel, invitations, gifts, flowers, food and beverages, even the honeymoon. The site's Resource Directory contains links to a wealth of online information and to businesses and organizations that provide related earth-friendly products and services. Those looking for even more virtual handholding might want to visit the website, OurWeddingDay.com, which provides dozens of free online tools (including an "RSVP Manager," Save-the-Date E-cards, a Gift Registry and an Event Manager) to help couples create the "ultimate green wedding from start to finish." The site also posts hundreds of articles from leading bridal magazines so brides can save paper by not having to go out and purchase any of the 135 or so foot-thick bridal magazines clogging the newsstands. CONTACTS: Angel Wedding Planners; Organic Bouquet; Green Elegance Weddings; OurWeddingDay.com.
© the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine, 2008
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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SEVERAL DECADES AGO a
fish-centric diet was considered to be not only healthy but also environmentally
friendly. But today those of us who eat a lot of fish may not be doing
ourselves or the environment any favor. The two major concerns are overfishing
and pollution.
Another
convenient way to get the low-down on the fish you may be contemplating
buying at the grocer or a restaurant is to text "30644" with the message
"FISH," followed by the name of the specific fish in question. In a
few seconds, an automated response will come back from the non-profit
Blue Ocean Network's FishPhone service with information on the status
of the fish in question - and alternatives, should Blue Ocean consider
the fish an undesirable choice.
Of
course, packaging plays a big role and in Patagonia's case that
means 100 percent recycled content boxes with soy-based inks and fun
graphics that encourage kids to reuse the boxes. "We're
getting kids to participate and be more aware of the outdoor world,"
says Throne.
