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| I Can't Hear You Over All the Junk Food | |||
| (Saturday, 16 October 2010) Written by greeniac10101 | |||
| You know your planet is in trouble when a company stops the sale of its compostable potato chip bags, not because they are too expensive to produce, but because they are ‘too noisy.’ Frito-Lay did just that. They have stopped selling all but one flavor of their SunChips in 100% compostable bags. SunChips Original is the only flavor that will continue to be in a 100% compostable bag. What is more disappointing than the producer’s removal of the biodegradable bags, is the rationale for the action. Consumers’ negative reactions and disappointment with the bag drove the company to withdraw the product. Why would people react this way? Perhaps they are already uncomfortable with their consumption junk food in an increasingly health conscious society, and the added attention drawn to them by a crunchy bag is simply too much to handle. Frito-lay should produce cloth bags so their consumers can appear hip and environmentally conscious while discreetly enjoying their guilty pleasure. The marketing is far more important than the reality. If Frito-Lay had come out with a clever advertising campaign to cover-up consumer concerns, they might have quelled exaggerated criticisms. The ads could make fun of how loud the bags are, or claim they are simply increasing awareness for the ‘green movement.’ Instead, the interwebs mocked the bags, comparing them to ‘a revving motorcycle’ or ‘glass breaking.’ One consumer went as far as to measure the decibel level and recorded a 95 (compared to a traditional bag’s 77). Producers should not feel bullied by consumers teasing their new product. If they want to successfully ‘go green’ and produce biodegradable packaging, then they should continue doing what they do best; convince consumers that the product is cool through million dollar advertising campaigns. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/10/04/frito-lay-yanks-sunchips-compostable-bag-to-fix-noise-level/ |
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| Farmer's Market | |||
| (Friday, 01 October 2010) Written by greeniac051515 | |||
| It is a bright and sunny day. I arose, eager to go to the farmer's market downtown. There were so many things to look forward to, fresh fruits and vegetables, food stands, live performances, pony rides, and Jaymes Fat Face popsicles. Excitedly I left my apartment with my housemates, ready to make the one mile adventure to downtown. On our way I pass by our local Safeway which boasts a variety of organic products. Organic is all the rage nowadays because of its perceived benefits. Organic products are less detrimental to the environment and promotes higher ecodiversity compared to modified products through the elimination of pesticides. This is why many rush to the section where the bold words "FRESH ORGANIC" are displayed. Many do not pause to think about the consequences of transporting all these organic products to their local stores, eliminating all the advantages of producing organic items. Transporting these from large distances burns fossil fuels negating many of the positives of the organic products. Buying locally on the other hand takes transportation out of the equation. By attending the local farmer's market, not only is sustainability being supported by also local community members. Mingling with others in the community creates a stronger hold and bond. Farmer's markets are fun with all the activities, events and novel food items. By midday it was a sweltering one hundred and one degrees Fahrenheit. I finish off the last bit of my Strawberry Basil Lemonade popsicle and begin the trek home with a carton of freshly pressed apple juice in my bag. |
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| I'll have my salmon wild, please. | |||
| (Saturday, 12 July 2008) Written by greeniac40021 | |||
| In addition to dams, pollution, climate change, and years of over fishing, a new threat is facing many wild salmon populations: escaped farmed salmon. At first glance, one might think that fish farming is a good thing. I mean, wild salmon populations have been declining worldwide, but the demand for fish hasn’t decreased at all. Farmed fish, theoretically, could provide affordable, sustainable fish supplies to the world, while in the meantime, wild salmon populations can make their comeback. But in reality, farmed fish are causing even more trouble for wild salmon populations. Crafty little guys, the farmed salmon have devised ways of escaping from their fenced-in pens, and have moved along to wreak havoc on their wild salmon cousins. Recently, more than 30,000 farmed salmon escaped from their pen in British Columbia (see grist’s article: http://www.grist.org/news/2008/07/03/salmon/) and undoubtedly made contact with declining populations of Pacific salmon. Farmed salmon are generally more aggressive than wild salmon, and compete with wild salmon for food and spawning grounds. Further, because farmed salmon are kept in such close quarters together, disease can pass easily between them. They can, in turn, pass these diseases along to wild salmon, a threat which could wipe out some salmon breeds entirely. Salmon are such a beautiful and important species. Culturally and economically important, the loss of wild salmon populations would truly be tragic. Now that fishing is so regulated, salmon do have a chance at a comeback. So please, next time you are thinking of eating fish, try to stay away from farmed salmon. |
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