costco

Our weekly roundup of links to tasty headlines we think you’ll want to read…

Sustainable Seafood Victory

Casson Trenor of Greenpeace just announced some big news: Costco has finally agreed to remove a dozen red-list fish from its stores and implement more a responsible seafood policy.

In other seafood news, Chef Barton Seaver tells SustainableSeafood.com how he defines sustainability, including the importance of encouraging diners to eat lower on the marine food chain. (Our Curried Mussels are a delicious way to do just that!) Also check out National Geographic’s site The Ocean, which teaches consumers about the impact of seafood choices on the marine food chain.

Do Junk Food Taxes Work?

Municipalities all over the country have started to tax junk food in an effort to encourage healthier choices. Does that work? It might. Reuters Health reports on a new study in which college students were offered hypothetical lunch choices on a computer model. Each time, prices for burgers, chips and other goodies went up. Half the students were also shown caloric info for food. The results? As prices for junk rose, calorie counts for meals went down. Caloric info had less influence on the students’ food choices.

Joe Salatin on Small Farms

If you’ve read Michael Pollan’s books or seen “Food, Inc.” you know Joe Salatin of Polyface Farm. Hobby Farm magazine has a Q&A with the delightful advocate of sustainable agriculture. In it, he discusses how environmental efficiency is crucial to making a “farmette” economically viable. If you want to learn more about small-farm meat and poultry, check out Lia’s story about meat CSAs.

What if Michael Pollan is Wrong?

Zester Daily‘s opinion piece by Louise O. Fresco about Michael Pollan’s “misguided” message stirred up some, uh, controversy. Check it out, and add your 2 cents.

As the first week of the new year draws to a close, food news has already made some headlines. Here are some of our faves:

Safe Food at Last?

The landmark Food Safety Modernization Act is signed into law. But will the new Congress cough up the cash needed to make it work? NOURISH Evolution

Vote for SuperFood Drive

We recently profiled Nourishing Hero and SuperFood Drive founder Ruthi Solari, who is dedicated to stocking America’s food banks with nourishing whole foods. Ruthi is one of five finalists in the Sambazon Acai Warriors of Change Contest, which will award a $10,000 grant to an individual who is making positive social, environmental and economic change. Cast your vote by Jan. 21 to help Ruthi win: Sambazon site

Something’s Fishy at Costco

Shop at Costco? You may have noticed the company’s recent efforts to “green” its image and banish red-list fish from its stores. As the Greenpeace Oh No Costco campaign reveals, these amount to greenwashing rather than genuine efforts (for example, many of the threatened fish Costco has turned away were never sold in its stores in the first place). Now you can let Costco CEO James Sinegal know you expect better: Oh No Costco

True Sustainable Living

Does living a truly sustainable life mean living like a peasant? Or is there a middle ground? San Diego-based journalist Jill Richardson explores those questions while spending time in Chiapas, Mexico. AlterNet

Ban the Bottle

If you haven’t broken the bottled water habit yet, the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 Bottled Water Report may provide the motivation. By and large, the industry gets low marks for transparency on the source of water, how it’s purified and testing for contaminants. Even when companies are required to share information they don’t. Less than one-quarter comply with a California law that requires bottled-water labels to list the source of water and two ways for consumers to reach the company to obtain a water quality report. Which water is best? Filtered tap water, says the EWG. Environmental Working Group

Focus on What You Eat

A pair of new studies provide more evidence for the benefits of mindful eating. Carnegie Mellon University research finds that if you vividly imagine eating a food you crave you’ll eat less of it in the long run. Another study, from the University of Bristol in England, reveals playing a computer game while eating lunch makes you more likely to snack later in the afternoon. Why? Distracted eaters were less likely to remember how much they’d eaten and felt less satisfied than study participants who paid attention to what they ate.

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