Palm oil is everywhere today: in food, soap, lipstick, even newspaper ink. It’s been called the world’s most hated crop because of its association with deforestation in Southeast Asia. But despite boycott campaigns, the world uses more palm oil than any other vegetable oil – over 73 million tons in 2020. By Jonathan E. Robins, […]
Composting cuts waste, enhances soil, protects the climate, and builds community (including jobs). Use our new graphics to share these benefits! They are available for your use (with attribution to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance). By Brenda Platt Institute for Local Self-Reliance Download full size graphic here. We want you to be able to share these […]
Fish and other aquatic foods are integral to diets for more than 1 billion people worldwide. Most of these people live in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, close to rivers, lakes or the sea. Ben Belton, Michigan State University The Conversation In these regions, foods like fresh and dried fish […]
In 2019, Burger King Sweden released a plant-based burger, the Rebel Whopper, and the reaction was underwhelming. So, the company challenged its customers to taste the difference. By Mariana Lamas, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology The Conversation Burger King Sweden created a menu item where customers would have a 50-50 chance of getting a meat […]
A tidal wave of interest is building in farming the seas. It’s part of a global rush to exploit oceanic resources that’s been dubbed the “blue acceleration.” Optimistic projections say that smart mariculture – fish farming at sea – could increase ocean fish and shellfish production by 21 million to 44 million metric tons by […]
Agriculture’s impact on the planet is massive and relentless. Roughly 40 per cent of the Earth’s suitable land surface is used for cropland and grazing. The number of domestic animals far outweighs remaining wild populations. Every day, more primary forest falls against a tide of crops and pasture and each year an area as large […]
As the world continues to confront the coronavirus pandemic, it also has before it a striking opportunity — and obligation — to bring about a fairer, more inclusive, more sustainable and more resilient food and land use system. By Edward Davey World Resources Institute Recent research from WRI and the Food and Land Use Coalition set out a vision […]
Agribusiness executives and government policymakers often praise the U.S. food system for producing abundant and affordable food. In fact, however, food costs are rising, and shoppers in many parts of the U.S. have limited access to fresh, healthy products. By Philip H. Howard, Michigan State University and Mary Hendrickson, University of Missouri-Columbia The Conversation […]
We’re running down the 10 most-viewed stories of the past year at Red GREEN and Blue. Here’s #3, which originally ran on September 20… Hydroponically grown lettuce has claimed a spot next to the organic variety in the grocery store, causing consumers to wonder which is healthier. When comparing hydroponic produce to regular soil-grown crops, it […]
Preliminary numbers of fall-run Chinook salmon reported on the Feather, Sacramento, American and Mokelumne rivers are down considerably from last year, although the complete numbers won’t be available from the Department of Fish and Wildlife until next year. The state’s Feather River Fish Hatchery reported a total of 16,572 fall run adults and 1,490 jacks (two-year-olds) […]
To mark a week-long series of articles looking at food and climate change, Carbon Brief hosted its latest webinar and a video of the recording is now available. The topic for discussion was: “Do we need to stop eating meat and dairy to tackle climate change?” It comes after an interactive Carbon Brief explainer exploring the climate impact […]
To grow food, we need soil. Even with modern technology enabling systems like hydroponics to grow crops, humanity needs soil to produce enough food for the global population. Unfortunately, many modern farming techniques have destroyed soil or depleted it. One sobering report warns that all topsoil could be gone in the next 60 years if agriculture continues […]
Hydroponically grown lettuce has claimed a spot next to the organic variety in the grocery store, causing consumers to wonder which is healthier. When comparing hydroponic produce to regular soil-grown crops, it depends. Numerous scientific studies have reached varying conclusions, some showing hydroponic tomatoes have more vitamin C and others concluding they are lower in […]
Hydroponics and aeroponics are both examples of soil-less growing methods and require cultivating crops in a climate-controlled environment. Hydroponics requires a growing medium, such as perlite, coconut husks or gravel, and deliver a nutrient solution to crops through water. Aeroponics, which is sometimes considered a type of hydroponics, cultivates plants without a growing medium. Most […]
To grow food, we need soil. Even with modern technology enabling systems like hydroponics to grow crops, humanity needs soil to produce enough food for the global population. Unfortunately, many modern farming techniques have destroyed soil or depleted it. One sobering report warns that all topsoil could be gone in the next 60 years if agriculture continues […]