The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will lift the import ban on eggs of AquaBounty’s genetically modified salmon product, drawing praise from the company and strong criticism from fishing organizations. By Dan Bacher Both the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association and the Golden Gate Salmon Association blasted the decision and vowed they […]
A recent New York Times article outlined 7 ways the US could make significant headway in reducing carbon emissions: a carbon tax, utility requirements to produce all electricity from zero-carbon sources, electric vehicles, industry efficiency, California-style building efficiency, curbing methane emissions from oil and gas operations, and ending the use of hydrofluorocarbons. However, while such approaches would […]
Actors Joaquin Phoenix, Emily Deschanel, Woody Harrelson, Peter Dinklage, and Casey Affleck are in the cohort. So, too, are singers Carrie Underwood, Ozzy Osbourne, and Stevie Wonder. There’s former US President Bill Clinton, heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson, radio personality Don Imus (really?), and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. These prominent vegans are just a sampling […]
Holiday drinking brings good cheer, but it can also be a sign of problem drinking. By Jamie Smolen, University of Florida The Conversation For many, the holidays are indeed the most wonderful time of the year. Families and friends come together and enjoy food, good cheer – and, often, alcohol. Commercially speaking, alcohol and […]
There is a big shortfall between the amount of food we produce today and the amount needed to feed everyone in 2050. There will be nearly 10 billion people on Earth by 2050—about 3 billion more mouths to feed than there were in 2010. As incomes rise, people will increasingly consume more resource-intensive, animal-based foods. […]
It’s been a weird mixed bag of a year, but we still have a lot to be thankful for… And as we officially enter the season of holiday cheer, holiday shopping and holiday excess, can we all think about the planet, too?They say that green is the new black, but that doesn’t mean you have […]
What is the best diet for sustainable environmentalism? Is it going vegan? Testing the waters with the Paleo or Keto diet? The answer is, not really any of them. Despite their individual health benefits, all of these diets pose environmental consequences. Caleb Tolin American Conservative Coalition First, let us define these different diets: The […]
The implementation of a global tax on greenhouse gas emissions could – without other complementary policies – “have a greater negative impact on global hunger…than the direct impacts of climate change”, a new study says. The research finds that using a blanket “carbon tax” to restrict global warming to 2C above pre-industrial levels – which is the […]
Ian Boyd is the chief scientific adviser to the UK Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs. He and his colleague, Alice Milner, have just published a paper rebutting the idea that pesticide use on a massive scale is safe. Laboratory tests on a new pesticide are all well and good, they argue, but cannot […]
Most of us learned about photosynthesis when we were in high school. Plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to make the food they need to grow. That means higher carbon dioxide levels should be good for plants, right? Absolutely, says Republican Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas. He is a firmly committed climate change denier who […]
Agricultural yields within the US will be severely diminished by 2050 as a result of hot spots of intense water shortage caused by climate change, according to a new study from MIT. By James Ayre The hot spots in question are, unsurprisingly, mostly within the Southwestern US, where agriculture and ranching are already highly dependent upon […]
By Dan Bacher The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 19 approved genetically engineered salmon, “Frankenfish,” as being “safe” for human consumption, in spite of massive public opposition to the decision. The Golden Gate Salmon Association (GGSA) announced it was “disappointed” in the decision, joining a broad coalition of fishing groups, environmental organizations, […]
Nothing is writ in stone yet, but after literally years of bickering, the House and Senate conferees have agreed on a $1 trillion farm bill that would cut some subsidies to agribusiness, while not cutting food stamps as much as conservatives were gunning for. Final tally: Just $8 billion in cuts (although why we’re cutting […]
By Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) When I first heard that the Food and Drug Administration was considering approving a genetically-engineered salmon, I got a little queasy. The FDA has never before approved a genetically-modified animal for human consumption. But it might just happen as soon as this week — even though the FDA’s review has been […]
Italy’s Agriculture Ministry is looking to ban one of Monsanto’s last legal genetically modified (GMO) crops in Europe. Backed by two other ministries and riding a wave of 80 percent public support, the only question is – what has Italy got that we haven’t got? Nation of Change reports: A decree has been signed which will ban […]