Not to get too down in the dumps these days, but shark week has been the perfect time to examine the state of the seas and the foods we take from them. And while shark week may now be over, we shouldn’t stop thinking about the message that it tries to convey each year. (Although there has been some debate as to how effective and on point Shark Week has actually been.)
As we already know, researching our food sources is not always a pretty picture, but it is always definitely worth knowing about. After all, what you feed yourself and your family has lasting consequences.
And if you’re a seafood lover, there are a few things to consider. First, we want to make sure that the food we’re eating is not going to hurt us. Second, it’s best to choose foods that don’t rattle the food chain, so that we can continue to enjoy them for a long time to come.
On that note, the Seafood Watch Guide from the Monterey Bay Aquarium offers very helpful suggestions on sustainable, healthy options. Environmental Defense also offers a list based on health considerations and environmental protection standards. It’s easy to just print one of these out and take it with you to the store, and it makes such a big difference to the health of the ocean!
We are currently experiencing the sixth great wave of extinction all over the world. According to experts, more than 50% of the world’s species could disappear within 50-100 years. This is considered the biggest extinction since the fall of the dinosaurs! Click here for more.
While maybe no one person can single handedly save the entire world, together we can actually turn the tide on some of these frightening statistics. It’s been known to be done–so why not help it along?
It's easy enough to control what kinds of seafood we buy--so why not?
And the good news is, there are plenty of tasty recipes that can be made with sustainably harvested, non-endangered sea critters. Case in point: Baja-style fish tacos, made with fresh halibut.
Deep fried Pacific halibut. Delicious... and earth-friendly