Published on December 11, 2008
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Food & Water Watch Report - Poison Fruit of American Trade Policy , Americans are consuming more imported fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen and canned produce, and fruit juice than ever before. An examination of U.S. consumption of produce that is commonly eaten as well as grown in America found that over the past 15 years Americans consumption of imported fresh fruits and vegetables doubled, but border inspection has not kept pace with rising imports, and less than one percent of the imported produce is inspected by the federal government. Food & Water Watch studied fifty common fruit and vegetable products like fresh apples, frozen broccoli, fresh tomatoes, orange juice and frozen potatoes.
Published on December 10, 2008
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture‚ National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has been working for several years to establish organic standards for aquaculture products (farmed fish. Although organic standards will likely never be applicable to wild fish, which in many cases may be a better choice for consumers than farmed fish, the development of USDA organic aquaculture standards could be instrumental in giving fish farmers a market they need to sustainably produce fish and shellfish. However, it is crucial that the standards be more stringent than those currently proposed, in order to protect the credibility of the ‚organic" label and live up to the principles of organic production intended to protect the environment and consumer health.
Published on December 10, 2008
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Over the past few years, food safety alerts about dangerous tomatoes, canned chili, peanut butter and beef have made Americans uneasy at the grocery store. Even before this summer‚ warning about salmonella-tainted tomatoes and jalapenos, three-quarters of Americans were more concerned about food safety than they were five years ago.
Published on November 26, 2008
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This report, Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, provides an introduction to Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). RAS are closed-loop fish farming facilities that retain and treat water within the Systems addresses why RAS could be an important method of producing more fish for the United States; highlights research, development and technical innovations in RAS; and discusses concerns and recommendations for the future of these systems. Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems also provides commercial case studies of existing successful RAS operations in the United States.
Published on November 19, 2008
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Less than three years after purchasing American Water, the largest water company in the United States, German conglomerate RWE announced it was abandoning its hopes to turn water into "blue gold." RWE, among the largest utility companies in the world, abruptly decided that water is a "very local business," and that building a global water empire country-by-country was impractical.
Published on November 15, 2008
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Despite his energy investment funds losing $1 billion during this year‚ market collapse and his personal loss of about $270 million1, famed oilman T. Boone Pickens still looks to turn his attention from ‚black gold" to ‚blue gold." The billionaire tycoon recently supplemented his property holdings in Roberts County, Texas with 200,000 acres of land atop the Ogallala Aquifer. Under Texas law, this purchase entitles Mesa Water, Pickens new company, to take more than 320,000 acre-feet of water, equivalent to more than 104 million gallons, from the property. Pickens plans to pump the water from his land in the state‚ north- eastern panhandle and pipe it to Lubbock, El Paso, San Antonio or the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Published on November 12, 2008
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Industrial fishing fleets take fish from the ocean faster than the fish reproduce. More than 75 percent of the ocean fisheries have already been fished to capacity or over-fished, and climate change and pollution further stress wild fish. A 2006 article in Science predicts that commercial fish stocks will collapse by 2048 if current fishing trends continue. Open ocean fish farming would add to the problem because it relies on small wild fish to feed the fish grown in cages.
Published on November 04, 2008
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Although melamine does not have U.S. approval for human or animal consumption, Chinese manufacturers apparently added the melamine to falsely inflate the protein profile of the wheat flour, a reportedly common practice in China.
Published on October 22, 2008
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Youre not getting what you pay for in the dairy aisle these days. While shoppers are led to believe that the milk they purchase comes from tranquil pastures, where farmers watch over happy milk cows grazing on green fields, the reality is not so idyllic. There are some good options in the dairy case, but consumers need to know what to look for.
Published on October 14, 2008
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Aqua America is the second largest publicly traded water and wastewater corporation based in the United States. It has pushed its way to the top through a strategy of aggressive acquisitions and drastic rate increases.
Published on September 26, 2008
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Nanotechnology is a new field of science in which particles smaller than 100 billionths of a meter can be manufactured by controlling matter on the molecular scale. Made from carbon, silver, zinc, gold and other elements, these minuscule bundles and rods are used in electronics, medical equipment and consumer products such as toothpaste, lotions and sunscreen.
Published on September 23, 2008
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Nanotechnology is the process of manipulating matter at the molecular level — or nanoscale. Nanomaterials have at least one dimension that is 100 nanometers or less. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter — approximately 1/100,000 of a human hair.
Published on September 04, 2008
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Water is one of few common resources on which all of us depend for life, so it‚ important for us to be responsible stewards. Read on to learn about some of the potential dangers hiding in your tap, what you can do about them, and how you can be drinking in a cleaner, healthier community.
Published on September 03, 2008
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Rising oil prices, energy security, and global warming concerns have all contributed to the current hype over biofuels. With both prices and demand for oil likely to continue to increase, biofuels are being presented as the way to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to develop homegrown energy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil.
Published on September 02, 2008
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Consumers today try to shop smarter and eat healthier. People are turning to lean and low-calorie foods to maintain a well-balanced diet, and fish are among the most popular choices to make nutritionists lists for meeting such requirements. Seafood is often praised as a good protein source with low saturated fats and a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to have a variety of excellent health benefits. However, not all seafood is created equal. Depending on where it is caught or raised, or how it is processed, some seafood can be contaminated with chemicals and other toxins that can be extremely harmful to consumers and their children‚ health.
Published on August 29, 2008
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With so many different seafood options in markets and restaurants, how can you make choices that are best for your health, the environment and the communities that bring fish to your table? There are so many different factors to consider, choosing the right seafood can be a challenge. By asking questions and knowing what to look for and what to avoid, you can better choose seafood that is clean, green and safe. Check out Food & Water Watch‚ new Seafood Substitutes Card that lists better alternatives to common, but potentially harmful, seafood choices. Our Seafood Buying Guide can explain why certain choices are recommended and help you ask the right questions to make informed decisions.
Published on August 05, 2008
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A Practical Guide to Take Back the Tap at Your Next Event and Avoid the Waste, Expense and Environmental Problems with Bottled Water
Published on July 30, 2008
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The poorest people of Johannesburg, South Africa saw some measure of hope with a judicial reaffirmation of the country‚ constitutional right to water in April 2008. However, their fight is not over because the powers arrayed against them have appealed the decision.
Published on July 24, 2008
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The 2008 global food crisis is compromising the survival of 860 million undernourished people and threatens to push a hundred million people into extreme poverty, erasing all of the gains made in eradicating poverty in the last decade. Record high prices have put food out of reach for the poorest people in the developing world, many of whom already spend more than half their income on food. Growing food insecurity is undermining tenuous civil stability in at least 33 countries, about one sixth of United Nations member countrie
Published on July 11, 2008
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For centuries, Alaskan fishermen have caught salmon. Their communities thrived along with the abundant seasonal runs of healthy fish. It was exciting to be a salmon fisherman, making a living spending days on the water and enjoying the competition with the fish.
