As many of the world’s most important commercial fish populations have collapsed, fish farms have stepped in to fill the void. Marine aquaculture has more than doubled in size over the past decade, and now accounts for nearly 20 percent of the world’s seafood supply. The fast-growing industry has also triggered some environmental problems, but now it appears to be solving many of them.
"Clean and Green" New Zealand struggles with many contradictions, including high cancer rates (see "Clean and Green New Zealand is a Study in Environmental Contrasts," May/June 2003). Today, New Zealand’s endangered national bird, the kiwi, is facing further peril.
Congressman Richard Pombo, chairman of the House Resources Committee, introduced legislation that would sharply curtail the power of the Endangered Species Act (see "Fall of the Wild," cover story, May/June 1999). Pombo has long been a vocal critic of the legislation. In his September 19 announcement of the bill, Pombo assailed current legislation for having […]
E‘s 2004 book Feeling the Heat: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Climate Change (Routledge), based on a special feature in the September/ October 2000 issue of the magazine, reported on many of the connections between intense storm damage and global warming now under discussion in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Colin Woodard described […]
To most casual drinkers, coffee has as much to do with songbirds as chalk does to cheese, but a growing movement centering on coffee’s many political dimensions is beginning, like the caffeine in the cup, to wake up a disinterested public.
From the nerve-jangled caffeine addict to those who have a mug about once a year, a lot of Americans drink coffee. But is it healthful?
What do coffee and chocolate have in common besides caffeine, some reputed health benefits and a desirable flavor? They are both popular in developed countries but grown largely in the developing world. Both are derived from what are known as beans, and both are traditionally grown in the shady understory of tropical rainforests, sharing their homes with a plethora of wildlife, from howler monkeys to parrots.
Audubon Coffee, (800)829-1300, www.auduboncoffeeclub.com. Handled by the Rogers Family Company, Audubon-branded coffee is 100 percent organic, shade grown and habitat friendly. Café Canopy, (858)449-4033, www.shade-coffee.com. Offers shade-grown, organic coffees certified by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s standards. Café Campesino, (888)532-4728, www.cafecampesino.com. Specializes in organic, Fair Trade coffee directly imported from single locations, as opposed to […]
When you purchase one cup of coffee in a disposable container every day of the week you are contributing 22.75 pounds of waste per year. Is there an alternative?
Some 63 percent of consumers say they will pay a premium for products that demonstrate a positive environmental impact. But the trick for busy consumers often becomes sorting out potential marketing hype from those brands that make a real difference. That’s why coffee certification is such a hot-button issue.
