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Read the rest of this articleIdeas for sustainable eating that might make you turn green
Environmental issues, such as invasive species or global warming, seem to be huge problems and to require equally huge efforts to be solved. But everyone eats, and choosing to eat more sustainably can be a simple way to both nourish the body and improve the environment. Provided, of course, that the menu doesn’t make you turn green.
Invasive species, such as lionfish or Asian carp, can wreck ecosystems and cause both environmental and economic damage. Lionfish – a native of the Indian Ocean and prized as an exotic fish – were released into the Gulf of Mexico in 1992 after Hurricane Andrew destroyed aquariums in south Florida. Lionfish are now decimating native reef fish. Asian carp were imported by catfish farmers to control algae growth in their ponds. The Mississippi floods of the in the early 1990’s allowed the carp to escape and take over the Mississippi river system. The carp are not only voracious eaters, they also are known to fly into the air and injure boaters.
Getting rid of an invasive population once it is established is almost impossible. But maybe the solution is to eat the species to extinction. Eateries in Florida are preparing fried lionfish nuggets. Asian carp are being rebranded as “Kentucky tuna,” and featured in restaurants in Chicago. And, best of all from an angler’s point of view, there’s no catch limit on these fish. Humans have done a great job killing and eating native species, such as the passenger pigeon, until none is left. Perhaps harnessing our appetite for invasives could result not only in full bellies, but also in a healthier ecosystem.
Once people get use to eating the more exotic invasives, perhaps they will be willing take the next step and start eating bugs to reduce global warming. Most of our protein comes from cows and pigs, which produce greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. Recent research demonstrates that, on a pound per pound basis, crickets and mealworms generate much less greenhouse gases than cattle or pigs. Entomologist Dennis Oonincx, who led the study, even has menu recommendations:
Oonincx says that mealworms are great in a quiche, but he prefers house crickets: "The structure and flavor are best."
Maybe you can get a side of fried lionfish to go with that mealworm quiche. Bon appétit!
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Comments
THE DENIERS HAVE WON
As a former climate change believer, may I personally apologize for condemning billions of children to death by CO2 for 25 years, “just” to get them to turn the lights out more often? I had become the fear mongering neocon of CO2 environMENTALism as I issued CO2 death warrants to YOUR family and mine. I apologize for calling cold -warm, warm -hot and for calling all bad weather -Humanity’s fault. I apologize for splitting responsible environmentalism and dragging progressivism down with it. I apologize for not endorsing population control instead of insane climate control.
I apologize for our constant demonizing, fear mongering and our whacko exaggerations of climate change. I apologize for scaring children with: “unstoppable warming” and “out of control warming and “runaway warming“ and not having the honesty to call it THE END OF THE WORLD.
I’m sorry I forgot this MOST important fact:
-that it was the trusted scientists and their evil chemicals that made environmentalism necessary in the first place.
We admit to being pretend rebels as we were spoon-fed by corporations and politicians promising to lower the seas. The neocons have never admitted their Iraq War WMD’s and the scientists have never admitted responsibility for their chemicals that are causing cancer. I admit my ideology’s WMD’s that led us to another Bush-like false war against a false enemy. Please forgive me?