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January 16, 2009

Eating Seafood Responsibly

Eating Seafood Responsibly

It goes without saying that boating and seafood go together like the proverbial apple pie and ice cream. Nothing compares to a nice filet off the grill at the end of a long day in the sun. If you possess the skills and the gear to haul dinner out of the deep you are usually in little danger of harming the ecosystem as long as you adhere to the regulations and catch limits in the areas you frequent.

For those of us who are less talented in the fine arts of fishing, however, a more likely scenario involves heading to the local market and stocking a cooler full of seafood for a weekend on the water. By now, most folks are aware of the many health benefits to be had from the fruits of the sea. But how often do we consider the impact our seafood choices have on the health of the Planet around us?

Like everything we consume, seafood is a resource, subject to the same pressures and market forces that affect anything of value. An obvious example of what is wrong with the current way this resource is being managed can be found in the headline stories of Bluefin Tuna fetching $100,000 or more in the Tokyo fish markets. While some folks might chalk this madness up to decadent millionaires willing to spend anything on a meal just because they can, the reality is much more bleak for one of Nature’s most majestic creatures.

By all accounts Bluefin fishery stocks are on the verge of extinction, having been fished to the brink with little if any thought to the future. Economics 101 dictates that scarcity creates value. When people want something and they have trouble getting it, they usually become willing to pay more. 99.9% of us cannot imagine spending six figures on a single fish, but the fact is the .1% who can is willing to spend big regardless of the consequences.

Once considered to be the provider of an endless bounty, the Ocean has been swept clean. Dig a little online or in your bookstore and you will be shocked by the statistics. If there is any place on Earth where the Wild West mentality of “get what you can while you can” is at work it is in the offshore fishing fleets. Sure, there are rules and regulations governing coastal waters that provide a degree of comfort to those of us who want our grandkids to experience the thrill of hauling in a big one. And there are also remarkable examples of fisheries like Alaska where sustainable practices have been recognized as the key to long term survival.

For the most part, though, the damage being done to bring fresh fish to market is out of control. Bottom trawlers that rip up the sea bed, long lines that kill everything, drift nets that do the same, helicopter-guided catch boats, fish finders with military grade electronics, and good old fashioned greed are just a few of the culprits driving the demise of our fisheries.

While concerned parties argue for tougher rules and regulations to combat these practices - as they should -the most effective way for the average person to make a difference now is to let your wallet do the talking. By refusing to purchase seafood that is not harvested sustainably we can all make a very real, very positive impact on the world around us.

So how do we make the right choices?

Until recently there has been a lack of current information out there for folks looking to make informed decisions about what ends up on their plate. Through the dedicated efforts of our friends at the Blue Ocean Institute things are changing for the better in this regard.

Available for free, the Blue Ocean Institute Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood is a simple, yet powerful tool anyone can use to help reverse the harm being done. Updated regularly, this handy guide lets you know in easy to understand terms what is good and what is bad about the seafood options you might consider. A color coded key lets you see at a glance which species are in trouble, which are doing fine, and which are on the fence. A brief sentence or two accompanies each description so you can see exactly what factors go into these rankings. In addition, species prone to mercury concentrations and other health hazards are highlighted too.

Anyone who has ever bought anything at www.greenboatstuff.com has received one of the printed versions of this guide with their order. Foldable into the size of a business card, the guide fits in a wallet or purse with ease. The most current version can be downloaded directly from The Blue Ocean Institute through the following link http://blueoceaninstitute.com/pdfs/miniguide_color.pdf

Cell phone and PDA users can visit www.fishphone.org and download a version straight to your favorite communication device.

For the truly advanced, texting “Fish” and the species name to 30644 will provide instant feedback you can use to make the right call. Not to digress, but guys, if you’re looking for a way to impress that special someone, try this trick at dinner and you are sure to score points you just can’t put a price tag on.

There is even a new Sushi Friendly guide at http://blueoceaninstitute.com/pdfs/oceanfriendlysushi.pdf

The choices made by generations past and present have pushed our fragile Planet to where we find ourselves now. Going forward these same choices we all face will either dig the hole deeper, or help get things back on track. If you want to make a difference, you can. Please take a minute and let the Blue Ocean Institute Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood show you how.

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August 02, 2008

Green Galley Gear

 

 

Let’s face it, good food and drink is an essential part of enjoying time on the water.

Unfortunately, so many boaters seem to forget that they are on the water when it comes time to whip up a meal or pass out the sundowners. Troll through any big marina, hit a crowded beach, or just spend a few days floating around and you are pretty much guaranteed to come across all sorts of junk that has escaped from the galley.

Styrofoam  dishes, plastic utensils , food containers, the stray synthetic “coolie cup” that slipped off somebody’s cold one, coolers, and of course our constant companion, the disposable water bottle, are just a few of the  things that so many boaters take for granted. And yet, this stuff is literally choking the waterways we claim to enjoy.

When it comes time to set up your galley please keep a simple principle in mind – Do not use anything that will not break down if it goes over the side.  

This precautionary principle will serve you well in many aspects of boating, and it is fairly easy to apply if you put your mind to it. All you have to do is look at everything you use in or around the galley and find a natural alternative to the cheap plastic junk that all the ads tell you belong on a boat.

Sound hard? Maybe.

 Doable? Of course.

Worth The Trouble? Your conscience can easily answer this one.

Let’s look at some common galley gear and the green alternatives that are out there.

Dishes –

Plain old paper plates are a good choice if you are on a budget, although they do take up precious space in the trash and a tree was probably cut down somewhere along the production line. If you go this route, shell out another buck or two for the stuff made from recycled paper products. Don’t let the marketing gurus trick you into buy recyclable instead. Remember, advertising executives know our attention span is often short enough that we can be duped into thinking recyclable and recycled mean the same thing. In fact, any paper product “can” be recycled, but most never are.  If you do go the disposable route you also need to avoid the poly-paper blend versions. These are usually shiny, slick, and come in lots of fancy colors. As sturdy and pretty as they may be, the poly base means they are full of chemicals, petroleum, and all sorts of bad stuff. If you really want disposable stuff, look for the new cornstarch or sugarcane based plastic dishes, or even those single use versions made from bamboo or other sustainable materials. The new bio-plastics can be a little tough to find, and while they look like traditional plastic, they will actually biodegrade with ease since they are made from vegetable oils. Be careful using the bio-plastics with really hot stuff, sometimes it melts. Wood dishes have come a long way in recent years. Many options exist from plain to fancy, and most of the wood stuff comes from sustainably grown plants like bamboo (technically a grass, not a wood), acacia, and others.  Be mindful you don’t buy a nice natural wood bowl covered in paint or some other synthetic finish. Look for food safe oils or other natural, plant based finishes. Stainless steel dishes are great on a boat. Now I know the image of a steel mill doesn’t exactly conjure up environmentally friendly images. However, if you compare the environmental impact of a set of stainless dishes that you will have on board for years and that will break down given enough time in the water vs. the completely non-biodegradable plastic set you replace every season or two, stainless wins hands down. Glass and ceramic can be good choices if you can keep them from breaking. Consider recycled glass products, and be wary of ceramic glazes, many contain lead or other nasty stuff.

Utensils –

Biodegradable plastic utensils are available if you look hard enough, but again be careful with hot stuff. Leaving a bio-plastic spoon in a hot baked potato might leave you with nothing but the handle. Wood is a great option here, especially chopsticks. Kids love trying to master them and clean up is easy. Good stainless utensils will last for years, although some people don’t like the metallic taste they can impart.

Pots and Pans – This is a tough one for some folks, and an area where we get a lot of opinions. You obviously can’t use wood over an open flame, although when properly used, bamboo steamers are quite versatile and double as attractive food servers. For the most part stainless steel is the greenest option available. Cast iron works great, but is prone to rusting, especially on a boat. At www.greenboatstuff.com we refuse to carry non-stick cookware. Treated with Teflon, or some other such synthetic, these cook-sets make clean up a breeze, but at a steep price. Mounting evidence shows that the chemicals from these non-stick coatings are showing up in the bloodstream of people around the globe, and even in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Who knows the damage this may ultimately cause, but for our part, we think folks would rather scrub a little harder instead of ingesting Teflon. 

Food Storage – Use stainless steel instead of plastic. More and more stainless food containers are coming on the market all the time. The folks at To-Go Ware have a great product just for this purpose. For more info check out www.greenboatstuff.com/towaststfoca.html

Liquid Storage – I won’t bore you with more statistics on how many disposable plastic water bottles are literally floating around out there, but the numbers are staggering. Recent concerns about PCB (chemical code for really nasty stuff) contaminants leaching from those cute, multi-colored “permanent” plastic water bottles has made a lot of people rethink their water bottles. These same concerns have a lot of concerned mom’s looking for alternatives to the traditional poly sippy cups and baby bottles too.  New “good plastic” water bottles that supposedly do not leach toxins are making the rounds as a result, but most of these are still petroleum-based, permanent plastic none the less.  The best water bottles, in my opinion, are either stainless steel or aluminum. Built to last for years, these bottles can be made from recycled materials and then recycled themselves when they finally give out. Be careful with aluminum though - as long as the bottle has an impermeable liner you should be fine, bottles without liners can impart toxins of their own. Food grade stainless steel is one of the best materials out there for both food and liquid storage. Tough and relatively lightweight, stainless does not require a liner to be safe.

Towels, Linens and Soft Stuff – Avoid anything synthetic. Polyester, nylon, or artificial fibers not only cause problems when they are created, but they can persist in the environment for years. Focus on natural fibers like organic cotton, hemp, and the like. These materials cause minimal if any harm in their production, and they also break down easily if they ever go over the side.

Chip Clips, Towel Hooks and all the Little Stuff – Once again, avoid synthetics. Nylon or plastic galley gadgets come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colors. All you really need to know about this junk is that it polluted the environment when it was made, and it will be here 100,000 years from now. Brass, bronze, stainless steel, and even wood are good examples of materials that can do the job well, last for ages, usually be recycled, and yet cause minimal damage to the environment. Avoid painted gear if you can, along with chrome, zinc, or other plated surfaces. All this stuff causes harm.

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