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The ongoing controversy surrounding genetically altered foods is shifting from the plant world to the animal one. The New York Times reports that AquaBounty Technologies has engineered a salmon that is nutritionally identical to wild salmon but can reach market size in 16-18 months instead of three years. This technology would enable fish farms to become much more profitable as they would be......read more
GM is starting to take orders for the Chevrolet Volt, the carmaker's new "extended range electric vehicle." Priced at a hefty $41,000, the Volt is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit which will reduce the cost to $33,500. GM also said it will offer a $350-per-month deal that will make it more affordable. The Volt, a 4-door sedan, runs on battery power for up to 40 miles but......read more
After doing their job absorbing leaked oil, dirty oil booms typically go to the their graves in the landfill, where they languish for eternity. But, as GreenTech Media reports, that doesn't have to be the case. In a triumphant PR move, General Motors has found a way to intervene in the cycle, by making use of oil booms from the Gulf for passive car parts like air dams and water deflectors.......read more
A battle is brewing over identifying clothing as being made of “organic” cotton when it contains strains of genetically modified cotton seed. Things got heated last week when the German edition of The Financial Times newspaper reported that clothing labeled as “organic cotton” and sold by major retailers contained genetically modified cotton from India. The expos caused a stir within the......read more
Is there anything Katie Couric can’t do? First her short skirts pushed her to the top of the ratings of The Today Show. Then she took over the anchor desk at the CBS Evening News and almost pushed it right off the air. Don’t worry, she caused just enough controversy to bring her right back around in the ratings. And now she has her own web show called @katiecouric.com. And it’s a real......read more
If you're into eating mutant animals, it's time to get excited. The FDA declared last week that genetically engineered Atlantic salmon "is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon," clearing a major obstacle in its upstream swim toward our dinner plates. If the idea of eating a fish developed in a science lab sounds unappetizing to you, maybe you'll change your......read more
The FDA is on the brink of approving genetically engineered salmon for human consumption. This would be the first genetically engineered animal on supermarket shelves in the United States. The salmon is engineered to produce growth hormones year-round that cause the fish to grow at twice the normal rate. The government already requires labels to tell us if fish is wild-caught or......read more
Americans care about the food we eat and feed our families, now more than ever. In the span of just a few weeks, "pink slime" became a consumer phenomenon, leading to the unprecedented rapid-fire removal of the product from major stores and schools, the closure of production plants and USDA approval of voluntary labeling. Talk about legislation through retail. It's not just ammonia in beef.......read more
Over the last twenty-odd years, a new American food economy has emerged, and if you're reading this, there is a pretty good chance you are a part of it. The food shift is exemplified by the resurgence of farmers' markets and the rise of community-supported agriculture and sustainable farming. To date, however, the so-called "food movement" has yet to enter the fray of politics. That will change......read more
California's Proposition 37, which would have required that genetically modified foods carry a label, suffered a narrow defeat (53 to 47) last week, thanks largely to the $45 million No On Prop 37 ad blitz backed by Big Food companies like Monsanto. Despite the defeat of the bill, GMO labeling advocates have plenty to be proud about, considering that the Yes cause was outspent 5 to 1......read more
