The Oil Spill's Effect on Our Food System

I’ve been leaving coverage of the oil spill mostly up to other bloggers here on MNN. Our Earth Matters blogger Shea, Green Tech blogger Karl and several of the news writers have been doing a great job keeping us up-to-date on what’s happening in the Gulf and how people are reacting to the spill.

But as the story continues and the devastating impact of this disaster becomes more apparent each day, I thought I’d point you to some of the information out there about how the spill is affecting our food system and those who supply the seafood to our food system.

Slow Food USA is telling consumers that the best way they can help the fishermen in the Gulf right now is to eat Gulf seafood. Assuring readers that any seafood from the Gulf will have to meet safety regulations, the group is encouraging consumers to purchase and consume Gulf seafood as often possible.

If you can’t get your hands on seafood that comes from the Gulf, or you’re not convinced of the safety of seafood from that region but you still want to help with your dining dollars, you can participate in Dine out for the Gulf Coast starting June 10-12 and extending into July. Participating restaurants across the country will be donating proceeds (each restaurant gets to chose exactly what percentage) that will turn into emergency grants to nonprofit organizations helping the victims of the oil spill.

While most of the food news about the Gulf oil spill centers around seafood, Slate’s Big Money is reporting about delays in getting corn and soybeans shipped to foreign markets. If oil clogs the canal that links New Orleans with the Gulf, ships that pass through it would have to be cleaned before entering clean waters. This would cause significant delays.

Georgia is depending on its oysters to tell if and when the oil has reached its coast. The Atlanta Journal Constitution says that because oysters don’t move and because they absorb the pollution that is around them, they will be the first harbingers of disaster in that region.

New Orleans.com reports that yesterday, 36,000 pounds of food was handed out to families in St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana. Many of the residents of that parish are commercial fishermen who are now out of work because of the oil spill. Of course, the food wasn’t available only to fishermen. In a region that is still recovering financially from Hurricane Katrina, everyone could use a little help.

Many of the fishermen and their families helped by the food handouts were probably much like this fourth-generation shrimp and oyster family highlighted on “The Early Show” earlier this week. I’ll finish with this video.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Read more: Food, Health, News & Issues, gulf oil spill, oil spill

By Robin Shreeves, MNN

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Janine K.

5:59AM PST on Jan 23, 2011

ready to own a solar panel?
stop using plastic bags?
get a better car?
change.

send a green star

Beng Kiat L.

3:00AM PDT on Jul 7, 2010

thanks

Heather B.

9:03PM PDT on Jun 25, 2010

Thanks for sharing this, Megan.

Inez Deborah A.

6:22AM PDT on Jun 24, 2010

They have just s.....d up everyting for good

Kathy T.

7:18AM PDT on Jun 21, 2010

Sad news for the people in New Orleans Nice that they gave them some free food.

beverly g.

3:55PM PDT on Jun 20, 2010

frightening.

mr C.

1:40AM PDT on Jun 20, 2010

what a mess!

Lynn C.

6:59AM PDT on Jun 19, 2010

What are each of us willing to change to help this?

Vanessa E.

6:34PM PDT on Jun 18, 2010

It's easy to say "pack up and leave." Pack up and leave with what? To go where? Everyone should take heed and becoming talented at several lines of work. There but for the Grace of God, goes I......

Margie H.

8:42AM PDT on Jun 18, 2010

I can't watch another oily pelican, it hurts my heart. This is such a horrible disaster and there are no easy answers. I would think using fisherman that know the Gulf waters to help with the cleanup makes a lot of sense, but BP has put off so many efforts to help out that they are just crazy! Please see YouTube "The Corporation" and then you may understand what a sick, psychotic "being" a corporation is. They don't care about anything but the Almighty Dollar, and we might as well not even exist. No wonder they won't accept help, they don't even know who "we" are! It's a sad world.