About half a century ago, an environmental consciousness was stirring among the public. As everyday Americans lived amidst the daily degradation of air and water quality, bearing witness from near or far to catastrophes like oil spills, they were beginning to draw connections between manmade actions and ecological harm. On April 22nd, 1970, the U.S. observed the world’s first Earth Day. Tomorrow, nearly every country and territory on the planet observes this monumentally special day.
There’s no unified way to participate in Earth Day, as each community around the globe contends with its own unique, ecological challenges. My personal hope is that we can all explore ways to live more in concert with nature, simply by reducing food waste in our own home kitchens.
Food waste comprises about a fifth of landfill waste. There, it breaks down into methane, a greenhouse gas emission that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. One way to divert food waste from the landfill is by thinking more strategically about how we use our harvests. Whether you’re using your seafood portions for easy meal prep, repurposing leftovers for days of dynamic eating, or are simply learning to cook and enjoy salmon skin (or, at the very least, feeding it to a pet!), each of these resourceful practices pays quiet respect to the bounty of Mother Nature while curbing the detrimental, collective effects of food waste. I invite you to visit our post on how a WAC membership can help you to reduce food waste for tips, tricks, and resources on the subject.
I’d also like to reiterate how thankful we are as a fish family to have you as a member. By being a member of Wild Alaskan Company, you’re already doing a lot for the planet. Each box of wild fish that you receive supports wild, well-managed fisheries in Alaska — and this, in turn, helps to protect the ecosystem. For the inquisitive, we’ve put together a blog post that compares the sustainability impact of wild versus farmed salmon. The difference between the two industries is truly astonishing.
As we each find our own ways to observe Earth Day, many of us are aware that a single day of environmental consciousness is not enough. Getting humanity back in sync with the planet requires everyday effort and sea change beyond the scope of what many of us can do on an individual level. But I hope you don’t overlook the nuanced ways we can honor Mother Nature, and I will truly be honored if some of our Earth-friendly suggestions resonate with you beyond your next box of seafood.
Live Wild,
Monica
Pictured above: A fisher person on deck with a huge grin on her face, holding aloft a hefty coho salmon — note its characteristically silver skin! It’s a picture that encapsulates how happy we are to share the bounty of Mother Nature with you, especially on Earth Day.
