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5 Absurdly Over-Packaged Foods

Ever go to the grocery store and notice items over-packaged with either too much plastic, layers of tape, or bubble wrap? Sometimes tension exists between consumers and manufacturers because while the eco-minded want packaging to be as minimal as possible, manufacturers want good packaging design in order to attract consumers. We have found a list of 5 absurdly over-packaged foods that are not so eco-friendly. Though packaging can make some things more convenient to take on the go, these single-item packages may have gone too far!  We recommend you avoid them next time you're re-stocking your apartment or getting snacks for the dorm.

1. Individually-wrapped prunes

2. Del-monte plastic wrapped bananas

3. Pre-wrapped corn

4. Individually wrapped jelly beans

5. Shrink-wrapped cucumbers and potatoes

Source: Earth 911

Green Up Your Cup of Joe!

As a Berkeley student you likely have turned to a nice hot cup of coffee during a long night of studying or as a pick-me-up right before a big test. But what you might not know is that with your choice in coffee you can help to make the world a little more green. Here are some tips to help you green up your morning 'cuppa Joe' :

• Look for Organically Grown Coffee: Usually this means that the beans have been grown without the use of artificial pesticides and weed killers. This helps to minimize pollution from wastewater and fertilizers.
• Buy Fair Trade Certified Coffee: This is a sign that the coffee harvesters have been adequately paid and worked under humane conditions. Fair Trade Certified buying is ecologically responsible because there is a  link between the alleviation of poverty and the likelihood of conservation efforts. Farmers who are paid a fair wage are less likely to level native habitats in order to grow more crops.
• Purchase 'Shade Grown' Coffee: Coffee trees grown in the shade of larger tropical plants help to provide valuable habitats for wildlife and increase the biodiversity of these environments.
• Buy Locally Grown Coffee: Choosing to buy coffee that has been both grown and manufactured close to where you live helps to cut down on the emissions that result from long distance transpiration and distribution.

 

For the full article by Johnathon D. Colman visit Nature.org

Image from guardian.co.uk