Page 131 - How to Be a Conscious Eater - Making Food Choices That Are Good for You

aimed at a business audience, you can still use it to learn
about the human rights track record of a fishery before
you buy.
If no third-party labels are available and you’re unsure
about a product you’re considering buying at a grocery
store or restaurant, ask questions. “Where is the farmed
shrimp from exactly? Was the fish on your menu caught
legally?” Transparency is not merely the modern currency
of the retail and restaurant worlds—it is your right.

Check for country of origin. The majority of shrimp we eat
in the United States is imported, so you’ve got to be vigilant.
Clearly, shrimp from Thailand remains untrustworthy, so
I’d avoid it altogether until we can be sure it’s free of human
rights violations. Shrimp from US sources—North Carolina,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Alaska—are safer choices.
Surprised to see how much more those options may cost?
This is a reflection of how artificially low the prices have
been set for shrimp from ill-gotten sources—stealing
wages, well-being, and dignity from the people laboring to
get it to us.

Being a conscious eater doesn’t mean forking over your
entire paycheck to support only the top-of-the-line products
or precious artisanal foods. But it does mean being aware of
the true cost of food—and doing everything in your power and
within your means to adjust your expectations and weekly
shopping habits accordingly.

120 how to be a Conscious Eater

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