Celestial Seasonings stopped using chlorine-bleached bags. Nestle reduced excess packaging and started using recycled materials. And Quaker Oats Company has worked to cut its landfill waste by 80 percent. The bottom line is, manufacturers are letting consumers know of their commitment to waste control with smart public relations and advertising campaigns. Food Marketing Institute Aquaculture Revisited Negative ecological issues have also created new opportunities.
Studies show the industry is becoming dependent on aquaculture.
In 1991, for example, it was responsible for 26 percent of world seafood harvest, according to the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization. Aqua Enterprises, an aquaculture corporation, has projected the U.N. figure will grow to 33 percent by the year 2000. Although modern agricultural practices have successfully helped to put fresh food on tables across America, many modern farming techniques may have also been causing harm to the environment. According to the National Research Council, farming is the largest noncentralized source of water pollution in the United States, due to the 500 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides applied to crops each year. A 1995 Food Marketing Institute study found that 74 percent of those surveyed considered chemical residues left on food a serious hazard, and more than 55 percent of respondents said they had bought organic or natural foods at least once within the past month.