Get off of twitter, pick up your litter!

I've been researching green trends that would be a nice contribution for my magazine, which as of now, is still nameless.
I began by researching successful campaigns of the past such as the litter campaigns of the 70s. Out of most environmental crimes, 60% of American people would be most embarrassed about littering (according to a Living Green Pulse study) and that's a pretty successful feat. Continuous advertisement and education seemed to do the trick.

 City of Port Phillips decreased 50% of litter on their beaches. Nice job, Port Phillips!

Despite successful campaigns like the litter campaigns, millennials aren't as environmentally conscience as Baby Boomers are. This notion rattled my world. The media portrays otherwise and I'm a little more than duly disappointed. I mean, come on! Were those Bill Nye videos a waste?! It seems to me that a lot is being wasted. A study by the American Psychological Association found that Millenials were more likely to be focused on money, image and fame. This idea only fits with my original purpose for the magazine. So I mean, at least that's concrete. And now we know more about what grabs the attention of a youthful audience. The trends shown in 2015 were linked with health and image, such as the Whole Foods craze, Starbucks reusable cups, and cute plant-based packaging. Perhaps a good addition to the magazine are eco-friendly discounted products or restaurants in the South Florida area. 

One trend in particular, caught my attention: The "Ugly" Food Movement. I personally have had experience with this movement by working in a warehouse, repackaging damaged but usable products and produce donated by stores for a Costa Rican food bank. This movement champions fruits and veggies that are misshapen, bruised or imperfect to combat food waste. It has been extremely popular in Europe and Australia. 40% of food in the United States will be thrown away when 21% of Americans suffer from food insecurity. When food is thrown away, the hard work and input are also thrown away. It only rubs salt on the wound when California, which produces 50% of American produce and uses 80% of fresh water is in their worst drought in years and all for agriculture that'll be thrown out anyway. The 36 million tons of food that rot in countless landfills produces the equivalent of 3.3 billion tons of CO2 emissions. And I'm not done yet, $165 billion worth of meals are thrown away yearly solely by the American people when the economy remains a hotly debated issue on the presidential race and environmental sustainability is barely touched by some. The response to this madness is buying the produce that is usually thrown away due to its aesthetic faults. People want to buy the best food for their families but they judge a fruit by its peel as the look of it has nothing to do with its taste. In fact, "ugly" heirloom tomatoes are praised for their taste and colorful rainbow hues. In Florida, UglyRipe, an "ugly" food Florida business created by the Procacci brothers, had a legal dispute with the Florida Tomato Committee over their right to export their produce out of Florida. Although they eventually won that right and would be recompensated economically to provide incentive, many worried that it would tarnish the image of Florida produce, including ex-Florida governor Jeb Bush. However, it has stemmed (pun intended) to be an economically and ecologically sound trend with many of Miami's top restaurants choosing to go this route. Another idea for my issue is to interview one of the businesses or restaurants on their success with the "Ugly" Food Movement. Taste over Waste!

I see, you want your ladies with fine legs but not your carrots, for shame.

Brooks, Jennifer. "Food Waste, Poverty and the 'Ugly Food Movement'" The Blue Review. The Blue Review, 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Image- Intermarché. Intermarché's Inglorious Fruit & Vegetables campaign. Digital image. Fruit Net. Fruit Net, 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Kaye, Bea. "What Is The ‘Ugly Food Movement’? An Explainer." Uproxx. Uproxx, 1 Oct. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Rich, Sarah. "Does It Matter If Tomatoes Are Ugly? - Modern Farmer."Modern Farmer. Modern Farmer, 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Schiller, Ben. "Are Millennials The Greenest Generation? Maybe Not."Co.Exist. Co.Exist, 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Sloan, A. Elizabeth. "The Top Ten Food Trends April 2015, Volume 69, No.4." The Top Ten Food Trends. IFT, Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Image- Studio Binocular. City of Port Phillip: Public Litter Campaign. Digital image.Studio Binocular. Studio Binocular, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

"Top Green Trends to Look out for in 2015 - Green Diary - Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem." Green Diary Green Revolution Guide by Dr Prem. Green Diary, 12 Jan. 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.