A win for consumers and Greenpeace!

Good news on the sustainable food front! A hearty congratulations goes out to Greenpeace and the thousands of people who contacted Costco and complained about some of the seafood they were selling. It seems the fish Greenpeace and others had issue with was red-listed (or threatened) due to several factors including over fishing and “long-lived”, “slow growing” species.

A Call to Action:


“Do you ever feel like those emails you send to behemoth companies—you know, the ones expressing your desire for more eco- and health-minded choices—fall on deaf ears? Start your keyboards: Such communication works.
After eight months of pressure from consumers, headed by eco-watchdog Greenpeace, retail giant Costco has announced that it will stop selling unsustainable seafood choices -- a huge win for our overfished, beleaguered oceans. Specifically, Costco will eliminate 12 "red list" species: Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, Chilean sea bass, Greenland halibut, grouper, monkfish, orange roughy, redfish, shark, skates and rays, swordfish, and bluefin tuna.
Not only that: Costco also pledges to be a leader in aquaculture developments and issues around canned tuna, and to partner with the World Wildlife Fund in continuing sustainability issues. This follows Greenpeace's victory with Trader Joe's, which agreed in March 2010 to establish similar sustainable-seafood policies. Greenpeace reps say the policies aren't yet perfect, but they're a great start; and, given the immense purchasing power these stores represent, it's thrilling to see collective consumer voices and eco-organizations making a real difference.”
Our words and actions certainly are powerful motivators. That we, the consumers are able to affect change simply by writing a letter (email) or making a phone call can still astound me! It is invigorating to know that we can be a part of something bigger than ourselves which helps make our planet just a little bit better!
Read Greenpeace article in full
Read Newhope 360 (quoted text) article here
Back to blog