Category Archives: ethics

Battery Cages, Animal Welfare, and the Environment

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Seemingly simple issues seldom are, especially when it comes to food ethics. Sometimes what seems like a simple question of needing to “change how we think” or to “stop corporate greed” or “get back in touch with our food” turns … Continue reading →

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Should Companies Label Genetically Modified Foods?

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Since this blog is relatively new, readers may not have seen my postings (on my Business Ethics Blog) about the labelling of GM foods. (See here and here.) This is a topic I’ve given considerable thought, and have published on … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biotechnology, ecosystems, ethics, genetic modification, labeling, marketing, regulation, science | 63 Comments

Part-Time Vegetarianism

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Ethically speaking, does vegetarianism need to be an all-or-nothing thing? The current issue of Time has this piece on the topic: Weekday Vegetarians Part-time vegetarians, a.k.a. flexitarians, choose what to eat and when. The popular Meatless Monday movement, which began … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, animal welfare, environment, ethics, vegetarianism | 2 Comments

Is PepsiCo Breaking its Promise?

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Maybe keeping a promise is the real ‘Pepsi challenge.’ A few months ago, I blogged (on my Business Ethics Blog) about a decision by PepsiCo to voluntarily stop selling sugary drinks in schools by 2012. Now there seems to be … Continue reading →

Posted in ethics, kids, marketing, nutrition | 1 Comment

Corporate Ethics, Evidence, and Fructose

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Evidence seems to be mounting that not all sugars are created equal. See this story by Leslie Beck, writing for the Globe & Mail: Fructose can trigger cancer cells to grow faster, study finds It’s been blamed for a host … Continue reading →

Posted in ethics, nutrition, science | Comments Off on Corporate Ethics, Evidence, and Fructose

Ethical Birthing for Calves & the Micromanagement of Farming

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

If you thought the only ethical issue about the treatment of calves was the way veal calves are raised, think again. Here’s the story, from TVNZ: Calf-killing practice sparks mixed debate. A Close Up poll of almost 10,000 people tonight … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, animal welfare, consumerism, ethics, farmers, values | 1 Comment

Natural Chicken

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

When is a “natural chicken” not a natural chicken, and what does that mean, anyway? Here’s the story, from Food Safety News: The Truth Behind ‘Natural’ Chicken A disagreement among poultry producers about whether chicken injected with salt, water, and … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, ethics, labeling, nutrition, regulation | Comments Off on Natural Chicken

Milk and Meat from the Offspring of Clones

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

OK, so lots of people are put off by the idea of eating cloned cows or pigs, or drinking the milk of cloned cows. Some of those people have genuine ethical concerns; others are just subject to the “yuck factor.” … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, animal welfare, biotechnology, cloning, ethics, international, regulation, science | 2 Comments

Safety of Louisiana Fish & Shrimp

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

In the wake of the BP oil disaster, the fisheries off the Gulf Coast are doubly important. They’re a big source of jobs for folks in the Gulf states, and the health of the shrimp and fish there is an … Continue reading →

Posted in ecosystems, environment, ethics, fisheries, regulation, safety | Comments Off on Safety of Louisiana Fish & Shrimp