What a Day...

Next time I see someone with a clipboard, I will give them a hug. I could've used one today.

I learned a lot today, about sustainable practices and about people. I learned that people are more likely to go out of their way to avoid you than to smile and say, "No thank you." I learned that some people are extremely afraid of being videotaped. And I listened to some lovely people who shared their insights about sustainable seafood practices and their personal experiences with me. I was happy every time just one person stopped to talk to me.

So thank you, thank you, thank you to every person who stopped and gave a little bit of their day to answer a few short questions. I am in your debt.

I am currently editing my video and will post it, along with my methods for collecting this data very soon.

Take Care!

In Preparation

On Monday I go out into the community to begin my survey of consumer awareness of sustainable seafood. I’ve got my questions ready, I’ve found a tripod, I’m charging my camera, I’ve prepared treats, and I’ve picked up some sustainable seafood pocket guides.

I’m nervous as hell.

I’m really putting myself out there and I’m afraid no one will take the time to talk to me. If this fails, I don’t know how Part 1 of my project will progress. I’ve baked treats to try and entice people to talk to me. I hope I’ll be taken seriously. It would really be frustrating if, after all this prep, my plan falls through.

But I guess that happens a lot in science. You create an experiment to try and test a theory, and everything goes wrong. And back to the drawing board you go.

As Thomas Edison said, “Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward.”

Musings on Seafood

I don’t usually eat seafood. Many people find this strange, since I’m so passionate about this project.

Last night, I ate fish for the first time this year. I had the grilled Mahi Mahi that the school served. As I ate it, I realized how much this project was affecting me. I began to wonder whether I could taste the difference between Mahi Mahi and Yellowtail, or if they have different textures. I eat seafood so rarely that I honestly can't recognise what I ate. I can barely tell raw fish apart.

I guess that just fuels my indignation at having to worry about what fish I’m eating.

My school works very closely with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, and we are given lots of information about sustainable seafood. But I still worry. If top-tier restaurants will commit fish fraud, what’s to say my school won’t?

To work with this, I’ve shared my project with the woman who runs our dining hall. She’s helping me make contacts with Seafood Watch. I don’t think she would intentionally serve us substituted seafood, but the companies that provide our seafood might.

Yet another reason to keep blogging…