How Do I Eat Green?

Choose Fish Wisely

Of course, the one story of ongoing ecological destruction that is well known is what has been happening to and in the oceans. Oil spills. Coral-reef erosion. Dolphins getting trapped in nets meant for tuna. At this point, most people don't need to be told that fish are in trouble; many can even say which ones you should avoid: Chilean sea bass, swordfish, and ahi tuna. But fish is also one of the healthiest things you can eat, so let's talk about the ones you can enjoy without guilt.

"Your two best farmed choices, from an environmental point of view, are striped bass and tilapia," says Kate Wing, senior ocean policy analyst at the NRDC in San Francisco. Why? "Striped bass can be raised in tanks, reducing the pollution impact, while tilapia can be raised on a vegetarian diet, which means they aren't being fed other fish, and so you really are reducing the pressure on wild stocks," Wing explains.

If you prefer your fish to be higher in omega-3s, wild salmon, domestic mahi mahi, Pacific halibut, and sardines are pretty safe, for now. As to other kinds of seafood, you don't have to worry about eating oysters, clams, calamari, and American lobster.