When
shopping for food, I try to make the healthiest choices possible. I know which
foods are supposed to be good for me, but I always wonder about the
environmental costs associated with my dietary choices. How good are they for
the planet, really?
I
reflected on all this while shopping for berries for brunch over the weekend.
Initially, I had hoped to purchase blueberries, however the only available ones
had traveled all the way from Argentina. Next to them were blackberries from
Kent. I told myself that I’d reduce my environmental footprint by buying fruit
that had been grown in the UK, so I opted for the blackberries. But this got me
thinking - what about the environmental impacts associated with the blackberries
themselves?
Reading
through the literature and to my great surprise, I discovered that blackberry
production can have negative environmental impacts in some parts of the world. Rubus fruticosus, or the common
blackberry, is native to much of Europe, and is distributed in all continents
with the exception of Antarctica (CABI, 2013). Though the blackberry has
commercial value, it is considered a weed in Australia (Grice 2006) where its
impact is so large that it is listed as one of the Australian Weeds of National
Significance (WoNS). It was first introduced to the continent in mid-1800, and
since then has contributed to the reduction of plant biodiversity and wildlife
habitat, the modification of pasture land, and the reduction in timber
production, among others (CSIRO, 2011). By the late 1990’s, the spread of
blackberries reached 8.8ha causing serious net costs to the Australian
community (James & Lockwood, 1998). Currently, blackberry populations are
managed through the use of biological control methods which employ strains of the
blackberry rust fungus, Phragmidium
violaceum, to control populations of the weed (Scott et al., 2002; CSIRO, 2011).
I
think this is a great example of global environmental change that has been brought
on by humans. It highlights the great diversity of Earth’s ecosystems, and the
fact that humans must use caution when attempting to harness the forces of
nature for their own benefit.
In
my last post, I promised I’d come back with something delicious. To honour my
word, I’m concluding today’s post with a recipe that highlights the lovely
taste of fresh blackberries. Enjoy!
Baked Oatmeal
Recipe
slightly adapted from Super Natural Every Day.
Ingredients:
2
c. large flake oats
½
c. walnuts, chopped
⅓
c. agave nectar
1
tsp baking powder
1
½ tsp cinnamon
½
tsp sea salt
2
c. milk
1
egg
3
tbsp butter, melted
2
tsp vanilla extract
2
bananas, sliced
1 ½ c. blackberries
1. Preheat oven to 190°C,
and generously butter the inside of a baking dish. 2. In a bowl, combine oats, half the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together agave nectar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
4. Arrange the bananas in the bottom of baking dish, and place half of the berries over top.
5. Cover the fruits with the oat mixture, then pour over wet ingredients.
6. Top with remaining nuts and berries.
7. Bake for 45 minutes until golden, and serve with a generous drizzle of Canadian maple syrup.
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