By Susan Barnett
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-847791.mp3
Hudson Valley, NY – When families are hungry and don't have money, many turn to food pantries for help. A New York City newspaper reports some of them are fishing for survival in polluted waters. Hudson Valley bureau chief Susan Barnett looks into what that means.
The Daily News ran a story saying New Yorkers are ignoring health warnings, and are feeding their families fish contaminated by PCBS and mercury. Dr. David Carpenter is Director of The Institute for Health and the Environment at SUNY Albany.
Dr. Carpenter says The Hudson River may be cleaner as we no longer dump raw sewage into it, but the effects of PCB dumping still linger in its fish.
The Daily News quoted fishermen who said they fish off piers in Brooklyn and Queens because they're not making enough money to buy food for their families. Sports fishermen in Queens say people show up with plastic bags asking for spare fish, not spare change. The state puts up warning signs in areas where testing has shown high contaminants in fish.
If people are turning to "do it yourself food," are community gardens getting swamped with applications? Jinny Powers is coordinator of the Vassar Community Garden in community, which began back in World War II as a victory garden for vassar college professors.
The Vassar garden is full up...but it was able to accommodate everyone on the waiting list. Community gardens are big in urban areas...New York City has a city run group called Green Thumb. There's also an organization called Green Guerillas...whose goal is to transform empty lots into community gardens. In Chatham, Gina Gualeotine says the small community garden in Columbia County is seeing its biggest activity in the plot that's assigned to the local food pantry. But growing your own food doesn't always appear attractive, especially when produce is relatively cheap at the grocery store.
In Chatham, a wannabe gardener who needs help may get a waiver on the annual fee or on the price of seed. And this year, all the community gardeners are contending with the weather - so far, the folks at Vassar say its' been great for the weeds.
Related:
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/07/toxic-foraged-fish-dinner-nyc