What exactly am I eating?

I must say that I really like this class because it makes me re-evaluate my lifestyle. I try and make changes in my routine in hopes that I will help the environment, but one thing that I hardly ever do is think about the food I buy. I'm fully aware of the pesticides and fossil fuels which are used to produce and transport a lot of our food not to mention the damage the involved ecosystems face including issues of species endangerment. Still, this very rarely crosses my mind when I go food shopping which is troubling to think about. The main thing which I consider when buying food is the cost, whatever is the cheapest is what I bring home. I've thought about this issue before, but it always gets brushed to the side of my to-do list because in my eyes it's inconvenient. While attending AU my parents pay for my food but that means a limited budget that I have to spend wisely. Because of this it's hard to buy organic food because nine times out of ten that means more money. I have to say that I'm not extremely educated on this subject, so therefore I don't know all of my options, but I'm willing to bet there's a middle ground that I could be supporting instead of doing nothing.
In addition to buying my food, I also have a meal plan. I don't have as many options in the dining hall as I would if I were to eat all of my own food, but I can still pick and choose. From what I've seen, the dining hall has been pretty good about switching to locally grown produce and they support sustainable fishing. Even so, I find myself not choosing food based on what's best for the environment, but just by whatever looks good.
If I had to pick something that I've eaten in the past few days which has had the greatest environmental impact I would say it's been tuna. The reason I pick tuna is because of the huge trawlers which are used to catch the fish. Not only do they use large quantities of fossil fuels, but they disturb the ocean's ecosystems. Huge nets are pulled along the ocean floor killing and capturing everything in their path. Once the nets are brought to the surface, whatever isn't needed is thrown out as bycatch.
After discussing this issue for our blog I no longer feel I can go to the supermarket without reading the labels and finding out more information on where my food is coming from. Food is a serious issue not only concerning the environment, but with respect to our own health. I'm sure many people would rather eat organic if they knew just how many pesticides and GMOs were introduced to their food!