BACKTRACK A BIT

Who is your ugly produce really helping?

A few years ago, consumers learned about ugly produce. Companies offered to sell us misshapen carrots, bumpy apples, and crooked squashes for a discount, and told us our purchases would save the environment. This produce, they said, was destined for the trash can. It was just that ugly.

But is it true? A viral rant from crop scientist Sarah Taber claims that ugly produce isn't thrown out; it's donated; turned into soups, salsas, juices, or other unidentifiable products; or fed to livestock. Millennials' new obsession with ugly produce, she says, is an empty way for people to feel better about their purchases, even though they ultimately hurt food banks and low-income people who'd otherwise be eating that food.

So what's the truth?

It's complicated. Obviously. But most official evidence and studies point to the fact that there is a lot of food waste in our system, and a lot of it is ugly produce.

When ugly produce companies work with small, local farmers who don't have the infrastructure to donate extra fruits and veggies, it's probably good. Before ugly produce companies came along, it was often cheaper for these farmers to let food go to waste than to pay for shipping to get them to food shelters and the like. But when ugly produce companies go to large-scale producers like Dole or Driscoll's, they're hurting the produce supply chain because those companies can afford to donate their extra food.

Similarly, when ugly produce companies (or any company, really) ships cheap produce to food deserts, they're helping low-income populations get access to healthy food. When the companies ship to only millennial-filled urban areas, it becomes problematic.

The truth is, when run correctly, ugly produce companies can help farmers and consumers in a way the current agricultural system can't. But at the same time, they're wedging for-profit businesses into a system that's deeply flawed and contributing to the problem.

Ultimately, these companies aren't perfect, but most probably aren't evil either.

(The Atlantic, Vox)

Try this

Produce-shopping pro tip: Buy fruits and veggies in peak season. 🍅🌽 You can even ask the farmer which special crops they grow and when all their produce was harvested. You'll get to take advantage of the bargains, and you might learn to be more adventurous in the kitchen too. Greatist

W Hotels is redefining what a fitness retreat looks like

If you think a wellness retreat is all dawn-to-dusk workouts, lame salads, and booze-free nights, you haven’t heard of W Hotels’s FUEL Weekends—fitness-focused vacations packed with nonstop energy and adventure. Think awesome workouts led by trainers from Y7, Barry’s Bootcamp, and more; delicious meals curated by local chefs; cocktails; and epic parties. And it all goes down in one stunning W destination.

In other words, you’ll go from your morning workout to poolside cocktails to a late-night bash, then wake up and do it all over again. (Detox. Retox. Repeat.)

For people who don’t want to sacrifice fun while working on their goals

With luxe accommodations and amenities, local activities (jet skiing, surf lessons), and pro workouts, W Hotels is changing the game when it comes to how guests work out, vacation, and explore the world.

The next FUEL Weekend is kicking off February 28 at W Hotels’s newest W Escape, W Costa Rica. But if you can’t make it this month, don't worry—there are four more this year, and they’re happening all around the world. So you can work out, chill out, and go out while discovering Insta-worthy beaches and adrenaline-rushing adventures.

FIND OUT MORE!

EDITOR'S PICK

The streaming fitness service that totally changed the way I exercise

Is the future of fitness digital? Old me would’ve said, "Meh?" I was staunchly in the camp of real-life, in-person workouts—because witnesses or it didn’t happen. Plus, communities are good for accountability and pushing yourself and blah blah. But old me was wrong.

New me tried Obé (an acronym for “Our Body Electric”—I know, but stay with me) a few months ago, and I'm a virtual fitness convert. This brand has remedied all the home workout complaints: You typically need major equipment (I see you, Peloton, and I wish I had space for you in my apartment), the workouts are never as challenging as a live class (every streaming studio class), or the vibe feels… corny (sorry, Beachbody).

Obé is basically perfect. It live streams new classes for six hours every morning, many of which you can find later on demand. And with its strict 28-minute format; its super-challenging strength, HIIT, and yoga workouts; and its rotation of stellar trainers, Obé makes me actually want to exercise. And I'll reiterate: 28 minutes! Without leaving the house! Even I can make that happen, so Obé's remedied my urge to make excuses—and soon, yours.

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