Bad times for bees and the budget!
The first UK government budget is out today and, just as importantly, this week is National Insect Week. Continue reading to find out why, just as the UK budget, bees and other pollinators are going through tough times.
Celebrating insects
This week is National Insect Week in the UK. With over 900,000 different species, insects comprise over 70% of all known species and inhabit all habitats apart from deep ocean, so it’s hardly surprising they get a whole National Week rather than a mere day! Those of you who find insects a daily irritant may…
Time to become greener and cleaner
Photo credit: Katherine Bourg That is what US President Barack Obama suggested, during his first national address from the Oval Office since he took office, and it comes the evening before his crucial meeting with BP's chairman, Carl-Henric Svanberg, and its chief executive, Tony Hayward, at the White House today. The meeting was arranged to…
Greening the FIFA World Cup 2010
As this year's biggest world sporting event 'the FIFA World Cup 2010' opened today in sunny South Africa, I couldn't help but wonder 'how 'green' is this major sporting event?' It turns out it might be greener than I thought! Read on to find out why!
HIV transmission and maize consumption in subSaharan Africa
A BBC World Service news item alerted me this morning to a landmark study hypothesizing a link between consumption of fumonisin-contaminated maize and HIV transmission. The report suggested that HIV rates in subSaharan Africa could be significantly reduced by altering foodconsumption patterns and reducing maize contamination. Mycotoxins are responsible for many afflictions but this seemed…
Nanotechnology, Miracle or Menace?
This debut blog is contributed by our editorial intern Elizabeth Milway, an Oxford University graduate with a background in biochemstry & bionanotechnology. Recently wherever I turn nanotechnology keeps cropping up! At first I thought – maybe it’s one of those things where once you’ve noticed something you can’t stop noticing it, but then I did…
Many species, one planet, one future
'Many species, one planet, one future’ was the theme for this year’s UN World Environment Day (WED), which was celebrated last Saturday 5th June and it echoed the urgent call to conserve the diversity of life on our planet. Read on to see what went on to mark the day.
The greenest government ever?
Image from govtech.com The new UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced recently, during his first visit to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in London, that the UK central government is aiming at cutting their emissions of CO2 by 10% in the next 12 months and he wants the government departments…
Pesticidal plants help poorer farmers reduce crop losses
Earlier today I was leafing through the latest issue of Kew Scientist, and was interested to read about Kew's work with pesticidal plants in Africa. Providing poorer farmers with environmental benign alternatives to expensive, synthetic pesticides, native species with pesticidal properties are the subject of two newly funded projects which continue Kew's collaboration with the Natural…
Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation
As Vera pointed out in her blog yesterday, this Saturday (22 May) is the International Day for Biodiversity. The theme for this year is ‘Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation: Recognizing the Role of Biodiversity for Human Well-Being’. Poverty alleviation is something we feel strongly about here at CABI where our mission is to “improve people’s…