How synchrotrons could aid crop protection
Image courtesy of Diamond (www.diamond.ac.uk) 2003 saw construction begin on a facility representing the UK’s largest investment in science for over 40 years. Diamond Light Source opened in 2007 and is an impressive structure on the South Oxfordshire landscape, 10 miles or so from where I’m sitting in CABI’s head office. It is a synchrotron…
How I lost my family to farming
At CABI we have a strong sense of the importance of agriculture, and also that the internet is a key medium for communicating the struggles of farmers to feed the world and survive economically in difficult times. I have to say that my wife and children have seemed largely indifferent to those issues until the…
Barack Obama is deeply committed to passing a climate bill this year
An article in yesterday’s New York Times online reported that the Obama administration announced on Wednesday (30/09/09) that they’re moving forward on new rules to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from hundreds of power plants and large industrial facilities, rather than waiting for Congress to act. Read on to find out how far reaching the new…
Is it a bug’s life?
Avid followers of …handpicked and carefully sorted…. will recall my previous blog on bees and the debate on whether neonicotinoid insecticides should be banned or not. Well, unsurprisingly, the debate continues. A media release from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) on 11 September called for an “independent and comprehensive assessment of the impact of neonicotinoids”.…
Bacteria-based biofuel: as long as there’s sunshine
Carbon-neutral because, like plants, bacteria use carbon dioxide for growth. Read on to find out more about this promising new biofuel source.
Farm visits, brother in tow
As a mother of two young boys, I have been following the coverage of the 'petting farm' E. coli outbreak with particular interest. As of 22 September, 74 cases of infection with E. coli O157 have been linked to Godstone Farm in Surrey. Having visited two similar attractions this summer, I am now reflecting on…
Seal the Deal! Hollywood joins the campaign to combat climate change
Climate change is here and threatens us all; say Hollywood actors, film directors, environmentalists and politicians in a new UN public service announcement series, launched this week, urging viewers to sign the Climate Petition on the Seal the Deal!
Falling deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon
Things are looking up for the future of the Amazon. A number of positive news stories have appeared in the last month including decreased deforestation rates, regeneration of previously deforested land, new land reform legislation and progress with action on cattle ranching. Here’s a summary – follow the links for more information and sources. Falling…
PlanetCall.org – Copenhagen Climate Council campaign to gather 1 million signatures from youths around the globe
Credit: PlanetCall.org A website endorsed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, PlanetCall.org, aims to collect 1 million signatures from youth in the final 100 days to COP15. Read on to find out how.
Food Price Hikes – Crisis and Opportunity?
The drastic rises in prices of food during 2007-2008 had severe consequences, but could such rises present an opportunity? Antonio Martuscelli believes “High food prices in the short-run are very damaging for low-income groups of the population in developing countries. At the same time, high prices are an incentive for producers and extremely important for…