Entries are now open for the country’s most prestigious accolade for sustainable restaurants. Launched in 2016 as a first for South Africa, the Eat Out Woolworths Sustainability Award acknowledges a restaurant that brings its customers seasonal, local and responsibly produced food. “We launched the award to acknowledge the one restaurant leading the pack in South Africa,” … [Read more...]
This Belgian supermarket is selling produce from its own rooftop farm
Trying to create the shortest supply chain possible, a supermarket in Brussels is selling produce grown on its own roof only hours after being harvested. Delhaize, a Belgian supermarket chain part of Ahold Delhaize, said it launched the “Urban Farm” project to satisfy the growing number of consumers who are concerned about where their food is sourced and eating … [Read more...]
How much sugar is in South Africa’s honey?
There is a high likelihood that South Africans may be unwittingly eating ‘natural honey’ that in fact has been mixed with syrup, says Agbiz (Agricultural Business Chamber – South Africa) agricultural economist, Wandile Sihlobo. The recent Netflix documentary, Rotten, has exposed alarming abuses in the Chinese honey industry, including that Chinese producers are mixing honey … [Read more...]
Questioning the status quo with Plastic Free July
I don’t normally participate in special days, or months, for the simple reason that we should be long past devoting a day or a month to the issue of human survival on this planet. What could be more important than that to prioritise on a daily basis? I am devoted to maintaining the water, or energy or waste, or whatever focus EVERY day. But I do understand that it serves a … [Read more...]
1.1 billion at risk from lack of cooling
Over 1.1 billion people are said to face immediate risks from lack of access to cooling. A report published today by the UN-backed Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is claimed to be the first ever report to quantify the growing risks and assess the opportunities of the global cooling challenge. Chilling Prospects: Providing Sustainable Cooling for All shows there are … [Read more...]
New partnership aims to improve nutrition for SA children
Stunting or impaired growth remains prevalent amongst the poorest South African children. This can result in increased episodes of illness, poor cognitive function and poor educational attainment. Woolworths has announced a new partnership with UNICEF South Africa to help increase South African children’s access to good nutrition. In line with its aim to support … [Read more...]
Children may be eating cereal laced with toxic weed killer
The probable carcinogen glyphosate has been detected in popular cereals, but the EPA is ready to approve its use for 15 more years. Quaker Oats “Life” and “Squares” cereals. Gerber and Beechnut baby oatmeal. Cheerios. Store brand “O” cereals from Target, Safeway, Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Kroger. All those products were contaminated with glyphosate (often sold as Roundup) in … [Read more...]
Keeping tabs on genetically modified crops
Genetic engineering and plant breeding techniques are used in biofortification programmes to improve the nutritional quality of African cereals such as sorghum and pearl millet. Apart from being important food sources for many poor people around the world, especially those in drought-stricken areas, these cereals also contain important plant-based chemicals that can assist in … [Read more...]
High seas fishing would go broke without ‘massive’ subsidies: study
Fishing on the high seas would be an unprofitable business, but for the billions of dollars in government subsidies that keep an often destructive industry afloat, international researchers said Wednesday. The high seas refers to areas beyond nations' territorial waters, where species like tuna tend to be overfished and migratory sharks - 44% of which are considered … [Read more...]
Fears mount as herbicide-cancer link comes to light
From the age of 3, Quade Bowen liked to ride with his father, Johnny, on the tractor across their family farm in Utah, in the US. Every spring and summer, Quade would help him tend the fields. Sometimes, the child would hold the sprayer wand to kill the weeds infiltrating their alfafa and hay crops. In 2014, when he was 11, Quade was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, … [Read more...]
Landmark lawsuit reveals 35 year weedkiller cancer cover-up
At the age of 46, DeWayne Johnson is not ready to die. But with cancer spread through most of his body, doctors say he probably has just months to live. Now Johnson, a husband and father of three in California, hopes to survive long enough to make Monsanto take the blame for his fate. On 18 June, Johnson will become the first person to take the global seed and chemical … [Read more...]
Why marine animals can’t stop eating plastic
Plastic doesn’t just look like food, it smells, feels and even sounds like food. In a recent interview about Blue Planet II, David Attenborough describes a sequence in which an albatross arrives at its nest to feed its young. “And what comes out of the mouth?” he says. “Not fish, and not squid – which is what they mostly eat. Plastic.” It is, as Attenborough says, … [Read more...]
New Zealander attempts an ethical, sustainable dairy farm
He founded an ethical dairying company that would allow calves to stay with their mothers. Last week, Glenn Herud had to admit that his enterprise had failed. I’m a third generation dairy farmer. The milk business is the only business I know. Four years ago I decided to find a way to do dairy in a more sustainable way. I know New Zealanders want this. They want the land … [Read more...]
