Despite the fact that we are in the midst of the biggest public health crisis for a century with the Covid-19 pandemic - and all the mass deaths and horrifying devastation it is causing - the UK government is forging ahead trying to force through various crucial pieces of legislation. One of those pieces of legislation is the Agriculture Bill which was debated and voted on … [Read more...]
World Environment Day calls for an end to nature’s destruction
One million plant and animal species risk extinction, largely due to human activities. These are issues the world cannot lose sight of even as we tackle the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis. The theme for World Environment Day, 5 June 2020, is biodiversity — a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural … [Read more...]
Ecological reflections on the coronavirus
The coronavirus health crisis is connected to the emergency of extinction, the disappearance of species and the climate emergency. All emergencies are rooted in a mechanistic, militaristic, anthropocentric world view of humans as separate from, and superior to other beings who we can own, manipulate and control. It is also rooted in an economic model based on the illusion … [Read more...]
Help take care of nature’s gifts this Earth Day
Earth Day is a global event each year, and we believe that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world. Nature’s gifts to our planet are the millions of species that we know and love, and many more that remain to be discovered. Unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of … [Read more...]
Japanese government stops testing pesticides on dogs
The Japanese government has announced that it will no longer conduct year-long poisoning tests for pesticides on dogs. The one-year program was developed in order to test the toxicity of agrochemicals. According to Humane Society International (HSI), the tests subjugate groups of beagles to daily doses of pesticides in order to gauge the toxicity to humans. Dogs involved are … [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...]
Pesticides and human health: the UK government’s ‘elephant in the room’
The UK Government currently has a consultation running until 8th May entitled ‘Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit.’ A promising title I thought! That was until I read the various consultation documents - produced by DEFRA - where it became abundantly clear that, despite the title, there is a glaring omission of anything human … [Read more...]
Insects – an organic food gardener’s best friend
The idea that insects are a good thing for a food garden might seem contradictory. After all, most food gardeners have battled against caterpillars chomping leaves into lace, aphids sucking the life out of plants, or cutworms decapitating newly planted seedlings. But there is a whole host of beneficial insects out there and encouraging these into your garden is vital if you … [Read more...]
Time for the UK to ban residential spraying of poisonous pesticides
Here is an important UK petition which we need to support, as well as duplicate in SA: I have lived in the locality of pesticide sprayed crop fields for over 30 years and have suffered both acute and chronic adverse health effects from exposure to the innumerable mixtures of pesticides sprayed on crops near to my home. In 2001, I started my campaign, the UK Pesticides … [Read more...]
Drug waste in SA’s drinking water raises health concerns
Traces of antiretrovirals, anti-epileptic drugs, antibiotics and antidepressants are allegedly lingering in South African tap water. Compounds of these drugs have been found in several studies on water sources around South Africa between 2013 and June 2015. Professor Hugh Patterton, chief researcher at Stellenbosch University, said the compounds and concentration levels … [Read more...]
Autism study shows links to pesticides and other toxic chemicals
The cause of autism is still unknown, but we are definitely closer to figuring it out. A new study published in the journalPLOS Computational Biology, from researchers at the University of Chicago revealed that autism and intellectual disability (ID) rates are linked with exposure to harmful environmental factors during congenital development. “Essentially what happens is … [Read more...]
Calls for the ‘Monsantrocity’ to end
Ordinarily GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms, but on Saturday 25 March 2013, it stood for Get Monsanto Out! The excitement started early on Saturday morning, with Australia getting the international ball rolling with the first protests, followed soon after by South Africa. As the day progressed, country after country submitted their pictures and updates on the … [Read more...]
Tentative hope for Stellenbosch air quality
A touch of tentative hope in the air surrounds the more than six year long battles in the Stellenbosch area by sensitive residents, who have and are suffering from the ill effects of toxic spray drift from neighbouring wine farms. The event which gave me hope that things will now be moving towards giving effected residents a proper hearing and respite from their troubles was … [Read more...]
