373 civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations from 74 countries urged leaders at a historic global conference to act with urgency to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). This particular group of pesticides cause the most severe harm to human health and the environment and are considered too dangerous for use. The petition letter to governments and other … [Read more...]
Industrial farming’s assault on fresh water
In advance of World Water Day on Wednesday 22 March, experts are warning that time is running out - we must stop industrial farming’s assault on fresh water supplies before it’s too late. Compassion in World Farming, organisers of the Extinction or Regeneration 2023 conference, and experts speaking at the ground-breaking international event are calling for an end to … [Read more...]
Will the UK House of Lords protect rural residents from toxic pesticides?
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...]
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...]
How to stop pesticide spraying in your area
The spraying of agricultural chemicals is widespread, not just on farmlands, vineyards and fruit orchards, but also in towns, public parks and gardens, playgrounds, schools, sports fields and on verges. These notes may help you, should you find yourself exposed to spray drift. There are a few laws in South Africa that protect people and the environment: Fertilizers, farm … [Read more...]
Environmental toxins that cause kidney disease and failure
Toxins present in the environment are a common but under-appreciated cause of kidney disease and kidney failure. Environmental causes typically include chemical agents (eg. heavy metals), physical agents (eg. high temperature/heat, dehydration), and biological/infectious agents (eg. malaria, HIV etc). Here is an overview of some exposures that you should be aware of, as well … [Read more...]
Help ban toxic dicamba and protect seed sovereignty
This pesticide flies through the air, destroying most plants in its path - even on neighbouring land. Almost no crop survives but Monsanto GMOs. It’s a greedy scheme that will make Monsanto billions and destroy our food system! But now 1,000 farmers are fighting back. They've forced the governor in a major US farm state to issue a temporary ban and now he’s deciding … [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...]
Acid mine drainage to be pumped into already ailing rivers
COP get-togethers have been staged in South Africa, South America and most recently in the East. Much hot air was let off from stages and platforms, with very little happenning afterwards, most of which seemed to be forgotten until the preparations for the next COP. We regularly hear much said about how our environment is under threat. We are aware of the threat the … [Read more...]
Save the owls, help your garden
I just love falling asleep to the hoo-hoo emanating from our forested front garden. They love the huge and untrimmed trees and probably the healthy supply of elephant shrew that reside amongst the shrubs and hide beneath the ivy. But these wise and helpful creatures are threatened in several ways, with humans at the source of them all. We have encroached on their natural … [Read more...]
City slickers are full of lead
There are six minerals that are considered non-essential toxic minerals. These are aluminum, mercury, cadmium, silver, gold and lead. Exposure to lead, which is considered a heavy metal, is almost impossible to avoid in an urban society. Among the most common exposures to lead are inhaling exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke and industrial airborne pollutants, paint in homes … [Read more...]
Natural fix for family health – Part 1
I believe that mothers are born natural healers. Intuition led us for millions of years to care for our young and look after their health. That’s why we are normally the first to notice when one of our family is off colour. I once had a relatively conscious GP – a rare breed in South Africa. He told me long ago: “The most important thing a medical student can learn in … [Read more...]
Safe Planet studies ocean pollution
While you are enjoying a yoghurt snack from a plastic tub at home, there are a group of people embarking on an arduous cruise on our oceans to monitor plastic pollution. They are called the 5 Gyres crew, a non-profit entity from the United States who study samples of the five gyres (oceanic currents) as part of the Safe Planet campaign. The 5 Gyres crew arrived at the Two … [Read more...]
