Hello there, Sasha could not make it to the blog right now, so you’ll have to make do with myself, Wes. I have been mentioned upon this blog previously, typically as “boyfriend” or perhaps just as commonly, “partner”. Every now and again I get mentioned by name, but Sasha is reticent to mention it more than absolutely neccessary for fear of summoning my presence, much like some malevolent spirit. :P Please excuse any and all typos and/or spelling and grammatical errors, they are entirely my own. I am quite proud of them. Anyway, on with the blog…
Tabloids rapped over climate coverage
“Analysing 974 articles published between 2000 and 2006 in the Sun, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Daily Mirror, the paper found that accuracy of coverage veered between 67% and 83% over six years.”
No surprises there really. That said, I am curious as to how they measured such details. But then, if you read tabloid “news” sources to deserve everything you get.
DDT levels in Antarctic penguin present a complex mystery
“The use of DDT peaked several decades ago at more than 36,000 metric tons per year (t/yr). Today, less than 1000 t of the organochlorine pesticide—banned in most countries since the 1980s—is applied annually for mosquito control and farming, mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. Despite this drop, Adélie penguins in the Antarctic continue to have the same levels of total DDT in their bodies as they did 30 years ago. New research published in ES&T (DOI: 10.1021/es702919n) identifies Antarctic meltwater as the continued source of total DDT, and possibly other pollutants, in the southern continent’s ecosystems.”
An interesting indication of the wide ranging and mostly ignorant effect hamanity has on the wider eco-system.
Women embrace Earth Hour; men find it a turn-off
“A gap also exists between those willing to take simple, inexpensive steps to “make a difference” and those who will spend money to do so. About 89 per cent of people are willing to recycle rubbish in the home, but only 17 per cent would look at the purchase of accredited green power.”
I can say I was completely and totally interested, but can’t for the life of me remember why I did not now. I know it was a good reason. :P Anyway, I/we have purchased “green power” from our electricity supplier. That is, we would, if they ever choose to charge us for power ever again (long story, and one for some other time).
Tiny bee spotted for the first time in 50 years
“Has Dufourea minuta - it doesn’t have a common name - been able to return to southern England as a result of milder weather helping it to expand its mainland Europe range?”
Finally, some good news.
In Cairo Slum, the Poor Spark Environmental Change
“Today, the school is colorfully painted with P&G shampoo bottles, and serves as a center where young people can learn about the business and economics of recycling. Students are trained to use Excel spreadsheets, and they learn how to shred plastic in machines, wash and dry it using solar energy, bag it and send it out to be melted down for reuse.”
I could see a benefit to teaching similar skills to kids in first world schools.
How the era of cheap food has gone and why we face a hungry future
“In our television age, the mention of a food crisis brings to mind the bloated bellies of starving children.
We think of droughts, crop failure, conflicts and the tub-thumping of Bono and Bob Geldof.
But now we have a very different sort of food crisis, one that last week for the first time brought food rationing to America when the supermarket giant Wal-Mart – owner of Asda – restricted customers to four bags of rice per visit.”
Remember kids: It’s not important until it effects America.
Don’t protest: a visual essay social apathy and the culture of protestation
I identify stringly with number seven. But something tells me that is not a particularly good thing. Somehow I feel like it is mocking me.
UK butterflies ‘need good summer’
“Data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme showed that eight species were at an all-time low as a result of an unsuccessful summer in 2007.”
You know when people come up to you and say: “Well, do you want the good or bad news first?”. Looks like I got the good news first.
Greyhounds retired to jail
“But the acronym was not a controversial new public-private partnership but the expansion of a scheme in which Victorian prisoners retrain retired racing dogs to become pets — a Prison Pet Partnership.”
Surprise, someone involved with dog racing actually does have a heart.
Well, that’s all from me. I hope you have enjoy this edition of “Sunday Readings”. I hope you didn’t mind the cynical tone of my comments, I am actually far worse in real life. Have a good week!
Wes