Category Archives: environment

Bill Gates declares war on world’s (surprisingly) deadliest creature | Green Prophet

Mosquitoes and I are not on friendly terms but I do like birds and many other living things which were once nearly all killed off by DDT – Today is Rachel Carson’s birthday, so this is all appropriate. One of the biggest facilitators of skeeters breeding out of control is the number two in your infographic – humans! As we cut down forests, stop rivers from flowing, etc., we more often than not create the best breeding grounds for the types of mosquitoes that are vectors for diseases that effect us – see the connection. Mosquitoes are nature’s control mechanism for out of control humans. Do we need a new DDT or do we need to learn how to not create breeding grounds for mosquitoes and in turn not destroy nature or ourselves.

via Bill Gates declares war on world’s (surprisingly) deadliest creature | Green Prophet.

Greenwashing at McDonald’s – devolution means less corporate responsibility!

“Innovation often occurs at the market level and bubbles up . . . rather than being corporate-driven.” That surprising comment was made by Jeffrey Hogue, McDonald’s Senior Director of Global Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, at last week’s US Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment conference. With 36,000 franchises organized around a strong operational and brand-defining administration, decentralization may seem an unexpected choice for the fast food company. But putting responsibility on its individual restaurants to achieve sustainability goals is exactly what McDonald’s is talking about by allowing each restaurant to source its own sustainable beef. Eventually, said Hogue, individual restaurants could make their own choices to achieve various targets, from installing energy efficient fryers to byuing LED bulbs. This “downsizing” just might be the healthy business model choice to create a more sustainable fast food company.

via Justmeans | The largest distribution network for CSR and sustainability news, data, and content..

Saudis report 8 MERS cases; 2nd US patient released | CIDRAP

Saudi Arabia reported eight more MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) cases yesterday and today, three of them causing no symptoms, and Florida officials announced today that the second US MERS patient has been released from an Orlando hospital.

The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) said five earlier MERS patients have died. The new cases and fatalities raised the country’s MERS count to 537 cases and 173 deaths.

via Saudis report 8 MERS cases; 2nd US patient released | CIDRAP.

Israeli forces uproot trees, level land near Bethlehem | Maan News Agency

Israeli bulldozers leveled large tracts of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem-area village of Nahalin on Monday, locals said.

Head of the village council, Majid Ghayatha, told Ma’an that Israeli bulldozers uprooted dozens of olive and almond trees in the Wad Salem area.

Several grapevines were also destroyed.

Israeli military forces deployed on hilltops above the village to prevent land owners from accessing their fields.

Locals told Ma’an that they believe Israeli forces are clearing land for a new road connecting the Neve Daniel and Beitar Ilit settlements.

via Israeli forces uproot trees, level land near Bethlehem | Maan News Agency.

Stuffed dead polar bears: Another luxury craze for wealthy Chinese: Shanghaiist

The latest accessory of choice and a “must-have” item that has emerged amongst wealthy Chinese for decorating their homes, offices and clubs is none-other than the cuddly, lovable and endangered polar bear. Stuffed.

Shanghai Daily reports:

Sales of legally imported mounted specimens of polar bears and other animals are booming in a Beijing exhibition hall, reported Beijing Youth Daily.

“Business is going well,” a saleswoman at the hall, outside of the capital’s northern Fifth Ring Road, told the newspaper.

“One company boss came and bought a 3.3-meter-tall stuffed polar bear for 600,000 yuan (US$96,238) without any bargaining,” she added.

For those who can’t actually afford a polar bear (or probably fit one in their house), all other things fuzzy and sourced from a blisteringly cold destination will do, with a stuffed arctic fox fetching a humble 80,000 yuan.

Other furry friends such as elk and lions are also high in demand as well as the heads of elephants, deer and zebras.

But don’t worry. “The animals for sale died of natural causes,” the saleswoman said.

Because with the world’s impeccable record with “exotic” animals and the absolute non-existence of animal poaching in history, we can be sure that with statements such as “Prices reflect their endangered status” (as uttered by the saleswoman) will under no circumstance trigger a spike in the black market.

via Stuffed dead polar bears: Another luxury craze for wealthy Chinese: Shanghaiist.

How to grow an olive tree in a container | Green Prophet

Don’t have a garden? You can still own a fruiting olive tree, grown in a container. A sunny balcony and the right climate are the essential things; that, and time.

Italians have grown fruit trees in containers for centuries, keeping them protected in special sheds during the winter.

Come spring, the trees are wheeled out to the sunshine again. While we can dream of owning an olive grove like the one we visited in the Galilee, olive trees successfully grow in pots too.

Assuming your climate suits the olive, you should acquire a sapling from a nursery. Olive trees grown from pits revert to the original wild olive, and if they produce fruit at all, it will be wizened and not very good to eat. Consult the nursery manager and choose the variety you’d like best. To maximize fruiting potential, you should actually have two of the same variety in the area. This may be impractical where there’s limited space, of course.

via How to grow an olive tree in a container | Green Prophet.

Is El Niño Developing? : Image of the Day

The years 1997–98 brought El Niño out of the scientific literature and onto the front pages and evening newscasts. It was one of the strongest El Niño events observed, with extreme weather impacts on several continents. North America had one of its warmest and wettest winters on record, particularly in California and Florida. Peru, Mexico, and the rest of Central and South America endured devastating rainstorms and flooding. Indonesia and parts of Asia saw disastrous droughts.

Scientists at the Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service (NWS) announced on May 8 that they foresee a 65 percent chance of a transition to El Niño in the summer of 2014. “There remains uncertainty as to exactly when El Niño will develop and an even greater uncertainty as to how strong it may become,” NWS reported.

“If El Niño returns, the American West and Southwest could see major relief next winter from the long-lasting, punishing drought,” said climatologist Bill Patzert, who has been studying El Niño via satellite for two decades from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “Further, the very frigid winter in the upper tier of the U.S this past winter could do a flip to mild next winter.”

via Is El Niño Developing? : Image of the Day.