Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilisation?, Phosphorus From Manure, Unsafe Industrial Food, Supporting Poor Production, Woolworths Buys Macro Wholefoods, Real Milk, Poisoned Garden Food, Pesticides and Bee Deaths, Air Cleaning Plants, GM Wheat Coming, GM Crop Failure Petition, Biochar Instead of ETS, Carbon Sense Coalition, Wallabies Aid UK Gardeners, Carbofuran Banned in US, Banned Chemicals in Australia, Simazine Review in Australia, Synthetic DNA, Chemical Robots, War Over the Arctic?, Seeking Natural Sequence Farming Experience, Greenfest, Small Farms Group, Soil Pit and Composting Breakfast, Australian Native Plant Propagation Workshop, Bokhara Plains Field Day, Pasture Cropping Field Days, Health (don't shower after the sun, health and income over 200 years, why twins?, vitamin D linked to asthma, obesity due to overeating, not lack of exercise, viatmin B migraine link), Cartoon, Miscellaneous, Events, Postscript
Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilisation?
For many years Lester Brown has studied global agricultural,
population, environmental and economic trends and their interactions,
but even he resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.
But our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declines that
are undermining the world food economy - most important, falling water
tables, eroding soils and rising temperatures - forces him to conclude
that such a collapse is possible. Not sure I concur with his solutions,
especially about trees and populations, but its an interesting read on what is starting to happen globally.
Phosphorus from Manure
"It may be the biggest uncovered news story on the planet" - a looming
global shortage of phosphorus and a groundbreaking nutrient recovery
system developed at the University of British Columbia.
Struvite is a chemical compound (magnesium ammonium phosphate) that
forms as hard crystals inside the pipes in sewage treatment plants,
where it creates expensive maintenance problems.
Half a dozen plants are now in operation, including one in Edmonton
that gets 300 kilograms of struvite a day from the effluent produced by
200,000 people.
Unsafe Industrial Food
Increasingly, the corporations that supply Americans with processed
foods are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients.
Almost every element, not just red meat and poultry, is now a potential
carrier of pathogens, government and industry officials concede. The
companies are now attempting to shift the burden of safety to the
consumer.
Supporting Poor Production
Interesting that this story comes on the back of the swine
flu...Supermarket giant Woolworths is continuing to buy pork from a
Tasmanian
pig farmer who is facing animal cruelty charges after the piggery was
found to be maggot-infested.
Woolworths Buys Macro Wholefoods
Supermarket giant Woolworths will expanded its Thomas Dux premium
grocery chain by acquiring Melbourne organic grocery chain Macro
Wholefoods.
Real Milk
Incredible marketing has turned a perfectly good product into a bad product, to then turn around soon after and offer altered, often more expensive versions as better choices. The interview with a biodynamic dairy farmers is great in this article.
Poisoned Garden Food
Harmful even at very low doses, lead is surprisingly prevalent and
persistent in urban and suburban soil. Dust from lead-tainted soil is
toxic to inhale, and food grown in it is hazardous to eat.
"You won't know if you're at risk unless you test your soil."
Excessive lead in soil is the legacy not only of lead paint but also of
leaded gasoline, lead plumbing and lead arsenate pesticides.
Pesticides and Bee Deaths
Agriculture officials have renewed their scrutiny of the world's
best-selling pest-killer as they try to solve the mysterious collapse
of the nation's hives.
Air Cleaning Plants
A couple of indoor plants of almost any size can provide a safer,
healthier environment in the office and at home, Australian researchers
have found. Tiny bacteria found in potting mix can "eat up" volatile organic compounds in the air.
GM Wheat Coming
Organisations representing the wheat industry in the US, Canada and
Australia announced on Thursday that they will work toward the goal of
synchronised commercialisation of biotech traits in the wheat crop.
Gosh,
are these organisations really representing the wheat industry? And
what about the consumer and their representation. Aren't they the
reason wheat is grown in the first place?
GM Crop Failure Petition
Three varieties of Monsanto's genetically
modified maize failed to produce crops during the 2008/9 growing
season, leaving up to 200 000 hectares of fields barren of cobs and
crop losses across several provinces in South Africa.
But nothing has been admitted publicly.
Biochar Instead of ETS
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has urged the Rudd government
to alter its emissions trading scheme and lobby internationally to have
biochar recognised as a greenhouse gas abatement technology.
Carbon Sense Coalition
I have so much admiration for those that stand up and speak their truth - and Vic Forbes is certainly one. The motivations that triggered the formation of The Carbon Sense Coalition
provides a no-nonsense background to his stand, and the momentum that
has occurred since is a testament to the fact that others have been
agreeing in silence. Good work Vic.
Wallabies Aid UK Gardeners
Wallabies are being used as pets while they trim lawns in the UK! While families with large gardens may traditionally have brought in a sheep to
graze their lawn, wallaby enthusiasts say that the animal is a cuter,
friendlier and more exotic alternative.
Carbofuran Banned in US
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency issued a final rule to ban the use of the
pesticide carbofuran on food crops because it poses an unacceptable
health risk, especially to children.
The manufacturer maintains that it is safe though.
Banned Chemicals in Australia
Highly toxic chemicals about to be deregistered or already banned in
the European Union remain widely available in Australia and can be
found in everything from pet flea collars to head lice treatments for
children.
Simazine Review in Australia
Pesticide regulators will consider banning or restricting the use of simazine in swimming pool treatments
after concerns were raised about potential harmful impacts on children
who swim regularly. The US banned simazine for use in swimming pools in
1994.
Synthetic DNA
Biohackers, or do-it-yourselfers tinker with the building blocks
of life in the comfort of their own homes. Some of them buy DNA online,
then
fiddle with it in hopes of curing diseases or finding new biofuels. But
some scientists are concerned, while others note that "The younger
generation need something they feel they can do, in the
same sense that my generation was inspired by NASA and home chemistry
kits". Gosh, what a pandora's box!
Chemical Robots
In a pair of small laboratories in Prague, a swarm of tens of
millions of robots is being prepared, to be set loose en masse. Instead
of software and processors to guide them, their instructions
will be written into the chemistry of their constituent parts. They are
chemical robots with tasks to release a chemical payload, or mix two chemical reactants, like in medicine, where they can be
used for controlled delivery of a drug to the place where it is needed.
War Over the Arctic?
Russia has raised the prospect of war in the Arctic as nations struggle
for control of the world's dwindling energy reserves.
The United States, Norway, Canada and Denmark are challenging Russia's claim
to a section of the Arctic shelf, the size of Western Europe, which is
believed to contain billions of tonnes of oil and gas.
Seeking Natural Sequence Farming Experience
A subscriber has made contact with a request to find someone practicing Natural Sequence Farming
as she believes this approach holds the greatest chance of success for
our environment. She is offering to work on such a farm for a month
without pay as a trial and willing to pay a reasonable rent for
accommodation if it was available.
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is happy to provide a resume and can be contacted directly on 0415 397 631.
Greenfest
Greenfest presented by Brisbane City Council, is
Australia's largest free green festival and place for fresh energy.
Commencing on World Environment Day, Greenfest aims to bring our
community together for a cooler planet!
Justin North - the recent Australian Chef of the Year - a passionate
advocate of quality food with sustainable production methods - will create his own
lightly spiced burgers using 100
percent organic Wagyu beef for hungry festival goers.
Small Farms Group
Gwymac Landcare is looking to form a group of small acreage/lifestyle
landholders - to get to know others, get the most out of their block,
visit other farms, pick up information from guest speakers and
investigate innovative land management and niche marketing
opportunities. The first gathering will be in Inverell 23rd May.  Small Farms Group 18/05/2009,23:02 294.67 Kb
Soil Pit and Composting Breakfast
See
what is in the ground under your feet. Get
up close and personal with soil profiles under pasture and irrigation. Discuss
ways of improving the health of soils under different enterprises. Discuss
issues with neighbours. Eulah
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, Spring Ridge
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- hot breakfast provided.  Soil Pit and Compost Breakfast 19/05/2009,02:46 27.50 Kb
Australian Native Plant Propagation Workshop
This is a full day learning about seed collection, germination and planting
methods. The workshop is
free to residents of the Namoi Catchment who are interested in learning how to
grow native plants. Eulah
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, Spring Ridge
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. Native Plant Propagation 19/05/2009,02:46 27.50 Kb
Bokhara Plains Field Day
RCS
are hosting a free field day at Brewarrina 3rd June at Graham and Cathy
Finlayson's "Bokhara Plains" - 2008 Nuffield Scholar. Topics for
discussion will include: fencing and water costs and returns; grazing
management in a brittle environment; pasture cropping in North West
NSW; the future of the Western Division. Below is a sampling of some of
the changes occurring there. Bokhara Plains 19/05/2009,07:10 588.63 Kb
Pasture Cropping Field Days
What a dynamic combination - Christine Jones and Colin Seis covering
soil health, humus and soil carbon, links between soil carbon and soil
microbiology, use of native grassland, perennial cropping, pasture
cropping, grazing management, gross margins. It includes a 1/2 day
field tour. A must hear and see for anyone who has missed either of
these speakers in the past. Goondiwindi 15th - 16th June, Roma 18th -
19th June. Soil Carbon June 09 19/05/2009,18:11 349.79 Kb
Health
Don't Shower After the Sun
Vitamin
D3 is an oil soluble steroid hormone. It's formed when your skin is
exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun (or a safe
tanning bed).
However,
the vitamin D3 that is formed is on the surface of your skin does not
immediately penetrate into your bloodstream. It actually needs to be
absorbed from the surface of your skin into your bloodstream, which takes up to 48 hours...if you shower with soap, you will simply wash away much of the vitamin D3 your skin generated.
Health and Income over 200 Years
What an interesting, and visual, look at the world and its changing health and wealth status in each country over 200 years! It certainly shows how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty and explains what population growth really is.
Why Twins?
India has one of the lowest twinning rates in the world, but Kodinhi is close to the top of the global twinning league, and the number of twins born is increasing year by year. It remains a mystery but one doctor states: "We are working on a hypothesis that it is something in nature, or in
the water or the sand. We do not think it is something in the food
because they don't have something particular that they eat. There are
thousands of heavy metals that could be in the water and affecting the
people but it takes a long time to work out. It is very difficult."
Vitamin D Linked to Asthma
New research provides evidence for a link between vitamin D insufficiency and asthma severity.
Children with lower vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to
have been hospitalized for asthma in the previous year, tended to have
airways with increased hyperreactivity, and were likely to have used
more inhaled corticosteroids.
Obesity Due to Overeating, Not Lack of Exercise
The amount of food Americans eat has been increasing since the 1970s,
and that alone is the cause of the obesity epidemic in the US today.
Physical activity - or the lack thereof - has played virtually no role in
the rising number of expanding American waistlines, according to
research presented at the 2009 European Congress on Obesity in Amsterdam.
Vitamin B Migraine Link
A gene dysfunction causes people to have higher levels of the amino acid
homocysteine, which is known to cause an increased risk of stroke and
other coronary diseases. A recent trial founded on the theory that vitamin B
supplements and folic acid will reduce the homocysteine and in turn,
improve migraine symptoms
has proved very promising and suggests that inexpensive vitamin
supplements can treat migraine patients. What's missing is the fact
that Vitamin B should be being produced in our digestive systems by
appropriate biology in the first place...
Cartoon
I have linked to this before - but after looking at it again recently
with my daughter and discovering that it is being used in many schools
now, I thought everyone could do with a refresher. Its a moving cartoon
about The Story of Stuff which says it all.
Miscellaneous
Stephen Wiltshire, born in London on April 24, 1974. Unable to speak by
the age of three, Stephen was diagnosed with autism - without language
or controllable behavior. Recognizing his ability to draw, teachers
helped him construct a means for his communication.
In May of 2005, Stephen took a short helicopter ride over Tokyo. He
drew a 10-meter
long panoramic
of the city in stunning detail, from memory, and since other city
scapes and projects. Mind-blowing! Check out the other videos too.
And on a different but timely note:
"You
cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of
freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work
for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get
the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take
care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work
because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend,
is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing
it."
~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers,
1931
Events
The calendar is playing up, so most of the links below are directed
back to other websites where possible or to a contact email address. If there are no links, look to the related article above.
* Small Farms Group - Inverell NSW 23rd May 2009.
* Soil Pit Breakfast - Eulah NSW
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.
* Bokhara Plains Field Day - Brewarinna NSW 3rd June 2009.
* Soil Pit and Compost Breakfast - Spring Ridge NSW
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.
* Native Plant Propagation Workshop - Eulah NSW
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.
* Native Plant Propagation Workshop - Spring Ridge NSW
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.
* Greenfest - Brisbane Qld 5th - 7th June 2009.
* Pasture Cropping Field Day - Goondiwindi 15th - 16th June 2009.
* Pasture Cropping Field Day - Roma 18th - 19th June 2009.
Postscript
Plants far more damaging to environment than livestock, expert claims.
Joel Thornside, a professor of plant science and environmental
policy at Greenbriar University, says the environmental impacts of
livestock, though devastating, are minor compared to those of plants.
"Plants are the heaviest water users on the planet," Thornside said.
"On average, it takes a gallon of water to produce just a gram of plant
material. Our scarce water resources are used far more efficiently by
households and industry: washing, flushing stuff down the toilet,
cooling power stations, and in making all the things that we need to
keep healthy in today's world, such as flu vaccines, surgical masks and
rubber gloves, and condoms to slow the spread of HIV."
When plants burn, which they do routinely, Thornside said they release
vast quantities of climate-heating greenhouse gases, including carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and methyl bromide, as well as other
pollutants such as dioxins and mercury. These plant-fueled fires also
kill 80 times more people every year than chemical and nuclear plant
accidents combined. Plants, says Thornside, are the number one source
of greenhouse gas pollution.
Even in the absence of fire, plants release these polluting gases when
they decay. That compost pile in your yard, while beneficial in that it
is getting rid of plants, also produces greenhouse gases, Thornside
asserts.
In urban areas, plants are a significant cause of noise pollution in
that people are required to keep them at bay by mowing, spraying, and
pruning, which often involves noisy and dangerous fume-spewing
machinery. In many populated areas, the costs of counteracting plants
are a quarter or more of the budget.
It gets worse, said Thornside. Out in the countryside, where vastly
outnumbered farmers and foresters do battle with plants on a daily
basis, crops are judged to be primarily responsible for most soil
erosion, water shortages, nitrate pollution, ocean dead zones, and
devastating floods. In the forest, trees kill people every day. They
also harbor predators, terrorists, and sociopaths, hinder military
operations, and are an ongoing threat to the electricity grid. Almost
all problematic addictive drugs come from plants, he noted.
"If you really think about it," says Thornside, "it's not just the
A-list noxious weeds that we should try to eradicate. They're all
dangerous." In a self-described effort to reduce his own "plant
footprint," Thornside had his suburban yard paved, replaced his shrubs
with plastic figurines of endangered mammals, and took his house plants
to the landfill. "The off-white color we painted the yard also helps
fight climate change because it absorbs less heat than a lawn would."
"People now realize that coal is evil. And what do you see when you
look at a coal seam? The telltale imprints of ferns and leaves! Let's
connect the dots here."
Diana Fotheringham, spokesperson for the American Rose Society,
questions Thornside's assertions. She says plants can be beautiful, and
make people's lives better.
"Unfortunately," Thornside said, "this is a kind of sentimental
glorification that we can no longer afford. We've got these huge global
environmental problems, and plants are at the center of all of them.
When you start following environmental damage, it all points to plants.
Look at the livestock question. Why are livestock bad? It's because of
the kind of plant farming that feeds this industry. Why is the
atmosphere turning into a subprime default credit swap? It's because of
plants. They're not as green as they're cracked up to be. It's time
people woke up to this."
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