Snack on that! Are insects the future of food?
By Gavin Haines It might not be the shrewdest observation made by a journalist, but snail poo stinks. Of course you can’t smell it when one of them goes to the toilet in your pansy beds but in large quantities, the stuff reeks. My visit to Dorset Escargot, a commercial snail farm near Wimborne, was […]
Why wood smoke may not be good for you
Some people enjoy the scent of a wood fire. Still smoke is full of particulate matter and exotic trace chemicals. Two new studies led by University of California, Berkeley, researchers spotlight the human health effects of exposure to smoke from open fires and dirty cook stoves, the primary source of cooking and heating for 43 […]
Broadcasters lose their nerve over BBC's climate change program
Staff, ClickGreen The final episode of the BBC’s Frozen Planet documentary series that focuses on climate change has been canned in the US and other countries, prompting fierce criticism. All seven episodes of the multi-million pound nature series, written and presented by Sir David Attenborough, will be screened in the UK — but the final […]
Air pollution linked for first time to droughts and major storms
By ClickGreen staff A groundbreaking new study has found an increase in air pollution can reduce rainfall in drought-affected regions and worsen the severity of storms in wet regions or seasons. Researchers have discovered that increases in air pollution and other particulate matter in the atmosphere can strongly affect cloud development in ways that reduce […]
Primordial gas: fitting the picture of before the first planet
Before the first planet, before the first star, there had to be gas. For the first time, astronomers have found pristine clouds of the primordial gas that formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. The composition of the gas matches theoretical predictions, providing direct evidence in support of the modern cosmological explanation […]
Combating the culture of climate change denial
By Richard Matthews The failure to accept the anthropogenic origins of climate change may be partly attributable to a fallacy of modern culture. Popular culture pits us against nature which in turn undermines efforts to curtail climate change. Man versus nature is one of seven conflicts in literary studies, it relates to the theme in literature that […]
Why population matters to the environment
By Simon Ross, chief executive, Population Matters Environmentalists agree on the issues facing us, including collapsing diversity, climate change and resource insecurity. We also agree on the causal factors, including pollution, invasive species, resource over-exploitation, waste, population growth, global industrialisation, unsustainable consumption and poor business practices. Solutions are harder. None will solve all our problems […]
Curbside recycling: Preventing a market failure
By Presidio Economics, Triple Pundit Nobody likes trash: taking it out or talking about it. It smells, it is a hassle to deal with, and it can be hazardous to your health, which is why we go through great lengths to have it hauled away every week. Recycling is trash’s cuter brother, with more support […]
Zimbabwe: Thousands of girls forced out of school
Poverty, abuse and cultural practices are preventing a third of Zimbabwean girls from attending primary school and 67 percent from attending secondary school, denying them a basic education, according to a recent study which found alarming dropout rates for girls. Sexual harassment and abuse by even school teachers and parents,...
Greek PM survives confidence vote
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou survived a close confidence vote early Saturday morning. The vote was 153–145 for Papandreou. Upon winning, Papandreou stated he may step aside if necessary. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos stated a new government would be formed to last until the end of February. Venizelos has been...