We need to insist on impartiality by preventing outside actors from influencing investigations, especially when the outside actors (and their products) are the ones being investigated. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/24/eu-declared-monsanto-weedkiller-safe-after-intervention-from-controversial-us-official
Category: Environment
GOOD: A Few Things to Remind People Quoting That Organic Food Study
FINALLY!! Some sensible comments about THAT organic food study. Yes, the one all those websites were posting and reposting and copying from one another about yesterday: Whoa, slow down, internet and television news! Man, one document says organic food might not be worth the dollar and you’d think an organic vegetable had held up a…
Same FUD, Different Site: io9 – “No, organic foods aren’t more nutritious than other kinds”
In their “Debunkary” section, io9 follows along NPR‘s footsteps and posts an article about how ORGANIC FOODS ARE NOT MORE NUTRITIOUS!! [ that’s me shouting to present my sarcastic shock and awe ]. They even claim that “A recent study suggests the $27 billion organic food industry is based on a myth.“ OK, ok. I…
WTF of the Day! 400 Trees Cut Down To Make Way For Space Shuttle
So they can get the Space Shuttle into outer Space, dodging satellites, space junk, and rocks, but they can’t figure out how to get around some trees! From the LATimes: Space shuttle Endeavour’s final 12-mile journey through the streets of South Los Angeles [ to the The California Science Center ] already promises to be…
FUD of the Day: NPR – Why Organic Food May Not Be Healthier For You
Here’s your FUD for the day – courtesy of NPR no less – Why Organic Food May Not Be Healthier For You Yes, organics is a $29 billion dollar industry, and still growing. Something is pulling us toward those organic veggies that are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. But if you’re thinking that organic…
Japan Sets Radiation Standards For Fish
So what happens when you dump radioactive toxic water into the ocean? The fishes become radioactive! And how do you get people to eat radioactive fish? Set a standard that says how much radiation in fish is OK! Which is what Japan is doing: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says the government will apply the…
UN report – Humans must change behaviour to save bees, vital for food production
Meanwhile the increasing use of chemicals in agriculture is being found to damage bees, weakening their immune systems, with laboratory studies showing that some insecticides and fungicides can act together to be 1,000 times more toxic to bees. They can also affect the sense of direction, memory and brain metabolism, and herbicides and pesticides may…
Bread And Cereal To Get More Expensive
With the harsh weather in Australia, the drought in China, wheat prices are expected to go waaay up. Seems like our basic breads and cereals will see some price increases as well. This is no good. From the Christian Science Monitor: Everything now depends on this year’s harvest. Lowering food prices to a more comfortable…
GMO Alfalfa! Big Business Wins Again!
From the Atlantic: On Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) had approved the unrestricted planting of genetically modified alfalfa sold by Monsanto Co. and Forge Genetics, despite protests from organic groups and public health advocates and comments from nearly 250,000 citizens asking the department to keep this…
WIRED: Leaked Memo Shows EPA Doubts About Bee-Killing Pesticide
A pesticide made in Germany but banned in Germany, France, Italy and Slovenia, was approved for use by the EPA, in the USA, despite the EPA’s own scientists concerns about it’s safety. It was banned because it was dangerous to pollen- and nectar-eating bees. read more…Leaked Memo Shows EPA Doubts About Bee-Killing Pesticide | Wired…