Nature has provided humans with over 300,000 species we can eat. Today, we get the majority of our calories from just a dozen plants. This monoculture approach to agriculture suffers from issues like the threat of a major collapse of food systems in case of the rise of a disease targeting one of these few species. But that is a theoretical threat. The unavoidable question is whether these few plants can feed the expanding population on the … [Read more...]
Scientists discover another cause of bee deaths, and it’s really bad news
So what is with all the dying bees? Scientists have been trying to discover this for years. Meanwhile, bees keep dropping like... well, you know. Is it mites? Pesticides? Cell phone towers? What is really at the root? Turns out the real issue is really scary, because it is more complex and pervasive than thought. Scientists had struggled to find the trigger for so-called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that has wiped out an estimated 10 million … [Read more...]
What Do You Think To The Prospect Of Eating Insects?
By 2050, the UN expects that there will be almost 10 billion people on the Earth. This poses some serious practical questions, not least among which is how we'll put food into 2.5 billion or so extra tummies (especially given that we don't adequately fill all of the 7-plus billion we already have). If you're yet to hear alarming phrases like "food security" and "sustainable intensification" you've probably been living under a rock. Which is apt, … [Read more...]
Crops Can Be Made Self-Fertilizing With Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria, Making Artificial Fertilizer Unnecessary
A second Green Revolution? Nitrogen fixation is the process by which nitrogen is converted to ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that is necessary for plants to grow. Problem is, only a few plants like legumes (peas, beans, lentils) can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere with the help of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The vast majority of plants have to get their nitrogen from the soil, and there's not enough of it everywhere. That's … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Prevent Food Waste at Home
Watch Your Trash
For one week, take note of what's in your trash. Don't just look at it, but analyze everything that goes in the bin or down the disposal. (If you're really serious, you might jot down your observations in a notebook.) Then adjust your habits. If you threw away half a box of stale cereal, either buy a smaller box or store cereal in an airtight container immediately after opening. If week-old leftovers are … [Read more...]Raising the Visibility of Coal Plant Water Pollution
Who knew a beauty contest could be so gross? Activists in St. Louis staged a Hazmat Swimsuit Contest last week to highlight the immense amount of toxic pollution that local coal plants dump into the area's waterways, an article by Sarah Hodgdon reports. "Rather than wear swimsuits, the competitors all wore hazmat suits to illustrate that St. Louis area water is too toxic to swim in, let alone drink!" said St. Louis Beyond Coal Organizer Sara … [Read more...]
What Uses Do You Have For Lemons?
Most people are familiar with the traditional uses for lemons to soothe sore throats and add some citrus flavor to our foods. However the diversity of applications for lemons far exceeds general knowledge. Here are just a few examples: High Blood Pressure Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness. Mental Health Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from … [Read more...]
Food For Thought…
What Can You Grow In a Pot?
Growing your own food is exciting, not only because you get to see things grow from nothing into ready-to-eat fruits and veggies, but you also don’t have to worry about the pesticides they might contain, and you definitely cut down on the miles they and you have to travel. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have a garden. So, what can you grow in a pot? Tree fruits - apples, figs, pears. Citrus fruits - dwarf oranges, … [Read more...]
Is the 2030 Goal for Hunger Eradication Realistic?
With less than three years before a 2015 deadline, the developing world is largely expected to miss one of the U.N.'s key Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): halving the number of people living in extreme poverty and hunger. Despite limited progress, there are still more than 1.4 billion people - out of a total global population of over seven billion - who live below the poverty line of 1.25 dollars and on the razor edge of starvation. The Food … [Read more...]
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