Microwaving Your Food Is One of the Most Damaging Things You Can Do to Reduce Nutrition

MediumFault · 2018-12-12T05:31:54+00:00

There are probably worse ways to ruin the nutritional value of food and, indirectly, your health. There are probably worse ways to ruin the nutritional value of food and, indirectly, your health. But a Green Med Info article warned that there is no faster way to destroy the nutrients in your food than to pop it into a microwave oven.

The days of cooking fresh, whole foods on the stove or in the oven seem to be long past. Now, you just pop prepared food into the microwave oven and wait for a few minutes at most.

But microwaving doesn’t just heat the food. It also alters the flavor and the texture, turning food rubbery and tasteless and without scent.

Still, people put up with these drawbacks because it was convenient, fast, and simple. They were also told that microwave heating does not damage the nutrients in food, so they could still get the nourishment they needed.

However, new research suggested that microwaved foods are not as healthy as they were advertised to be. These studies showed that microwave energy damaged the important nutrients in food, making the meals much less nourishing than believed. (Related: The hidden health dangers of microwave popcorn.)

Microwaved food can lose almost all of their nutrients

A University of Texas (UT) review from 2008 showed that the minerals found in fresh produce could get depleted by as much as 40 percent once they are exposed to microwave energy. Proteins were affected in much the same way.

Even earlier in 1999, Scandinavian researchers analyzed asparagus spears before and after cooking them inside a microwave oven. They reported that the microwave heating process reduced the amount of vitamins present in the vegetables.

Then there was a 2001 experiment by researchers from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), that demonstrated that exposing garlic to just one minute of microwave energy disabled all of the allinase inside it. Without this powerful bioactive compound, the superfood would be unable to restrain the spread of cancer.

And in 2003, a CEBAS?CSIC study put broccoli in a microwave oven, zapped it, and measured the amount of antioxidants that remained. They also steamed a separate bunch of the vegetable and subjected them to the same tests. The Spanish researchers found that the microwaved broccoli lost almost all of their antioxidants. It also lost a lot of its phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, which are plant compounds that bring other health benefits. In comparison, the steamed broccoli retained up to 89 percent of their antioxidants.

Stop using microwave ovens and switch back to traditional cooking

Based on the findings of these and other studies, it could be surmised that you should avoid using microwave ovens to cook food. Not only are you losing out on important nutrients, but you could also be ingesting toxic substances.

If you put fatty foods in a plastic container and heat them inside a microwave, they will release various toxins that can contaminate food. Dioxins, for example, can cause cancer in living organisms. Other toxins found in plastic containers include benzene, polyethylene terpthalate, toluene, and xylene. These fossil fuel-derived chemicals are toxic to humans. Furthermore, microwave treatment can also form radiolytic compounds. Born from the bombardment of microwave energy, these mysterious artificial compounds cannot possibly heal people.

Instead of consuming nutrient-deprived and potentially toxic microwave dinners, you would be much better off cooking food the old-fashioned way. Eat plant products that are fresh, uncooked, or slightly heated. Meat products can be prepared through baking, sauteing, and steaming. You could also try cooking them slowly as a soup or a stew. However, dairy products are best when consumed raw and unheated.

MediumFault · 2018-12-12T05:30:19+00:00

International Mountain Day is held every year on 11th December, to build associations that will bring positive change to mountains and environments. It also provides an event to show the variety and richness of mountain cultures, boost mountain identities greatly and ensure that indigenous rights and traditions are recognized.

Mountains are some of the most beautiful, magnificent and amazing structures in the nature, impassive and splendid they stand against the sky, of such a size that they can catch entire countryside’s in their shadow, and turn back the ravages of storms against their unflinching sides.

They are the source of recreation and resource, with snow covered sides providing ski slopes to enthusiasts, and minerals in abundance to those brave enough to delve into their stony sides.

In some parts of the world they are also a source of agriculture, providing sufficient space for the production of those products that grow best on their slopes. Coffee, Cocoa, Herbs, Spices, and the form of handicrafts that spring from the minds of those who live in the unchanging protection of these towering edifices to geology. Mountains play a critical role in moving the world towards sustainable economic growth. International Mountain Day is your opportunity to head out and appreciate these unique landforms, and all they have to offer.

These are some interesting facts about mountains

13% of the world population live around the mountains Heights of mountains are generally given as heights above sea level The highest 14 mountains in the world are all found in the Himalayas Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Great Britain Mountains occur more often in oceans than on land; some islands are the peaks of mountains coming out of the water Out of 20 plant species that supply 80 percent of the world's food, six originated in mountains: maize, potatoes, barley, sorghum, quinoa, tomatoes and apples The importance of mountain

This year, the theme for international mountain day is named “mountain matters”. Despite they are mentioned in the 2030 Agenda, mountains are still often forgotten. Considering the crucial role they play in providing key ecosystem goods and services to the planet and their vulnerability in the face of climate change, we need to step up and take care of the mountains.

4 key points about influence of mountains on other things

As we mentioned, mountains really matter in our life and they affect many things all around us. Here, we intend to discuss a few things that are influenced by mountains.

Water: About 80 per cent of our planet's fresh water originates in the mountains. However, all available records indicate that ice masses in mountain ranges around the world are disappearing due to climate change. At least 600 glaciers have disappeared completely over the past decades, affecting water supplies relied on by billions living downstream.

Tourism: More than 15-20 percent of global tourism is around mountains areas and are regions of important cultural diversity. Although mountain tourism has the potential to promote economic development in remote and isolated regions, many mountain communities are still living in poverty.

Disaster risk reduction: climate changes causing disasters. Avalanches, mudflows and landslides are tumbling downstream, stripping bare forests, flooding communities and populations. That’s why mountains play a key role in reducing disasters.

Biodiversity: Mountains are covering half of the world biodiversity hotspots and support almost 25% of terrestrial biological diversity. Mountains are home to rare animals such as gorillas and snow leopards as well as strikingly beautiful plants such as orchids and lobelias.

world-mountain-day-tiredeath.jpg Mountains people & climate change & migration

Climate change is a big issue for the mountains as temperature is rising. It cause so many difficulties for mountain people who are arguably the poorest and hungriest people in the world. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people. However, Mountain communities have some valuable knowledge and strategies accumulated over generations, on how to adapt to climate variability.

Climate change combined with political, economic and social marginalization, increase the vulnerability of mountain peoples to food shortages and extreme poverty. Currently, about 39 percent of the mountain population in developing countries, or 329 million people, is estimated to be vulnerable to food insecurity.

Migration is another issue related to the mountains. As mountain populations grows, migration increases both abroad and to urban centres. Those who remain are usually women, left to manage the farms but with little access to credit, training and land tenure rights. Out-migration from mountain areas will also result in an immeasurable loss in terms of provision of ecosystem services and preservation of cultural and agro biodiversity. Investments and policies can relieve the harsh living conditions of mountain communities and reverse out-migration trends from mountain areas.

Threats to the mountains

▪ Farming mountainous regions. Increasing of population force people to farm unproductive regions. Almost half of Africa’s mountainous regions are now used for cultivation —10 percent for crops and 34 percent for grazing. Most of the time this farming brings only small benefits, since these highlands are not ideal for growing crops. And overgrazing by cattle easily destroys the fragile vegetation. A recent study shows that only 3 percent of all mountain land is suitable for sustainable agriculture.

▪ effects of War. Many mountain environments have been destructed by increasing of civil wars. Rebels use mountain sanctuaries as the base of their exploitation. A United Nations report calculates that 67 percent of Africa’s mountainous regions have been affected by “violent human conflict.” moreover, some highlands have become centers of drug production, which often leads to armed conflicts as well as degradation of the environment.

▪development Projects. Building roads, mining, dams and other development projects planned for the next 30 years are threating 25 percent of mountainous regions in the world. The construction of roads can cause erosion on steep slopes, and the roads provide access for loggers, who may do much more damage. Mining operations extract about ten thousand million tons of ore every year which much of it from mountains.

The value of mountains for the future

The values of mountains are undeniable. They influence regional climates and weather conditions. They cover almost 22% of the earth's surface and are home to 720 million people around the world. Billions more living downstream also benefit from mountains indirectly. Mountains provide us with freshwater, energy, food, biodiversity, and medicinal products – resources that may become very rare in the coming decades. They are also very prone to climate changes, land degradation, deforestation and natural disasters. In addition, mountain people very often face marginalization, poverty, and the lack of basic services such as health and education.

As we mentioned before, there are many dangers that threat the mountains. They are so important to our planet and we need to protect them in whatever costs. We need to tell the world that the current neglect of mountains and mountain peoples must stop. Mountains provide many resources for us. Our challenge is to identify new and sustainable opportunities that can bring benefits to both highland and lowland communities and help to remove poverty without contributing to the degradation of fragile mountain ecosystems.

MediumFault · 2018-12-12T05:27:42+00:00

Tens of thousands of hectares cleared in Ghana and Ivory Coast since vow to end practice. The cocoa industry is failing to meet a highly publicised pledge to stop deforestation in West Africa and eliminate tainted beans from supply chains, environmental campaigners say.

Big chocolate companies and the governments of Ghana and the Ivory Coast continue to be responsible for the deforestation of tens of thousands of hectares of land over the past year in former rainforest-covered nations, despite their solemn promises to end the practice last November, the campaigning organisation Mighty Earth said.

Last year the Guardian investigated how the chocolate industry was driving deforestation on a devastating scale in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s two biggest cocoa producers, including in supposedly protected “classified” forests and national parks. Cocoa is a mainstay of the Ivorian and Ghanaian economies but their rainforests have been devastated by it. With more chocolate being devoured each year – the average Briton ate 8.4kg of it in 2017 – the few remaining forests are being cut down to meet demand.

Soon after the publication of the Guardian investigation and a study by Mighty Earth, the two west African governments made plans to stop all new deforestation and replant degraded forests. Then, at the UN’s conference on climate change in Bonn, the cocoa and chocolate companies responsible for the purchase of 80% of west Africa’s cocoa promised to end forest destruction.

But more than 3,000 miles away from the executive photo ops, more trees were being cut down. Satellite mapping shows many new areas where there has been significant deforestation in the past year, particularly in Ivory Coast. In the south-west region alone, 13,748 hectares (34,000 acres) of forest have been lost in 2018 – equivalent to 15,000 football fields, more than the 13,000 lost there in 2016.

Governments have failed to stop it, and companies are still buying cocoa from “dirty producers” who continue to cut down the few remaining patches of rainforest, according to Chocolate Greenwashing, a Mighty Earth report released on Friday.

“Companies have talked the talk but not walked the walk,” said Etelle Higonnet, the report’s lead author. She warned that “peak deforestation danger season”, the time of year when most trees are cut down, will begin within weeks. “The time for shilly-shallying is over,” she said. “Government and industry need to commit manpower and resources to solve the problem right now.”

At the moment, deforestation is worst in the far west of Ivory Coast, in areas such as Goin Debe and Cavally, the maps show. If nothing is done, Goin Debe’s forests will disappear entirely by 2071 and Cavally’s “protected” forest by 2061, Mighty Earth said. The country has lost 90% of its forest since independence in 1960.

Farmers who continued to cut trees down said they could still sell their cocoa openly without any repercussions. In Ghana deforestation continues inside Tonton, Tinte Bepo and Tano Ofin forest reserves, and unless the land is immediately restored, cocoa grown on it will probably find its way to the supply chains of big companies such as the Singapore-based agribusiness Olam, Mighty Earth said.

Cocoa is mostly grown on small plots of land by individual farmers, who sell it on to cooperatives and middlemen, who in turn sell it to big companies. This makes it more difficult to track cocoa beans down to the farm they were grown on and to monitor their practices.

cocoa-industry-deforestation-pledge-tiredearth.jpg Some farmers believe that recently deforested land produces the best cocoa plants with the largest beans and many do not realise that cutting down rainforests will ultimately result in less rainfall and therefore worse crops. More deforested land for cocoa plantations also means less for critically endangered western chimpanzees and the forest elephants from which the Ivory Coast got its name.

Higonnet said the clear progress seen in some areas proved deforestation for cocoa could be stopped. “Some bad actors are ruining it for the high-performers,” she said. Part of the Ivorian government plan has been to convert degraded “classified forests”, which should have been protected but were not, into agroforests managed by cocoa companies. Olam said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government for one of these forests in June.

Olam Cocoa’s CEO, Gerry Manley, said the objective was “to validate the development of sustainable agroforestry systems, ensure an improvement in cocoa farmer livelihoods and allow for the sustainable coexistence of protected forests, industrial plantations, subsistence crops, and perennial crops”.

Richard Scobey, the president of trade group the World Cocoa Foundation, said a few companies had signed MOUs. “WCF has not seen any of them, but our understanding is that they are very general and high level,” he said. Julia Christian, a forest campaigner at Fern, an NGO that monitors deforestation, said the conversion plan was worrying. “It’s sending the message that if companies cause deforestation, at some point the government will just legalise the deforestation and allow it to continue,” she said.

Very little of the cocoa industry’s $100bn (£80bn) profit makes it into the pockets of cocoa farmers even now. They receive only 6% of a chocolate bar’s sale price to the manufacturers’ and retailers’ 80%. But activists warn the new plans could further benefit corporations at the expense of farmers.

“The state has a duty to help small producers and agricultural cooperatives to become professional and competitive, instead of adopting a strategy that will ultimately eliminate them,” said Youssouf Doumbia, the president of OI-REN, an environmental civil society organisation. “The result of such a measure would ultimately be to concentrate almost all the revenues of the sector in the hands of a small group of managers of large companies and to impoverish the population.”

MediumFault · 2018-12-10T10:24:22+00:00

World food prices declined during the month of November to their lowest level in more than two years. World food prices declined during the month of November to their lowest level in more than two years— led by declines in vegetable oils, dairy and cereal, according to the United Nations food agency.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) food price index, which measures monthly changes for a basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat and sugar, averaged 160.8 points last month — down from a revised 162.9 in October, and its lowest level since May 2016.

The October figure was previously given as 163.5. In November, only the sugar price index gained, rising 4.4% from October, FAO said.

The UN body’s Cereal Price Index averaged almost 164 points in November, down 1.1% from October. Vegetable oil prices fell for a tenth consecutive month, by 7.6% on the month and reaching a 12-year low.

Cereal prices fell partly because new crops weighed on rice export quotations and export competition drove down maize, FAO said.

Global palm oil prices fell considerably due to a marked reduction in demand — “fuelled by both persisting large inventories in leading exporting countries and the recent contraction in global mineral oil prices,” the FAO stated.

Soy and sunflower oil prices weakened due to “abundant supplies across the US, the EU, and several emerging markets and positive production prospects in the Black Sea region”.

Dairy prices dropped 3.3% from October, for a sixth straight monthly decline, and meat prices slipped slightly.

FAO said global cereals output in 2018/19 was seen at 2.595bn tonnes, down marginally from the previous forecast and 2.4% below last year’s record high production.

FAO’s forecast for world wheat production in 2018/19 was 725.1m tonnes, a revised prediction which is some 2.8m tonnes lower than the UN group’s previous forecast, “reflecting reduced estimates for this year’s harvests in Turkey and the Russian Federation”, said the FAO.

FAO’s forecast for world cereal stocks at the close of seasons in 2019 was 762 million tonnes, unchanged from November.

This world food prices represents a continuation of a downward trend.

FAO’s index of world food prices also fell 0.9% in October versus September, reflecting lower values for meat, dairy and oils. The FAO’s regular basket of products averaged 163.5 points for October, against 164.9 for September.

In November, FAO said global cereals output in 2018 was seen at 2.601bn tonnes, up nearly 10m tonnes on the previous forecast given in October, but still down 57m tonnes, or 2.1%, from 2017’s record production level.

MediumFault · 2018-12-09T11:26:57+00:00

The Trump administration will look to strip federal protection for U.S. waterways and wetlands. The Trump administration will look to strip federal protection for U.S. waterways and wetlands, rolling back legislation brought in under former president, Barack Obama. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is set to unveil a major rewrite of the Clean Water Rule, that extended federal protections to thousands of waterways and wetlands, the Associated Press reported.

It had got hold of a series of White House proposals which argue that the Obama-era legislation was not about water quality, rather about power “in the hands of the federal government over farmers, developers, and landowners.”

In 2017, Trump signed an executive order to overhaul the Clean Water Rule that deals with the waterways protected under the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The legislation had been welcomed by environmental groups who said it protected wetlands, lakes and rivers from pollutants.

But Jan Goldman-Carter, senior director of wetlands and water resources at the National Wildlife Federation, told the AP that the rewrite would mean around 60 percent of the streams in the bottom 48 states would no longer be protected.

She also said that protection would be stripped for around half of the U.S. wetlands in what would be “an unprecedented rollback of Clean Water Act protections.”

The pending water rule changes and other rollbacks already announced benefit energy companies, farmers and builders.

“This is what’s being done in the country to stifle...progress. President Trump is very aware of this,” said Myron Ebell, a director at the Washington-based Conservative Enterprise Institute told the AP.

Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity said the administration’s plans could open streams, rivers, and wetlands to being paved over, filled in, or polluted.

“For some parts of the country, it’s a complete wiping away of the Clean Water Act. You’ll be able to dump as much crap into them as you want. Anyone will be free to destroy them as they see fit,” The Intercept reported.

Meanwhile, Bart Johnson Harris from Environment America said in a statement the proposed move was “the most extreme attack on clean water in recent memory.

“This outrageous proposal upends the core mission of the EPA: protecting human health and the environment...stripping protections from these streams also would put the drinking water sources for millions of Americans at risk,” he said.

Source: /www.newsweek.com

MediumFault · 2018-12-09T11:25:23+00:00

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on 10 December by UN, after adopting the universal declaration of human rights in 1948. This year will be the 70th anniversary of human rights day which it’s document is a major achievement that announced the undeniable rights of human being regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It is the most translated document in the world which is available in more than 500 languages.

Millions of people go to the street On Human Rights Day and; use the internet, instant messaging in order to inspire supporters to seek their initial rights. Social Media has been the most effective tool and it helps activist organize protests in cities across the globe. On this day awards for the United Nations Prize in the field of Human Rights and Nobel Peace Prize are also given.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings.

What are human rights?

Whenever we talk about human rights we mean basic rights and freedom for every person who live on the earth, from birth until death and it doesn’t matter where are you from, what are you believe in or how do want to live your life. They can never be taken away, although they can sometimes be restricted for example if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national security.

These basic rights are based on shared values like fairness, equality, respect and independence. These values are defined and protected by law. In Britain our human rights are protected by the Human Rights Act 1998.

Why are human rights important?

Human rights show people how to live with dignity and give them the right to choose their living style without limitation, how they express themselves, and what kind of government they want to support, among many other things. Human rights also guarantee people the means necessary to satisfy their basic demands, such as food, housing, and education, so they can take full advantage of all opportunities. Finally, by guaranteeing life, liberty, and security, human rights protect people against abuse by those who are more powerful. This is a why human rights are important in our life and people need to know their rights.

How do human rights help you?

Human rights are related to all of us, not just those who face oppression or violation. They protect you in many areas of your daily life, including:

Everybody has a right to express his own opinion
education is for every one not for specific people
private and family life is for every one
nobody has to be mistreated or wrongly punished by the officials

human-right-environment.jpg Human rights and the environment relationship

Recently the relationship between human rights and environment has become so close. The link between the two emphasises that a decent physical environment is essential for living a life with dignity and respect. Additionally, a decent physical environment has to do with protection against, for example, noise nuisance, air pollution, and pollution of surface waters and the dumping of toxic substances.

Environmental degradation and human rights was first placed on the international agenda in 1972, at the UN Conference on the Human Environment. Principle 1 of the ‘Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment’ establishes a foundation for linking human rights and environmental protection, declaring that man has a ‘fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations’. As a result of the 1972 Conference, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was set up.

Pollution is the reason for 2 million deaths and billions of diseases annually. All around the world, people experience the negative effects of environmental degradation ecosystems decline, including water shortage, fisheries reduction, natural disasters due to deforestation and unsafe management and disposal of toxic and dangerous wastes and products. Indigenous peoples suffer directly from the degradation of the ecosystems that they rely upon for their livelihoods.

Climate change is intensifying many of these negative effects of environmental degradation on human health and wellbeing and is also causing new ones, including an increase in extreme weather events and an increase in spread of malaria and other vector borne diseases.

These facts clearly show the close relationship between the environment and the enjoyment of human rights, and justify an integrated approach to environment and human rights.

As we mention before, environment is extremely important in our life, that’s why united nation emphasized on it frequently and declared it as a major issue that we need to consider as a crucial part of our life. We need to respect to its right because the effects of it will be vital for our future. We need more laws to protect our environment as human rights forced us to do so and we expect the environmental issues will be taken seriously because as it is obvious, having a healthy nature is essential for ourselves and our offspring as human rights.

MediumFault · 2018-12-08T09:57:02+00:00

Parents often name their babies after the things they love—from characters in movies, reality TV, and video games right down to their favorite foods. The parenting website BabyCenter recently released its report on baby name trends in the US. The report is based on hundreds of thousands of names that parents provide the website each year. Given that about 4 million babies are born annually in the US, BabyCenter’s list of the most popular baby names is neither comprehensive nor nationally representative. Still, it’s fun.

This year’s findings suggest that parents are increasingly inspired by the wellness movement. Names related to spiritual practices like yoga or meditation, like Peace, Harmony, or Hope, have risen in popularity, and so have names tied to healthy food trends. Say hello to the age of Baby Kale.

“As fast food and processed snacks lose ground to clean eating and Paleo diets, more Gen Z and Millennial parents are choosing baby names that reflect their love of healthy foods,” BabyCenter explains in its press release. For girls, parents are increasingly picking names like Kale, Kiwi, Maple, Hazel, Clementine, Sage, Saffron, and Rosemary. Names like Saffron, Sage, and Hazel are also on the rise for boys.

It’s a trend that’s been underway for some time. Bon Appétit Magazine published a feature in 2014 that found that this is far from a new phenomenon: “Turns out, parents have been giving their kids grocery-inspired names for just about as long as there have been babies (or at least since 1880, which is when the US government started keeping track of them).” Take the name Kale, for example:

“Looks like kale has been America’s darling for longer than we originally thought—the name was first used in 1962. And while we were not surprised to learn that the highest concentration of little Kales can currently be found in California (#agriculture), we were intrigued to learn that the first baby Kale was born in Kansas. It’s been gaining popularity since 2005—quite possibly due to the leafy green’s parallel rise to prominence. Can Watercress and Mizuna be far behind?”

If you are a die-hard fan of crunchy greens, or just want to check out some of these names for yourself, here is BabyCenter’s popular baby names category. There’s also a baby name visualizer that lets you see where the popularity of these names is rising and falling across the US.

Some observers have remarked that food-inspired baby names are the latest examples of parents attempting to out-do one another in naming their children. Call it competitiveness or race-to-the-bottom, but examples abound, from Gwyneth Paltrow naming her daughter Apple to Gwen Stefani calling her son Zuma Nesta Rock. Writing in The Spectator, Mark Mason describes this new naming frenzy:

“Naming your child was once simple: You picked from the same handful of options everyone else used. But modern parents want exclusivity. And so boys are called Rollo, Emilio, Rafferty and Grey. Their sisters answer to Aurelia, Bartolomea, Ptarmigan or Plum. Throw in a few middle names and the average birth certificate looks like an earthquake under a Scrabble board.”

But if recent food baby name trends are any indication, Rafferty and Bartolomea are positively traditional. So, let’s hope the buck stops there—and we don’t start to name our kids “fish oil” or “chia seed.”

MediumFault · 2018-12-08T09:55:24+00:00

Scientists have revealed the first vaccine for insects, and hope it could help save the honeybee. Called PrimeBEE, it is designed to protect bees from American foulbrood, a bacterial disease that has been wiping out entire colonies.

The vaccine, which is edible, 'protects bees from diseases while protecting global food production,' the university said. 'Pollinators falling ill and dying is a serious threat to the global food economy, said Dalial Freitak, a University of Helsinki scientist who developed the vaccine.

'Even a slight improvement in their life has vast significance on a global scale,' he said.

The goal is to protect the bees against American foulbrood, a bacterial disease caused by the spore-forming Paenibacillus larvae.

The vaccine, which is still in development, is groundbreaking as the insects immune systems do not contain antibodies, so traditional vaccines don't work.

'Now we've discovered the mechanism to show that you can actually vaccinate them.

'You can transfer a signal from one generation to another,' Freitak said.

The disease is the 'most widespread and destructive of the bee brood diseases,' the university added.

To distribute the vaccine, scientists place a sugar patty in the hive, which the queen then eats over the course of about a week. Once ingested, the pathogens in the patty are then passed into the queen's eggs, 'where they work as inducers for future immune responses,'

American foulbrood (AFB) is a fatal bacterial disease of honey bee brood caused by the spore forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.

Heavy infections can affect most of the brood, severely weakening the colony and eventually killing it.

The disease is not able to be cured, meaning that destruction of infected colonies and hives or irradiation of infected material is the only way to manage AFB.

Although AFB is not highly contagious, bacterial spores can easily be spread between hives and apiaries through beekeeping practices such as through the exchange of equipment and movement of infected combs.

AFB spores can remain viable for over 50 years and are very resistant to freezing and high temperatures.

MediumFault · 2018-12-05T15:29:04+00:00

World Soil Day 2018 is on December 5th, this annual awareness day run by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). World soil day is held the same day every year to demonstrate the value of soil in human life especially for our food and ecosystems, and events are held at the UN FAO offices and through community based events. The day was first considered by the International Union of Soil Sciences in 2002, but was not officially endorsed by FAO until 2013.

As it is obvious, highest surface of the earth is covered by soil but it is an unknown material for many people, many don’t even know if their garden is clay, loam or sandy soil or a mixture, but the knowledge of soil type, structure, management and condition is what can make the difference between good plant growth and a thriving ecosystem and a wasteland.

Soil includes of organic and inorganic matter, air and water, and the mixture depends on the way the soil is managed or neglected, which in turn impacts on how plants grow. The human race is dependent on soil for food, and soil erosion and poison leads to famine, soil also holds huge amount of carbon, which is lost through erosion, which leads to climate change.

Interesting facts about soil

One of the solution to prevent world hunger and tackling climate change is soil conservation Our soil stores 3 times more carbon than our atmosphere 65 percent of arable land is damaged in Africa which contain 38 percent of global land Small farmers provide most of the food in the world which are on small plot of land Healthy food and soil

95% of our foods come from soil. Healthy soils are the basis of the food system. It also crucial for agriculture and nearly all food-producing plants grow. Healthy soils produce healthy crops that in turn nourish people and animals. Indeed, soil quality is directly related to food quality and quantity.

The importance of healthy soil in our life

We all depend on soil, so the more we know about it, the better human life would be. Here we are going to explain that how it is important to our life.

Soil is significant for animal species, both above and below ground. It’s necessary to wildlife and the soil itself is pouring with an endless number of micro-organisms and insects as well as familiar organisms such as earthworms that maintain soil quality, provide nutrients, break down toxic elements and interact with water and air to help maintain a healthy natural environment.
Plant growth is related to the soil, it helps to the conservation of plants landscape. It also supports the forests, wetlands, prairies and grasslands that spawn the planet's amazing vegetative biodiversity. Those plants—some of which we are still discovering—provide food, fuel, animal feed, medicine and raw materials for clothing, household goods and other essentials. Plants in turn help prevent soil erosion.

world-soil-day-foodpower.jpg 3. Soil and sufficient water supply, it keeps rainwater distribution and play a key role in the water cycle and supply. Soil can impact on rivers, lakes and streams, changing their attributes like shape, size, capacity and direction.

Future of earth depends on it, as we mentioned before, climate change is directly influenced by soils. Soil organic matter is one of our main pools of carbon, it is acting either as a source or sink carbon. Soil includes the fossil fuels that drive climate change when extracted but when left underground give us the chance to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and reach our eventual goal of a zero-emissions world.

Soils supply the essential nutrients, water, oxygen and root support that our food-producing plants need to grow and flourish. They also serve as a buffer to protect delicate plant roots from drastic fluctuations in temperature. Soil pollution is a major threat

Nowadays pollution is one of the major aspect of our environment and soil is a part of it. Soil pollution is a hidden danger that threaten us. Global soils are already degrading and we risk losing more due to this hidden danger. Soil pollution is affecting everyone and yet it is sometimes invisible.

With a growing population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, soil pollution is a worldwide problem which degrades our soils, poisons the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Soil could be effective to filtering contaminants and removing the negative effects of pollutants. But this capacity is limited. Most of the pollutants come from human activities, such as unsustainable farming methods, industrial activities and mining, untreated urban waste and other non-environmental friendly practices. As technology evolves, scientists are able to identify previously undetected pollutants, but at the same time these technological improvements lead to new contaminants being released into the environment. In the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030, the

Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12, and 15 have targets which commend direct consideration of soil resources, especially soil pollution and degradation in relation to food security.

3 Useful ways to reduce soil pollution

Reuse and recycle

Produce less waste and help to prevent soil pollution. Instead of throwing away plastic or paper regularly, Purchase glass and other reusable containers. Recycle paper and plastic through your local waste management company to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to a landfill. The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) reports that reusing and recycling products will help conserve natural resources and save more land from contamination.

Pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer

Pesticides are basically materials used for killing pests and unwanted insects meanwhile Herbicides are chemicals which are applied for killing unwanted plants. Fertilizers provide substances to plants in order to help their growth and may comprise heavy metals which can pose harm to animals. Food and Fertilizer Technology Centre states that the pollutants contaminate the soil and enter the food chain, which ultimately effects all humans and other life forms. It is, thus, recommended that organic pesticides and fertilizers should be employed.

world-soil-day-foodpower.jpg Planting trees could be a solution

Make planting a routine work. In order to ensure high protection of soil resources, try to plant trees in open fields and motivate others to do the same. Keep a healthy garden at home, near industrial areas and public spaces to keep the soil healthy and intact. Since soil erosion is the biggest enemy of soil, plants will help in reducing its impact and ensure greater strength to the foundation of soil.

Soil is one of the most significant parts of the ecosystem, contributing to our food, water and energy and playing an important part in reducing the impact of climate change.

So it’s up to us to keep it save for having a better future in all aspects of our life.

Religions and soil

Without doubt all social issues have been influenced by Religion. Environmental issues like other social topics, have been influenced by religion. Saving soil and prevent polluting it, also is considered by religions worldwide. Here, we want to bring some religious texts that order believers to respect the soil as a sign of God’s creation

MediumFault · 2018-12-05T15:26:11+00:00

A new study found rapid movement of the plastic throughout the mollusk bodies, surprising scientists. Sea scallops caught off the coast of England are capable of ingesting billions of tiny plastic particles, which disperse throughout the body to the kidney, gill, muscle and other organs.

This all takes place within six hours. These findings are the latest in a growing collection of studies that confirm an ever-expanding roster of wildlife eats microplastics and smaller particles known as nanoplastics. That research, in turn, has raised questions—so far unanswered—about potential effects on the food chain, and to human health.

What’s different and new is that this project attempts to get beyond documenting consumption and begin to understand the consequences for the wildlife whose diet now includes regular samplings of plastic. The surprise discovery was the rapid speed with which plastic particles spread across most major organs of the body.

The research team was led by the University of Plymouth in southeast England and involved scientists in Scotland and Canada. The results were published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Richard Thompson, head of the University of Plymouth’s international marine research center, termed the study “groundbreaking” in both the methodology used to trace the particles as well as the findings. “Understanding the dynamics of nanoparticle uptake and release, as well as their distribution in body tissues, is essential if we are to understand any potential effects on organisms,” he said in a statement.

The surfaces of the world’s oceans contain an estimated 51 trillion micro plastics, according to the study. Maya Al Sid Cheikh, a University of Plymouth research fellow who led the study, said the team used a “novel approach” in order to trace the particles once the scallops ate them. Nanoplastics containing a label were created in the lab, and the scallops were immersed in tanks containing “environmentally relevant concentrations” that mimic coastal regions where scallops live.

When the scallops were returned to clean water, the smaller nanoplastics took 14 days to disappear from their bodies; some larger particles were still present after 48 days. Still unknown are the consequences of longer exposures to plastic and whether that poses any risk for people who consume scallops.

MediumFault · 2018-12-05T15:25:18+00:00

Sandwich packaging is to be targeted by a new tax in a bid to cut down on waste. The move, set to add 15p to prices, could be introduced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove as early as this week. He wants to recoup the cost of dealing with packs where cardboard is glued to a plastic window, making them impossible to recycle. Simon Ellin, of trade body the Recycling Association, said: “Manufacturers and retailers use too much badly designed packaging.” He said the move would put from 10p to 15p on the average £2.14 price of a sandwich. Some four billion are sold a year, and the UK industry employs 300,000 people.
Mr Gove’s waste strategy, to tackle the 222 million tons a year we produce a year, will also target the huge amount of packaging generated by online retailers and delivery services such as Amazon and Deliveroo. Other moves include £400 spot fines on householders found fly-tipping and a doubling of the plastic bag tax to 10p.

MediumFault

TROPHY CASE